You never know what trends will pop up unexpectedly in acquisition programs. Recently, we noticed that multi-buyer list performance has been waning in one client’s direct mail prospecting program. A quick check revealed that this depression coincided with when we’d started using commercially compiled lists. So we did some analysis to see if, in fact, compiled list multi-buyers were pulling down overall multi-buyer performance. For this client, that turned out to be the case.

The League of Women Voters has a mature prospecting program. Like many well-established direct marketing programs, it was necessary to prepare for the future marketplace and go beyond traditional trades and exchanges. Avalon designed a modeling program to increase the League’s ROI, and give it a competitive edge in the mailbox by more tightly targeting our prospective donors.

Campaign Spotlight: Sustainer Recruitment

Challenge: At Avalon, we’ve always touted telemarketing as the most effective channel for sustainer invitations. One of our clients, a progressive advocacy nonprofit, asked us to confirm that telemarketing is the way to go, before they further invested in a channel that can be more expensive than direct mail.

To create a successful control package, advocacy/political groups need to balance two competing needs.  First, the package must be pertinent to the ever-changing political climate. Second, it needs to maintain enough of an institutional focus for prospective long-term donors.  The League of Women Voters’ current control is a great example of achieving that balance.

We’ve heard of the possible changes for the U.S. Postal Service – from the recent coverage of suspending Saturday mail delivery to the increase in first class postage.  Clearly any proposed changes are bound to affect direct mail production and budgets.

Target Analytics has just released its 2011 donorCentrics™ Internet and Multichannel Giving Benchmark Report … and I wonder how much traction it will get in the direct marketing community.  Integrated marketing, multi-channel giving, cross-channel communication … we all talk about it and assume that if we provide donors various options they will simply give in the way in which we ask.  But is this true?  Do Internet acquired donors prefer to always give online or will they jump readily to the direct mail piece waiting in the mailbox?  And what about our trusty direct mail acquired donors – will they promptly go online to renew or respond to a special appeal when asked?  And, most importantly … are their differences in retention vis-à-vis method of acquisition?

A friend of mine (not associated with the world of direct marketing) recently asked me whether we still use the mail to raise money for our clients.  An interesting conversation ensued – with the customary disbelief that in an age of all encompassing electronic media and social networking direct mail is not dead.  Really … it isn’t! In fact, as Convio reported last year, direct mail remains the most acceptable solicitation channel for older Americans, “but also scores surprisingly well with younger generations” … with 49% of all donors sending a check through the mail.

So if the troubling trend of shrinking mail volumes we witnessed over the past few years seems to have subsided (see this month’s FYI) – are we out of the woods in terms of regaining strength in our acquisition programs?  No – because we’re now seeing another disturbing trend in the list world.

The 2010 End of Year Acquisition Advisor is just out from Names in the News. NIN’s comprehensive analysis reflects their database of 39 mailers, of which 29 were active in 2010 accounting for over 62.7 million pieces mailed, 500,000 new donors and $14.5 million in revenue last year.

What did they learn?

Membership is powerful.  Nonprofit organizations and political parties are well aware that the very act of belonging translates to repeat financial support and mobilization of advocacy efforts.  

Of all the proven and patented tactics used to acquire and retain new members – premiums, exclusive access and offers, or the personal storytelling required to instill emotion and passion for supporting a great mission – one approach that is often underleveraged and in some cases downright ignored … recognition.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s recent advice for his friend, New York neighbor, and would-be presidential hopeful Donald Trump was resounding – drop the birther talk!  The Mayor urged Trump and the Republican Party to instead focus on the substantive issues that Americans care about, such as the economy, jobs, and immigration.  Mayor Bloomberg, an Independent and founding member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns – is certainly one to reach out to both sides of the aisle on common sense issues, such as stopping the flow of illegal guns into America’s cities.

Even Karl Rove refers to Trump as the “joke candidate” for his birther fixation.