Posted on Tue, Jul 13, 2010
By Lon Chapman, Executive Vice President
In online marketing, there is always a new shiny object to grab our attention. And because of this, we are fooled into thinking that the rules of marketing must be equally as dynamic. We want them so badly to be dynamic; the same-old, same-old rules just seem so, well, old-fashioned.
But marketing is marketing. And the rules really haven’t changed since the stone age of marketing. That’s because though the tools of marketing may evolve, human behavior endures.
The fact is, direct marketing tenets are far more elastic than most of the medium that they govern.
So what motivates people to give to your organization online is not that different from what makes them give over the phone or in the mail – or in direct solicitations.
At the risk of sounding like the “old folks” I derided as being “so yesterday” when I first entered the direct marketing world more than a handful of years ago, this blog topic was first published as a newsletter article I wrote about direct mail marketing in a pre-Google/Twitter/Facebook world.
Back then (and still today), everyone was looking for that magic teaser that would make our donors want rip open the envelope to see what was inside, and ultimately give.
The guiding principle was and still is an economy of words – getting your message across in as few words as possible.
When I revisited this topic, I was not really surprised to find that the rules are as applicable today as they were when I first wrote this article. In fact, in some ways they are even more so because these days donors are responding as much to consumerist values as they are to philanthropic motivations when deciding to whom to give.
Simply put, donors are looking for the biggest bang for their buck.
The following six words all are “value” words. They supplement and complement your argument to give. But be warned that by themselves they are NOT a reason to give, they are simply motivational. However, combined with your argument to give, they can be magic. They will tip the decision process on whether to read your email – or open the envelope – in your favor.
FREE Yes, the “F-word”. The impact of this one word to getting response cannot be underscored enough. It is every marketer’s friend, commercial and non-profit alike. Embrace it.
NEW There is something enticing about that which is new. It says to a donor: “This is not the same old stuff you have seen before.”
SIMPLE Process driven aspects of the appeal whether it be filling out a survey or contribution page seem less laborious.
FAST The internet was built on immediate gratification. Plus, everyone says they are way too busy … except when it comes to watching YouTube.
URGENT It’s a toss-up between “urgent” and “important” as to which is more impactful. Regardless, “urgency” is a primal copywriting “hook” for a reason.
YOU This is probably the most important of all the words – even more so than FREE – for its sheer versatility and impact. As marketers we can never forget that our job is to make the connection between the consumer/donor and the product. Without the “you”, there is no connection.
As important as these words are, there are definitely more. Which do you think are the most important ones?
Posted on Tue, May 04, 2010
By Nicki Dahlquist, Account Representative
So I was asked to come up with a list of the “Top 10 Things I Learned during My First Year in Direct Mail” … Since this is my very first blog post and there was so much I learned, I decided to ask a few of my peers what they’ve learned too. Here is what we came up with:
- Recency. Frequency. Monetary. Donors that just gave are most likely to give again.
- I had NO idea there was really a way to check a barcode!!! 74210!
- Review all client copy edits before making them. Be cautious of anything that could dilute the copy or make a package less successful. Remember, even though they’re the boss, they pay you for your expertise.
- Proofreading is crucial. Do it out loud.
- Checklists will save you from making mistakes. They’re also a great way to keep track of what you’ve already done.
- The 80/20 Rule. 80% of an organization’s donations comes from 20% of its donors.
- The word “renewal” needs to be ALL over your renewal communications (i.e. OSE teasers, letter, reply headline, RAE, subject line, banner, callout box, P.S. etc.).
- Direct Marketing WORKS!
- Maintain a production schedule for all of your clients’ campaigns. This is essential to staying on track and creating a steady cash flow. It also helps your team know what needs to be done each day.
- Tracking your clients’ costs and staying under budget is very important. This is not only because of how important it is to make sure that you’re fundraising successfully, but also because it makes you and your organization give a much more professional impression.
Whew, that’s quite a bit. Did I leave anything important out? What did YOU learn in your first year?