May 30, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
Building Your Direct Mail Program
by Gwyneth J. Lister
Organizations shouldn’t waste time and funds on direct mail if it doesn’t bring in a reasonable return, says the author of this guide.
“A great deal of time and thought must be invested in the preparation of the mail piece,” writes Gwyneth J. Lister, a faculty member at the University of San Francisco’s College of Professional Studies and Indiana University’s Fund Raising School. “Will it touch the heart, catch the eye, and be opened?”
Aimed at small and mid-sized organizations with no fund raisers or a small development department, the book shows how to set up a direct-mail component of a fund-raising campaign, offering advice on topics like determining mailing frequency, figuring out printing costs, tracking results, and thanking donors.
One chapter explains how to assemble the direct-mail package, and covers everything from the appearance of the outer envelope to what the letter should state. Sample letters and response forms are included.
Worksheets accompany most chapters and show how to analyze a charity’s donor pool, put together a one-year direct-mail plan, and create a budget for a mailing.
Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94103-1741; (415) 433-1740 or (800) 956-7739; fax (415) 433-0499 or (800) 605-2665; http://www.josseybass.com; 82 pages; $26; I.S.B.N. 0-7879-5529-9.
