Opinion articlewas ‘ridiculous’

To the Editor:

The most ridiculous thing about this case (Ryan v. Telemarketing Associates), other than Sheldon Elliot Steinbach’s opinion (“Charities Should Urge Court to Protect Donors,” March 6), is that hundreds of millions of direct-mail pieces are sent each year by charities trying to acquire new donors. If any of those campaigns netted 15 cents of every dollar spent, the charity’s development professional would be exalted as a genius in the field.

If the U.S. Supreme Court sides with the State of Illinois, every direct-mail piece from there on should arrive with a disclaimer, “None of your money that you send in the enclosed envelope will go to pay for the programs or services we have so eloquently convinced you to support in this mailing.”

The fact is, 99 percent of direct-mail campaigns attempting to acquire new donors lose money. Is that because the direct-mail vendors are attempting to defraud donors? No, it is the accepted standard and a cost of doing business in the hope that the charity can retain the donor in subsequent years at a cost of pennies on the dollar. If Telemarketing Associates were Direct Mail Associates, this case would never have come to trial. That is, unfortunately, the double standard that exists within the direct-marketing industry. While Mr. Steinbach should be lauded for his notion of protecting donors’ rights, wouldn’t protecting charities from unscrupulous vendors be the job of a board of directors? Mr. Steinbach should do some research before spouting off about donors’ rights.

Jay Fairbrother
President
Direct Advantage Marketing
Pittsburgh