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Fundyour Cause with Direct Mail: Secrets of Successful Direct Mail Fund Raising
This is the most complete guide ever written on direct mail fundraising. The author is Ben Hart, whose direct mail programs have raised nearly a billion dollars for scores of non-profit organizations. But Hart's insights and secrets to profitable direct mail fundraising will work just as well for businesses and for-profit commercial enterprises. According to Hart, the three important rules for success in marketing through the mail are Make sure 1) that you are writing to the right people, that is, that you have compiled the right list; 2) that your letters come across as a personal communication from one person to another; and 3) that you are writing about what your reader is interested in, not what you, the writer, are interested in. Hart's book is chock full of rules, tips and axioms for effective letter writing, list selection, database management and the design and production of mailings that will help ensure the success of your direct mail marketing campaign. Anyone who is involved in direct mail marketing on any level should be required read Hart's book at least once a year. "Ben Hart is absolutely the best in the business. His direct mail campaigns have single-handedly turned many floundering organizations into multi-million dollar powerhouses. Ben's book is packed full of strategies, rules, methods and tips that will profit direct mail experts and beginners alike." - Steven Loflin, Executive Director, National Association of Collegiate Scholars (which has 600,000 members).
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2005
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May 21, 2013
Fund Your Cause With Direct Mail: Secrets of Direct Mail Fundraising by Benjamin Hart offers practical advice for those conducting direct mail operations for a variety of causes. Certain critiques of direct mail claim that the age of the Internet has caused the sun to set on direct mail. Hart however notes that the industry has in fact grown even with the rise of the Internet. While the Internet may serve to fund particular individuals in unique situations (a politician who won an unexpected primary election), it does not have the ability to directly raise the capital which direct mail is capable of raising. The reason for this is that direct mail places something directly in front of the donor. Online fundraising requires to visit a particular site. Few, if any, individuals visit a non-profit’s website in any sort of scheduled manner. Direct mail, when mailed regularly, provides the donor with a monthly reminder to donate to a cause which they feel passionate about. In fact direct mail only requires passive action on the part of the donor (with the exception of actually making the donation). Internet fundraising requires that the donor actively seek out the fundraising apparatus.
All of Hart’s advice can be reduced to one principle which he reiterates throughout the book. “A successful direct mail fundraising letter must look, feel, and read like a personal communication from one person to another.” If possible, the letter should be actually personal - addressed to one individual. However, for most donors, the added cost of personalization outweighs the benefits of it. Though the salutation of a letter will be clearly generic (Dear Friend etc), the rest of the letter should be personal (use the word “I”). In fact, Hart recommends apologizing for the generic nature of the letter noting that it is necessary to keep cost down. Such a recognition will build rapport with the reader and make the letter sound more personal. In light of this, it is important to avoid devices that make the letter seem commercial. Graphics and fancy designs should be avoided. The font of the letter should be a standard typewriter font. Everything which conveys the sense of personalization should be used, everything else avoided.
Hart offers a basic outline for running a direct mail program. To begin, Hart notes that one should acquire an experienced and honest list broker who specializes in the market one wishes to reach. One should select ten or lists and select 5% of the names of the list to test. The investment in testing the list will help you determine if the package and or the lists are successful. Assuming both the lists and the package are successful, one would roll out the direct mail package to the rest of the lists. Hart recommends that one does this in thirds if possible. This way, if the test results are not standard for the rest of the list (a dishonest list vendor), one will not lose all of one’s money. The names which come back may be added to ones house file. Though money may be lost in initially acquiring the house file in prospecting, the house file will quickly become the bread and butter of the organization through repeated mailings to the house file. In fact, Hart notes that if a prospective program returns three quarters of the cost of the program, it is a great success.
After providing a basic summery of how to start a direct mail program, Hart offers a collection of rules to successfully write a direct mail letter. The message of the letter should be able to be summed up in seven words or less. If it takes more words, the message is too complex for most people to easily understand. Hart notes that one should “err on the side of simplicity, nor creativity.” The language should not be formal nor should it contain obvious grammatical errors.
The first sentence of a letter should often be a “technique.” It is in the first sentence that a reader is won or lost. Similarly, the PS must be as effective as the first sentence if one wishes to keep the individual reading. As the PS is often the second thing read, keep it short, and have it summarize the message of the letter.
As for the body of the letter, the cause should be briefly outlined. It should not be a sermon. Your letter will not convince those who disagree with you on an issue. After laying out the cause, the majority of the letter should deal with the project. The description of the project should outline exactly what the donations will be used for. Most importantly, the letter must ask for money. No matter how interesting the first sentence and the PS are or how compelling the cause or the project, the letter will be entirely unsuccessful if it does not ask for a donation. At the same time, it is essential that a sense of urgency for the donation is conveyed. If the letter does not convey a sense of urgency, donors will set it aside with the intention of donating later which will rarely happen. It is now or never.
In composing the body of the letter, it is not sufficient that the first sentence be engaging and the body well constructed. The visual appearance of the letter is crucial. Large blocks of text should be avoided. In fact paragraphs should be only one to two sentences long. The right side of the page should not be justified. The jagged look helps break up the page. Important paragraphs should be indented. Key phrases should be underlined. In fact, one should be able to follow the entire argument from a few underline phrases. Most individuals will not read the entire letter. Instead they will scan the letter. If they can be convinced of the worthiness of the project from merely scanning the letter, they will probably donate. Finally, handwritten notes in the margin can also emphasize key points as they will likely be read.
Remarkably, though the sentences and paragraphs must be short for an effective direct mail letter, the letter itself should be long, ideally around 8 pages.
In addition to the letter, it is imperative that the package also contains a reply form. Hart notes that donors “will make their decision to contribute based on the first line, the PS, and what they see on the reply form.” The reply form should clearly outline the steps you wish the donor to take. In addition to the steps, the letter should also remind the donor of the negative consequences what will occur if a donation is not received. Every element of the package should reiterate the purpose and the need for the donation.
As for the envelope, it is imperative to avoid looking like commercial junk mail. Under most circumstances, a window on the envelope should be avoided. A handwritten address is best. Hart even recommends avoiding using the organization’s name and address on the envelope. As for postage, non-profit stamps should generally be avoided. For higher level donors, first class postage will help ensure that the envelope is opened. In fact, when using first class postage, multiple stamps (5 or more is best) should be used. Multiple stamps help create the impression of personalization. As noted in the beginning, every element of the letter should create the impression of personalization. When personalization is impossible, an apology for the personalization can in fact make it personal.
Hart concludes his book with seventy-two excellent techniques to help ensure that your letter is opened and read. Different techniques can be combined but most of the techniques listed must have a reason for their use. In order that the techniques retain their effectiveness, one should cycle through the techniques. If an appeal always contains a post it note (technique 68), people will begin to overlook. One must always remember that the donor is an intelligent individual seeking to see through the marketing schemes used by retailers and other non-profits.
All of Hart’s advice can be reduced to one principle which he reiterates throughout the book. “A successful direct mail fundraising letter must look, feel, and read like a personal communication from one person to another.” If possible, the letter should be actually personal - addressed to one individual. However, for most donors, the added cost of personalization outweighs the benefits of it. Though the salutation of a letter will be clearly generic (Dear Friend etc), the rest of the letter should be personal (use the word “I”). In fact, Hart recommends apologizing for the generic nature of the letter noting that it is necessary to keep cost down. Such a recognition will build rapport with the reader and make the letter sound more personal. In light of this, it is important to avoid devices that make the letter seem commercial. Graphics and fancy designs should be avoided. The font of the letter should be a standard typewriter font. Everything which conveys the sense of personalization should be used, everything else avoided.
Hart offers a basic outline for running a direct mail program. To begin, Hart notes that one should acquire an experienced and honest list broker who specializes in the market one wishes to reach. One should select ten or lists and select 5% of the names of the list to test. The investment in testing the list will help you determine if the package and or the lists are successful. Assuming both the lists and the package are successful, one would roll out the direct mail package to the rest of the lists. Hart recommends that one does this in thirds if possible. This way, if the test results are not standard for the rest of the list (a dishonest list vendor), one will not lose all of one’s money. The names which come back may be added to ones house file. Though money may be lost in initially acquiring the house file in prospecting, the house file will quickly become the bread and butter of the organization through repeated mailings to the house file. In fact, Hart notes that if a prospective program returns three quarters of the cost of the program, it is a great success.
After providing a basic summery of how to start a direct mail program, Hart offers a collection of rules to successfully write a direct mail letter. The message of the letter should be able to be summed up in seven words or less. If it takes more words, the message is too complex for most people to easily understand. Hart notes that one should “err on the side of simplicity, nor creativity.” The language should not be formal nor should it contain obvious grammatical errors.
The first sentence of a letter should often be a “technique.” It is in the first sentence that a reader is won or lost. Similarly, the PS must be as effective as the first sentence if one wishes to keep the individual reading. As the PS is often the second thing read, keep it short, and have it summarize the message of the letter.
As for the body of the letter, the cause should be briefly outlined. It should not be a sermon. Your letter will not convince those who disagree with you on an issue. After laying out the cause, the majority of the letter should deal with the project. The description of the project should outline exactly what the donations will be used for. Most importantly, the letter must ask for money. No matter how interesting the first sentence and the PS are or how compelling the cause or the project, the letter will be entirely unsuccessful if it does not ask for a donation. At the same time, it is essential that a sense of urgency for the donation is conveyed. If the letter does not convey a sense of urgency, donors will set it aside with the intention of donating later which will rarely happen. It is now or never.
In composing the body of the letter, it is not sufficient that the first sentence be engaging and the body well constructed. The visual appearance of the letter is crucial. Large blocks of text should be avoided. In fact paragraphs should be only one to two sentences long. The right side of the page should not be justified. The jagged look helps break up the page. Important paragraphs should be indented. Key phrases should be underlined. In fact, one should be able to follow the entire argument from a few underline phrases. Most individuals will not read the entire letter. Instead they will scan the letter. If they can be convinced of the worthiness of the project from merely scanning the letter, they will probably donate. Finally, handwritten notes in the margin can also emphasize key points as they will likely be read.
Remarkably, though the sentences and paragraphs must be short for an effective direct mail letter, the letter itself should be long, ideally around 8 pages.
In addition to the letter, it is imperative that the package also contains a reply form. Hart notes that donors “will make their decision to contribute based on the first line, the PS, and what they see on the reply form.” The reply form should clearly outline the steps you wish the donor to take. In addition to the steps, the letter should also remind the donor of the negative consequences what will occur if a donation is not received. Every element of the package should reiterate the purpose and the need for the donation.
As for the envelope, it is imperative to avoid looking like commercial junk mail. Under most circumstances, a window on the envelope should be avoided. A handwritten address is best. Hart even recommends avoiding using the organization’s name and address on the envelope. As for postage, non-profit stamps should generally be avoided. For higher level donors, first class postage will help ensure that the envelope is opened. In fact, when using first class postage, multiple stamps (5 or more is best) should be used. Multiple stamps help create the impression of personalization. As noted in the beginning, every element of the letter should create the impression of personalization. When personalization is impossible, an apology for the personalization can in fact make it personal.
Hart concludes his book with seventy-two excellent techniques to help ensure that your letter is opened and read. Different techniques can be combined but most of the techniques listed must have a reason for their use. In order that the techniques retain their effectiveness, one should cycle through the techniques. If an appeal always contains a post it note (technique 68), people will begin to overlook. One must always remember that the donor is an intelligent individual seeking to see through the marketing schemes used by retailers and other non-profits.
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