Anyone who works for a nonprofit knows their organization has changed significantly in the last several years. With new charitable giving features added to platforms like Facebook and Amazon, much of the marketing and fundraising focus has shifted online. While it’s true that digital media has become an incredibly helpful fundraising tool, nonprofit marketers still report that print generates the highest ROI of any marketing channel, according to Campaign Monitor.
If your nonprofit has put print marketing on the backburner, it’s time to reconsider your strategy in 2023. We’ll help you get started with the most essential prints and proven methods to help boost your fundraising efforts.
Personal Letters
For those who have been working with nonprofits for years, the idea of writing personal appeal letters is probably quite familiar. Sending hand-written letters to potential donors has been a longtime strategy for fundraisers thanks to its added personal touch, which tends to produce better results. 70% of Americans consider letters to be more personal than online communication, according to the Direct Marketing Association. If you want to optimize your fundraising efforts, consider typing up some base content for your letter and adding details or anecdotes where appropriate to make each note feel personal. Once an individual or business makes a donation, you can follow up with another personalized thank you letter. In both cases, the novelty of receiving a letter in the mail adds a special quality to your message that emails just don’t convey.
Informational Brochures
In addition to personal letters, it can also be helpful to send informational brochures to past or prospective donors. Because each page is double-sided, brochures are a great choice for maximizing your print space (and your budget). The separate brochure panels make it easy to cover a variety of different topics in one organized print package. Many nonprofits choose to cover their recent activities, advances, updates, or other information that will help your audience feel confident about their past or future donation. We’ve also seen clients dedicate a panel to discuss exactly how their organization uses donations as a way to overcome this common donor concern. Another strategy we’ve found to be very effective in extending your brand’s reach is sending two brochures to each donor at once: one for them to keep and one to share with a friend.
Signage
For nonprofits that choose to sponsor events or participate in different fairs, it’s important to incorporate signage into your advertising strategy. An attractive and well-placed sign can go a long way toward gaining exposure and attracting attention during a busy event. Printing a branded banner is a great place to start. Banners are very versatile, easy to put up, and inexpensive, which make them a must-have for any display. If you plan to have a larger table or booth, your organization will also want to create larger signs to ensure attendees can easily find your organization and learn important information while walking by. To help your audience take action right away, consider adding a QR code or text code to your signage that directs them to a relevant webpage. Providing an immediate and easily-accessible resource will ensure more attendees remember and engage with your nonprofit after the event is over.
Call-to-Action Mailers
If you’re ready to expand upon the letter and brochures you’re already using, it might be time to consider a more traditional direct mail campaign. Direct mail postcards are another affordable and effective way to reach prospective donors. Depending on the quantity and size of your piece, you may be able to reach new households for less than 35 cents each. In the past, we’ve worked with clients to utilize targeted mailing lists to reach prospects who closely match their ideal customer. If you’re just getting started with direct mail, consider kicking off your campaign in the leadup to an especially relevant time for your cause or giving an added incentive, such as a free gift with donation.