Acquisition mailings are tough. But in pursuit of growing our donor base, they’re a viable option, caveats and all. How do these mailings work? Through targeting a rented list of names sourced from a list broker that is typically used once.
As Roger Craver of The Agitator notes: “Making a profit or even breaking even on acquisition is the exception, not the rule. Generally, between $25 and $60 in investment over and above the acquisition gift is required to bring in significant numbers of new donors. If you’re making money in prospecting you’re doing too little! Don’t be content at ‘making’ money on acquisition. Seize the opportunity to drive up the volumes to bring in a maximum number of donors. AND … plan to make a substantial investment in retaining those donors.”
The hope is that a portion of these candidates will give (.25% – 3%). You’ve paid the broker for their services, so you also hope to break even. But guess what? The money is not in the acquisition; the real money is in your followup.
How do you begin an ‘intimate conversation with strangers’ (Mal Warwick) compelling enough to rein in new donors from the candidate pool? There are many ways, but I’m going to cover just a few. Let this bright, shining example from Wounded Warriors shed some light…
1. What’s the first general rule of direct mail? Get it opened! Check out how Wounded Warriors creatively took full advantage of their envelope opportunities. The first thing I noticed was the stamp in the window, while the second thing to catch my eye was the question: What links it [the stamp] to someone who was severely burned in Afghanistan?
2. The details matter. The response device has a handwritten “Can you spare this much?” with the $25 amount circled. The minimum suggested amounts range from $10 to $35.
3. There’s a powerful story. The photos included in the letter amplify that power. I’ve already discussed why (and how) this story is so emotionally compelling.
4. Personalization. The letter is not only addressed to me, but my name is used in the body, along with “People in Ardmore…” and “Touch the lives of wounded heroes from Pennsylvania.”
5. I’m introduced to who Wounded Warriors are and what they do. The organization understands that this could be the beginning of a brand new relationship and informs me accordingly, explaining just enough, but yet still focusing on me, the potential new donor.
Absolutely brilliant. What about this piece grabs your attention the most? Can you see why I highly recommend adding this one to your swipe file?
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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