Organizations and their communications messaging must be compelling and engaging and above all must be flexible and “donor-focused” in approach to meet individuals where they are and not force individuals to meet the organization where it is.  Multiple tracks of touch-points and communications strategies must be implemented to maximize donor-engagement with the mission and its outcomes.

1. Being “donor-focused” removes the institutional thinking from the donor relationship enhancing communication.  Your organization simply becomes a conduit – a facilitator – for what the donor or prospect already wanted to do.  You just gave them an opportunity to make it happen.
2.  In most cases, your organization faces competition with other NPOs within your mission circles, let alone other categories.  Your communications MUST demonstrate your organization “worthiness of support” and “best in class-ness” well beyond, “we’ve been doing xxx for over xxx years.”  
3. Letters that use huge numbers exclusively to show how great a task you have to undertake do so at their own peril.  Avoid the danger of the “drop in the ocean” scenario.   I read a recent quote as an excellent example -- it suggested that rather than asking for a gift of $25 to combat global warming, make sure that your language enables donors gifts to be meaningful.  Why not make that $25 gift help fund a particular study or help mobilize grass-roots efforts, etc.  Tying gifts to results is an absolute necessity.
4. Thank you, thank you, thank you, AND THANK YOU!
5. Make the most of donor newsletters.  Don’t send an institutional piece that is already being printed by your communications or PR team and send it to donors.  Donor desires for results demand a specific donor stewardship publication that serves as yet another thank you for their support.  It is a report back to donors on results (results that are possible thanks to donor gifts).  It engages donor in your successes.  The most effective newsletters (that improve donor-engagement and increase income) are usually short, timely and NOT glossy magazines.
6. Communication style must feel as if you know your donors.  Remember, you are writing to ONE person at a time – NOT hundreds of thousands or more.
7. Use data you have in your database to truly personalize your appeals far beyond “Dear Ms. Sally Samplename,”

“Direct Mail” is NOT direct mail – it IS part of an integrated direct response program that includes mail, phone, online, email, space, broadcast, txt, online communities et al and in order to maximize an organizations reach use of all practicable media is necessary. 

1.  Coordinating message and delivering a consistency of brand across all channels instills a higher sense of professionalism and serious to your donor and prospect constituencies.
2. Don’t worry about online or other channel outreach cannibalizing your mail efforts.   The end result is far more important – more dollars, more donors and better engaged constituents.
3. In the age of online communities/email/txt messaging, don’t forget the power of telemarketing, national and regional space ads (including online) and broadcast media. 
4. Consider using today’s voice messaging tools to significantly boost direct response outreach results and participation rates.
5. Use media intelligently – some messages work better than others for certain efforts and channels.  When using multiple channels in an integrated outreach effort, be sure that the message rings true and is authentic in demonstrating the impact of your mission.

Direct response is NOT the ugly stepchild of a major giving, planned gift, events, foundations/corporate giving programs or a necessary evil, but part of a comprehensive program that in order to work well, all areas must work together to breakdown the walls (real or imagined) an avoid the silo mentality of “my donor not yours.”

1. If done properly the direct response/annual fund segment of the donor file serves as a feeder for higher levels of cultivation such as major gifts, planned gifts, volunteer leadership and events.  Often unjustly dismissed, lower donor repeat givers are fantastic planned giving prospects.
2. Many organizations need more than a few major donors and foundations to keep operating and affect impactful change – direct response can serve as the operational backbone of funding for many organizations.
3.  The annual fund/direct response team should be “at the table” with MG/PG/Events people who are typically “one-to-one” relationship oriented and don’t necessarily have the marketing background the DMers do and the two orientations can work well together.
4. Consider teaming with MG/PG departments to provide ALL direct response support for their operations – it educates your DR team as to what else is going on within development and it may also make it possible for you to keep charge of all fundraising mail calendars to ensure unity of messaging.