BIG’s Blog: The Leaders are Shifting…Maybe?

Can we all agree that your direct mail fundraising appeal’s best days are in the past? Last fall I co-presented at a national nonprofit conference with the Executive Director of Development of a large organization that raises 80%+ of their donations through direct mail and mails millions of appeals annually. Those were his words in the presentation . . .“our best direct mail days are in the past,” . . . not mine.

Now we are hearing the horror stories of donation fall-off and missing budgets from this past Christmas’ appeals.

Now we are reading other industry experts like Chuck Longfield from Blackbaud giving a presentation at the Direct Marketing Association’s Washington Conference last week highlighting disturbing multi-year trends in rising acquisition costs and rising lapse donor rates for direct mail appeals.

Take a breath.

Do you think…

…maybe what is happening is something new?

…maybe we haven’t exactly seen this before?

… maybe these generational and communications shifts are real?

Your fundraising strategy worked for years. So, why is it suddenly failing?

Or, has it really been going down little-by-little, and because you are a good direct marketer you used every tool and trick (not to mention luck… think large bequests) to make budget? But now… there are no more rabbits in the hat.

Hmmmm…

We just had a Webinar last week that was the biggest we have ever had by 3X and afterwards people were calling and emailing to talk. . . and I am behind in getting information out and that is a first for me…ever.

All we talk about in our Webinars is the way things really are and the need for fundraising organizations to develop a new strategy (and we help you) that reflects the way the world is today…not 15 years ago.

Is leadership finally becoming open to the possibility that maybe there is a way forward that is a different strategy… and actually appeals to Baby Boomers?

We have another free Webinar coming up, so drop me a note if you want an invitation.

Or, maybe better … invite your leadership.


-Mike

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