I just finished putting together a fundraising mail piece for my organization and I’m not gonna lie, it keeps me up at night.

Fundraising carries unknown risk at any time, and sending fundraising mail is no exception.

The same questions always apply: Who should we ask? What message will resonate? How do we design the package so that it inspires people to respond?

But in this uncertain time, there are other worries to consider: How is the message going to resonate in this economic landscape? Will the message still be relevant by the time it gets to the mailbox? Will the mail even get to the mailbox in a timely manner?

I considered all of these questions, too. But I still believe that mail is a good choice for this time period, particularly if you have a history of communicating with your donors in this way.

Here are 4 reasons why:

Direct mail is still the most powerful fundraising channel. Yes, I know it seems hard to believe, but more money is raised through the mail than through digital channels – still. We’ve still got an older generation of people who are used to giving this way, a generation that holds the majority of the assets in this country. And if you take a look at your donor base, they are some of your most loyal supporters.

It’s a way to communicate other than digital. So, I can’t say enough about the incredible ingenuity and flexibility of digital organizers and fundraisers and their incredible efforts to bring organizations completely online. But, not everyone is going to respond to digital and many people are feeling overwhelmed by their e-mail inboxes. Plus - people are at home and they may really read what comes in their mail box!

We’ve got to keep the channel warm. Particularly if you are an organization that has previously used mail, it’s important to continue to communicate with your donors in this way. They are expecting to hear from you! Consistent commitment and investment in mail will get your donors used to this way of making a gift.

It’s an opportunity to refine direct mail technique. If your organization has a good ask, why not give it a try? Particularly if you aren’t yet doing all the best practices in direct mail, this could be a good time to see what happens. Are you inserting a reply card? Is your letter engaging and easy to scan? Are you sending to a clean list of solid prospects? If you have mail in your budget and plan, why wait?

Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen with our mail piece or yours, but I’ve considered these four reasons and decided that it’s worth the investment. I have a Spring appeal in my budget, a good ask, and a fundraising channel to keep warm. I’m going to dive in despite the sleepless nights.

Write us back and let us know what you are thinking about your fundraising mail. As always, we’d love to hear from you!

Image by Daria Nepriakhina from Pixabay