While surfing the net the other day, I made quite a startling discovery.There are many people out there who devote their time to bad-mouthing charities and their mailings.We're not talking about just a harmless post in some forum, we're talking about whole blogs dedicated to the subject.But in a way it's good. Very good actually.This kind of negative voicing of opinion is exactly what you as a charity should be looking for, regardless of whether or not the opinions are on your charity.Reading through a few posts on these blogs will open your eyes to what people really think about mailings and charities in general.Such as:- People do not like being bribed into giving. Free gifts come under this category, especially if they are of value, but even address labels and Christmas cards can spin people into a frenzy as they feel 'guilted' into giving.- Trying to be clever can also backfire: one charity sent out 12p in 1p coins to everyone on their list, then asked to be sent £1.12 back, including the 12p that was originally sent. Strange but true!- Sending bulk mail that isn't even personalised. There are now ways to get your mailings delivered to anyone through postal services like the Royal Mail (UK). This means that the mailings can't be named or addressed, so you lose out on that personal 'edge', irritating as hell for those receiving the stuff.- Charities now face more stringent rules regarding transparency of their spending. This puts charities in a difficult position, especially with potential donors being skeptical as it is when it comes to giving. If a charity is seen as spending too much and/or irresponsibly, people won't donate. Then more money has to be spent on acquiring donors, turning that vicious circle.- In an attempt to capture potential donor attention, charities are becoming more risque in the content of their mailings. For instance, one particular children's charity sent out a newspaper insert that resembled a children's school book covered in bullet holes. Many people complained about the bad taste of the insert and the charity subsequently withdrew it. So bordering on bad-taste is also a no-no.So enough of the doom and gloom. There is some light at the end of the tunnel.Here's some solutions or alternatives...- Try not to pull a guilt trip in your mailings. It works on some people but for most it is very irritating and results in more binned mailings. Some people even go as far as to say it assumes they are stupid or dense!- Trying to be clever has the same results. Don't try to fake your way into getting donations. In fact, being brutally truthful could be more effective.- I don't know where charities are getting the idea that sending generic bulk mail with no name or address on it is going to be effective or well-received. This should be stopped as it does get potential donors very annoyed.- Today's economical ups and downs and requirements for increased transparency from charities means it takes more effort and money to attract potential donor attention. But spending more money is a mug's game and will no doubt backfire in the long run. Focus more on the quality of your mailings.- Try not to border on bad-taste when coming up with new ideas. Honesty is often the best policy and will gain more donor respect than shocking them to the core.Do a little research on charities in general and in particular, 'charity junk mail'. You'll find lots of interesting opinions and rants that you should at least bear in mind when developing your next campaign. R|Mail Feed Button Help
The Non-Profit Times recently conducted a study comparing consumer responses to charities' direct mail campaigns from 2005 and 2008.The results were surprising.In 2005, only 25% of recipients turned to the internet to further research the sending charity. This increased to 44% this year.The most likely place for people to turn is the charity's website, an increase from 19% to 37%.What does this mean for those charities who send direct mail campaigns?Basically, you have to ensure your website is up to scratch if you hope to receive a decent response from your campaigns.Other places that recipients tend to consult are independent rating organisations, online discussion groups or forums and blogs.So the more positive information you have out there on your charity, the more likely you are to receive a good response to your direct mail campaigns.Ensuring any negative feedback is dealt with professionally can help label your charity as reputable and worthy of donations.A bad reputation can stick around for a long time on the internet, so avoiding any negativity in your activities is best.In this day and age, where you can find the most obscure information on any company or individual through your search engine, it is essential that you maintain a positive and updated presence in the online arena.Conducting your own searches on keywords relevant to your charity should uncover a plethora of information, ranging from random comments to full blown websites dedicated to the subject.This is what potential donors will see if they want to find out who you really are and if they should open their wallets to support you...or not.Bear this in mind before your next mailing and make sure your online presence is as positive and professional as possible. R|Mail Feed Button Help
So aside from the various issues involved in compiling and mailing an acquisition letter, the actual copy of your letter needs to be structured in such a way so as to encourage people to actually give.There are a number of ways this can be done, but I'm going to focus on just one here.Potential donors will only donate to your cause if they are sure that you will do what you say you're going to do.And the only way they can be sure is by seeing what you are currently doing.Let me explain that.Take a rescue home for dogs.With limited funding, the dog's home has managed to set up premises, acquire a voluntary vet or two and rescue 200 dogs within their first month of operations.But the dog's home needs donations to continue their good work and expand on their current premises, thus providing more space and resources to be able to rescue many more dogs.The dog's home mails out two acquisition letters:- One focusing on what they need to do- The other focusing on what they have doneWhich one do you think would bring in more donations?The second one. And here's why...Potential donors are the kinds of people who need a good reason to donate their money. After all, they are likely to have seen all sorts of charity/non-profit materials asking them for funding. But they won't donate to all of them. Apart from the fact that it would be quite costly for them, they would rather make sure that their donation will be put to good use for one or two charities than spread some money about and never really know if any of it has made any difference.There are many needs out there. But people who can see that a charity is clearly making an effort and has already achieved goals with limited funding will look more favourably on that charity.Therefore, the focus of your copy must be on what you have achieved, rather than what still needs to be done.Yes the whole reason you're mailing is because there are things that still need to be done, but people will respond more favourably to a focus on what has been achieved rather than an 'oh look at us, feel sorry for us, we have nothing, we have so much to do and no money, please donate' angle.It's a subtle change but one that can make a massive difference to your acquisition letter's effectiveness.Assuring potential donors that you are achieving your goals will give them enough reason to believe that their donation will make a difference.I'm not saying don't mention that you still have goals to achieve: that would be silly! Just don't make them the focus of your copy.Show potential donors what you are capable of, briefly mention what still needs to done and tell them how they can help.Simple!Remember, this is just one of the many copywriting techniques that you can and should use in your acquisition letters.Stick with this blog to learn more! R|Mail Feed Button Help
