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NPO Direct Marketing: Direct Mail, Telemarketing and Membership Services for Nonprofits — September 2009
::: HotOffThePress :::
San Francisco Symphony: Annual Fund Direct Mail
  [PHOTO: NPO's Direct Mail Appeal for the San Francisco Symphony]

WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS direct mail appeal, hot off the press for the San Francisco Symphony.

This is the first in a series of direct mail appeals the Symphony will mail this season to acquire, recover, and renew members of its Friends program. Direct mail generates 20% of the Symphony’s contributed revenue from membership each season, with a cost to income ratio of 1:5 (20¢ in costs to raise a dollar).

The Symphony fully integrates direct mail and telefunding in its membership solicitations. Non-donor subscribers and selected ticket buyers are solicited by mail once or twice each season. Lapsed members are solicited three to four times a season. Current members are solicited monthly based on their expiration dates.

 

Integrating Mail and Phone for Annual Funds

Maximize revenue and minimize costs with these general rules to integrating your annual fund program:

  1. Mail to your current members at least twice before making a renewal call.
  2. Mail to your older lapsed members once and more recent lapsed members twice before soliciting them by telephone.
  3. Begin calling four to six weeks after a direct mail appeal.
  4. Telefunding is the more productive means of recruiting new members, so limit your direct mail acquisition to current subscribers and multi ticket buyers.
  5. Remember to use direct mail after telefunding to generate additional revenue.
For more information:

Email: Jamie Clements, President Jamie@npodirect.com
Phone: 703.961.9669 x22   •   Website: www.npodirect.com
Washington, DC Office   14150 Park East Circle, Suite 280, Chantilly, VA 20151