Section 18. Using Direct Mail

• What is "direct mail"?

• Why should you use direct mail?

• What goes into a direct-mail package?

• How do you put together a direct-mail package?

• How do you know if the mailing was effective?

 

 

Many of us receive promotional or fundraising mail at home every week. Some pieces are ignored or discarded, while others attract attention because they are timely, relevant, trustworthy, or connected to an organization or issue the recipient cares about. Well-designed and well-written direct mail sent to an appropriate audience can still be useful for recruiting participants, informing community members, strengthening relationships with supporters, and raising funds. Results vary widely, however, so organizations should test and evaluate their own campaigns rather than assuming a particular response rate.

Direct mail remains one communication strategy among many. This section will define "direct mail," explain why you might use it, describe how to produce mail that people can understand and act on, outline the steps involved in developing a direct-mail program, and explain how to evaluate its effectiveness.

What is "direct mail"?

"Direct mail" generally refers to printed communication sent directly to selected households, individuals, organizations, or geographic areas through the postal system. In the United States, organizations sending larger quantities of qualifying material may use USPS Marketing Mail. The particular postal category, preparation requirements, and rates depend on the size, weight, quantity, content, and other characteristics of the mailing, so check current U.S. Postal Service requirements before designing or sending a large campaign.

Direct mail is one form of direct marketing and outreach. Unlike broad communication channels that present the same message to a large general audience, direct mail can be sent to a defined group of recipients and can include a specific request, such as learning more, attending an event, volunteering, completing a survey, or making a contribution. It can also work alongside email, websites, social media, advertising, and other communication methods.

Direct mail can range from a personalized letter to a larger campaign in which many similar pieces are sent to a mailing list. Fundraising organizations may use direct mail to introduce themselves to prospective donors, maintain relationships with current or previous supporters, invite people to participate, and provide opportunities to contribute again. More personalized communication may be appropriate when developing deeper relationships with individual supporters.

Larger mailings may qualify for USPS Marketing Mail or nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail rates when they meet current Postal Service requirements. Organizations should confirm eligibility, quantity requirements, preparation standards, and delivery expectations with the USPS or an experienced mailing provider rather than relying on older mailing terminology or procedures.

Direct mail can be particularly useful when the intended audience prefers printed communication, when a physical piece is likely to remain visible for some time, when an organization needs to reach households in a particular geographic area, or when mail complements other forms of outreach. Its value depends on how well the mailing fits the audience, message, budget, and communication goal.

Direct mail is one type of direct marketing. Other approaches can include direct outreach, phone communication when appropriate, email, text messaging, and other channels that allow an organization to communicate directly with people. Organizations may use direct communication to:

• Explain or promote a product, service, cause, or idea
• Conduct research or gather feedback
• Strengthen recognition and understanding of an organization
• Create awareness
• Identify people who may want additional information, participate, or contribute
• Introduce new programs, services, opportunities, or ideas
• Present a specific invitation, request, or opportunity to act

Direct mail can be part of "social marketing." Social marketing applies marketing concepts to efforts designed to support voluntary behaviors that benefit individuals and communities. Ethical social marketing does not depend on deception, coercion, or high-pressure tactics. Instead, it seeks to understand the people an effort hopes to reach, reduce barriers, communicate benefits honestly, and make useful choices or actions easier to understand and carry out.

Along with special events and other forms of communication, direct mail can help organizations maintain relationships with donors and supporters. Regular, useful, and transparent communication can help people better understand an organization's work and decide for themselves whether they want to remain involved or increase their support.

Why should you use direct mail?

People encounter messages through television, radio, print publications, websites, email, social media, streaming services, mobile devices, and many other channels. Direct mail gives organizations another way to reach people, especially when a physical message is appropriate to the audience or campaign. It can help maintain relationships, invite participation, and generate financial support when used thoughtfully.

Following are some reasons you might use direct mail for your project. The goal is not to "sell" your organization as though it were simply a commercial product, but to communicate clearly what your organization does, why the work matters, and how interested people can participate or provide support.

• It can be cost effective. Direct mail can be economical for some audiences and purposes, particularly when an organization has a strong mailing list and a clear request. Costs and results vary widely, so compare the total cost of designing, printing, mailing, processing responses, and following up with the value the campaign produces.
• You can reach people who have already expressed interest in hearing from you. Mailing current members, donors, volunteers, participants, or people who have requested information can be especially useful because there is already some relationship or demonstrated interest.
• Some people prefer or respond well to physical mail. A printed piece can be saved, posted on a refrigerator or bulletin board, shared with another household member, or revisited later.
• Organizations and businesses may also respond to relevant mail. A well-directed mailing can be useful for partnership development, sponsorship, event outreach, or other organizational communication.
• It can support fundraising and participation. Direct mail may generate donations, registrations, volunteer interest, or other forms of support when the message and audience are well matched.
• It can work. The best evidence will come from your own campaign results and from comparisons with realistic alternatives for reaching the same audience.
• It is flexible. You can use postcards, letters, brochures, self-mailers, or other formats depending on your message, audience, budget, and postal requirements.
• It can be focused. Direct mail can be sent to people who already have a relationship with your organization, to people who have requested information, to particular organizations or community partners, or to households in a relevant geographic area. Use personal and demographic information responsibly and avoid assuming that individuals will support an issue simply because they belong to a particular demographic group.
• It can be measured. You can track how many pieces were sent, total campaign costs, returned or undeliverable mail, responses, donations, registrations, or other actions. Unique reply codes, web addresses, QR codes, phone extensions, or other tracking methods may help distinguish responses connected with a particular mailing. Measurement isn't perfectly precise, however; people may respond through another channel or act after seeing several different messages.
• It gives recipients something tangible they can review on their own time. A letter, brochure, or postcard can remain available longer than some brief messages. It may be especially useful when recipients need time to consider information or discuss it with other people.

What goes into a direct-mail package?

A traditional direct-mail package may include several components. You don't necessarily need all of them; choose the pieces that help recipients understand the message and take the requested action.

• The Envelope -- it protects the materials and is the recipient's first encounter with the mailing. Make the sender recognizable and the presentation appropriate to the purpose rather than trying to disguise organizational mail as personal correspondence.
• The Letter -- this explains why you're writing, why the issue or opportunity matters, and what you are asking the recipient to consider doing.
• The Reply Device -- this may be a card or form that allows someone to make a contribution, request information, register, volunteer, or take another action. Today, you might also provide an easy-to-type web address or QR code linking to a secure online form.
• The Return Envelope -- when a physical response is requested, a self-addressed or business reply envelope can make responding more convenient.
• Other Enclosures -- these can include a note, article, fact sheet, brochure, program information, event details, or another resource that adds useful information.

How do you put together a direct-mail package?

Following are the steps to produce a direct-mail package. It's a good idea to walk through the steps before beginning production because strategy, format, audience, postal requirements, and budget affect one another. A more elaborate package may attract attention, but it may also increase printing and postage costs without improving results. Focus first on what the recipient needs to understand and do, then choose the simplest format that communicates that effectively.

Compile or obtain a mailing list.

You may build your own mailing list from people who have an appropriate relationship with your organization, obtain addresses through partners or public sources when appropriate, or use a reputable mailing-list provider. Begin by being clear about whom you want to reach and why. Avoid collecting or purchasing highly detailed personal information simply because it is available. Use only information that is reasonably relevant to the communication, and consider how people would expect their information to be used.

Mailing-list providers and address services can help organizations reach defined geographic areas or groups. If you use an outside provider, ask how the information was obtained, how recently it was updated, what uses are permitted, whether recipients have expressed communication preferences, and what protections apply to the data.

Here are some tips to remember when obtaining or maintaining a mailing list:

• Check references when selecting a list provider. Make sure the provider is reputable and that the list is relevant to your actual purpose.
• Keep address information current. Mailing lists lose accuracy as people move, organizations close, and household information changes. Establish a regular process for updating your records and removing undeliverable addresses.
• Pay attention to whether repeated mailings remain useful. Don't keep sending the same material indefinitely to people who show no interest or have asked not to receive it. Evaluate results and adjust the audience or message when necessary.
• Keep the list clean. Incorrect addresses waste printing and postage and may prevent important communication from reaching people. USPS address-quality services and mailing vendors can help organizations update and standardize addresses. Check current USPS guidance for the options that apply to your mailing.
• Review your list regularly. How often you review it should depend on how frequently you mail and how quickly your contact information changes.

Appropriate sources of mailing information depend on your purpose. You might use your own supporter or participant records, people who have requested information, event sign-ups when people understand what they are joining, publicly available organizational contact information, geographic mailing options, or another legitimate source. Just because information is publicly or commercially available does not automatically mean every use of it will feel appropriate to the people being contacted.

Some organizations exchange or rent mailing lists, while others do not share supporter information at all. If your organization plans to share, rent, or otherwise make contact information available to another organization, be transparent about that practice and respect people's communication and privacy preferences. Do not use restricted, confidential, or membership-only lists without authorization.

Rather than thinking of people as "hot," "warm," or "cold" prospects, it may be more useful to consider the relationship they already have with your organization.

Current supporters include people who have recently donated, volunteered, participated, joined, or otherwise engaged with your organization. They already know something about your work, so communication can build on that relationship.

Previous supporters or interested contacts include former donors, past participants, people who requested information, event attendees, or others who have some prior connection to the issue or organization. Make sure the contact information is still appropriate to use and that messages remain relevant to them.

People with little or no prior connection may be reached through geographic mailings, community partnerships, appropriately sourced mailing lists, or other outreach. Because they may not know your organization, clearly identify who you are, explain why you are contacting them, and make it easy for people to decide whether they want further communication.

Plan the goals and strategy for your direct mail package.

It's important to have specific goals in mind before you start production of the package. Consider these questions in planning the goals and strategy. Remember that they tie in closely with the format and budget.

• Is your goal to raise money, generate interest in working on your project, increase awareness of an issue, encourage event participation, or accomplish some combination of these?
• Who will the package go to and what do you want the reader to understand or do in response?
• Will it go to prospective or current members or supporters? Do you want them to make a donation? Come to a meeting? Volunteer? Register for an event? Learn more about a service?
• What is your objective? Don't send a brochure if a postcard will communicate the information clearly. Don't use a postcard if the issue requires privacy, more detail, or additional explanation.
• Does your message require more space or detail than you anticipated? If so, consider whether to adjust the format, mailing quantity, or other parts of the campaign rather than leaving out information people need to make an informed decision.
• What type of mailing will be useful and appropriate for your intended audience? Consider readability, familiarity with your organization, privacy, accessibility, and the type of action requested rather than relying only on attention-getting design.
• Is the mailing going to a home, organization, or business? Make sure it is addressed and written so that the intended recipient can understand why they are receiving it.
• What is the program, cause, service, or event? The design and production level should fit both the message and your organization. Avoid unnecessary extravagance, but don't make a mailing so difficult to read or poorly produced that it undermines the information you're trying to communicate.
• What can you afford? The budget will affect all other aspects of the package, so consider it carefully and early in the process.

Decide on a format.

There are a number of formats for a direct-mail package. Format affects how much information you can include, how easily people can respond, production cost, postage, accessibility, and the overall experience of receiving the mailing. Each piece you include should have a clear purpose and contribute useful information.

Additional pieces generally add cost and complexity, so don't assume that a larger or more elaborate package will automatically be more effective. Test different approaches when the potential savings or improvement would justify doing so. Direct mail can also point readers to a website, secure donation page, event registration form, video, or other digital resource for additional information.

A group process can help bring useful perspectives to a campaign, especially when it includes people who understand the intended audience. At the same time, design decisions should be based on the campaign's goals, audience feedback, accessibility, evidence from previous efforts, and practical testing rather than individual preferences alone.

Following are format choices for your mailing:

• Postcard -- relatively simple and inexpensive and useful for brief messages, although the content is visible to anyone handling the mail.
• Letter -- allows more room for explanation and a personal tone but requires an envelope and additional production.
• Envelope -- envelopes come in many standard and nonstandard sizes. Postal costs and processing requirements can vary by size, shape, thickness, and weight, so check current specifications before finalizing the design.

Determine the budget.

Format, design, printing, mailing preparation, and postage are major budget factors for a direct-mail package. Don't assume that a particular response rate or fundraising return applies to every campaign. Set goals that reflect your organization's circumstances and evaluate results against the actual cost and purpose of the mailing.

• Format -- match the format to the information and action required. A postcard may work well for a reminder or simple event invitation. A letter may work better for a fundraising request or issue that needs explanation. A brochure may be useful when the reader needs additional visual or program information. Choose the least complicated format that communicates effectively.
• Color -- color can help with organization, visual interest, and recognition, but it is not automatically more effective. Consider whether it contributes enough to the message to justify any additional cost.
• Packaging -- nonstandard envelopes, additional inserts, heavier paper, and other choices can increase printing, assembly, and postage costs.
• Postage -- size, shape, weight, quantity, preparation, and mailing class affect postal costs. Ask the USPS, your printer, or an experienced mailing provider about current options or go online to their website. Include any reply-mail costs and mailing-service fees in your budget.

Create the package.

Some organizations develop the creative work in-house, while others use designers, writers, printers, or communications agencies. You may also have volunteers or community partners with useful skills. Whatever approach you use, make sure the people creating the mailing understand the organization, the intended audience, accessibility considerations, and the purpose of the campaign. If people contribute professional work, discuss expectations, payment or donated services, credit, deadlines, and ownership of the final materials in advance.

Answer these questions as you plan the design of your mailing:

• How elaborate or complex does the message need to be? How many pieces will go into the mailing? What information is essential? Will color, photographs, or other elements meaningfully improve understanding?
• Is there a corporate or organizational image or logo that needs to be considered?
• What should be the tone of the copy? Should it be formal, conversational, urgent, appreciative, or informational? Match the tone to the relationship you have with the recipient and the seriousness of the issue.
• Does the package feel trustworthy and appropriate? Personalization can make communication more relevant, but don't use artificial touches simply to make a mass mailing look like private correspondence. Correctly spell names and use an appropriate salutation when you have reliable information.
• Do all of the pieces fit and function correctly? Make sure letters, reply forms, envelopes, brochures, and other pieces fit the package and can be used without unnecessary difficulty.
• If you send several mailings each year, is there an established visual identity that should be maintained? Consistent use of logos, typography, colors, and other design elements can help recipients recognize your organization.
• Have several people proofread all pieces in the package? Proofread for spelling, grammar, accuracy, clarity, tone, dates, names, addresses, phone numbers, web addresses, QR codes, donation information, and other details. It is often useful to have someone who did not write the material perform the final review.

Correcting errors generally becomes more difficult and expensive once production has begun, so finalize and proof the content, layout, mailing information, and response methods before authorizing a full print run.

Printing and prepress costs depend on the production method, quantity, paper, color, artwork, finishing, and the condition of the files you provide. A properly prepared digital file can save time and reduce the risk of production errors. Ask your printer what file format, image resolution, fonts, color settings, bleed, and other specifications are needed before completing the design.

Double-check reply phone numbers, postal addresses, website URLs, QR codes, names, dates, and spelling and grammar. If you use photos, illustrations, testimonials, or other creative material, make sure you have the rights and permissions needed to use them and that people represented in the materials have given appropriate consent when necessary.

Print it.

A printer or mailing provider can estimate production costs based on factors such as:

• Printing method and setup -- the appropriate production process depends on quantity, format, color, paper, personalization, and other features. Digital printing may be practical for some jobs, while offset or other methods may be more economical for others.
• Production time -- cost and scheduling may depend on the quantity, complexity, finishing requirements, and how much lead time you provide. Plan far enough ahead to review a proof and correct problems before the mailing deadline.
• Paper -- choose a paper stock appropriate to the piece, printing method, postal requirements, accessibility, budget, and environmental goals. Recycled or responsibly sourced paper may be appropriate when it fits your needs. Ask your printer to show samples and explain the tradeoffs among options.
• Changes after approval -- revisions become more disruptive once files have been finalized or printing has begun. Carefully review and approve proofs before full production and ask the printer about the cost of late changes rather than relying on fixed rules of thumb.

Mail it.

Mailing costs are determined by factors such as the mailing class, quantity, mailpiece dimensions and weight, address quality, preparation, sorting, and whether you use an outside mailing service. Budget considerations may include:

• cost of obtaining or maintaining the mailing list
• updating, deduplicating, and preparing the mailing list
• addressing, coding, and preparing mailing data
• folding, inserting, labeling or addressing, sorting, and packaging
• postage

Organizations that send larger mailings may be able to reduce costs by qualifying for appropriate commercial or nonprofit mailing rates and following current USPS preparation requirements. The available savings and requirements change over time, so calculate them using current Postal Service guidance rather than relying on an older per-piece estimate.

Make sure your direct-mail package complies with current postal requirements for size, shape, weight, addressing, preparation, and content before finalizing the design. Talk with USPS staff, a printer, or a mailing-service provider early enough that postal requirements can be incorporated into the project rather than discovered after printing.

Follow up.

Thank donors and other supporters promptly after receiving a contribution or response. Acknowledgment lets people know that their donation, registration, request, or other action was received and gives you an opportunity to provide any appropriate next steps. Keep the communication focused on appreciation and useful information rather than immediately pressuring someone for another contribution.

How do you know if the mailing was effective?

You won't know how well a direct-mail campaign works simply from how attractive the package looks. Establish measurable objectives before sending it, test when practical, and track the results. Testing can help you determine whether an approach is promising before committing the entire budget and can help you learn what changes improve future mailings.

When you test a mailing -- whether you test the audience, requested action, design, copy, format, or another feature -- you have an opportunity to learn what works under your particular circumstances. Direct mail can be especially useful for testing because you often know how many pieces were sent and can create different versions for comparable groups. Results still need to be interpreted carefully because not every response can be attributed perfectly to one mailpiece and outside events may also influence behavior.

Let's say you have been mailing postcards to potential members and they have generated some donations or registrations. What would happen if you sent a letter or brochure instead? You could randomly divide an appropriate test group, send one version to part of the group and another version to the rest, and compare the results. An existing version can serve as the comparison, or "control," while the new version is tested against it. If the new approach clearly performs better and the difference matters in practice, it can become the version you use or test further.

Why test?

Testing can help you avoid spending your full campaign budget on an approach that doesn't work as expected. It can also help you improve a successful mailing. Testing doesn't make outcomes perfectly predictable, but it provides more useful evidence than relying only on assumptions or personal preferences.

What do you test?

Many parts of a mailing can be tested. When possible, change one major factor at a time so that you can better understand what may have caused a difference in results. If you change the audience, requested action, letter, and package design all at once, you may not know which change mattered.

6 key things to test are:

1. Request or benefit -- what you are asking the recipient to do and what information, opportunity, or benefit is connected with that action
2. Donation amount or participation level -- for example, different suggested donation levels when fundraising
3. Package -- format, size, paper, visual design, and pieces included
4. Copy -- the wording, organization, and amount of information you use
5. Timing -- when the mailing is sent in relation to your event, campaign, season, deadline, or other circumstances
6. Mailing List -- which appropriate audience or segment receives the mailing

When should you test?

• When you want to improve a successful mailing
• When results aren't as strong as you hoped
• When you have new creative ideas and want evidence before adopting them widely
• When you want to reach an additional appropriate audience
• When something important changes, such as the requested action, donation options, message, audience, response method, or format

Identifying your variables

Carefully identify the variable in each test and, when possible, assign recipients to test groups in a way that makes the groups reasonably comparable. If the campaign is large or the decision has major financial consequences, someone with experience in evaluation, statistics, fundraising, or direct-mail testing may be able to help you design a more reliable test. Basic practices include:

• Code the mail pieces or response methods so you can identify which version produced a response.
• Test one major variable at a time when possible.
• Keep accurate records of which recipients were included in each test group.
• Use a test size large enough to provide useful information for the decision you're making.
• Send comparison mailings under similar timing and conditions.
• Don't accept test results blindly; consider uncertainty, practical significance, and other factors that could have affected responses.
• Consider the longer-term relationship with recipients rather than evaluating success only from one mailing.
• Use an appropriately sized sample when you need to draw reliable conclusions from a test.

Since all variables cannot be controlled, keep testing and tracking methods as clear as possible. Changing one major factor at a time can make it easier to interpret what happened.

There is no single minimum number of responses or mailing size that makes every test valid. The amount of evidence you need depends on the response rate, size of the mailing, expected difference between versions, costs, and importance of the decision. If the stakes are high, use an appropriate statistical method or seek help from someone with evaluation or data-analysis experience.

Examples of format variables to test:

• postcard vs. self-mailer
• standard envelope vs. larger envelope
• one appropriate postage or mailing method vs. another
• window vs. closed-face envelope
• additional note vs. no additional note
• return card vs. online response option
• brochure enclosed vs. no brochure

Examples of copy variables to test:

• headlines vs. no headlines in the letter
• bullet items under the headlines vs. no bulleted items
• personalized salutation vs. a general salutation
• message on the envelope vs. no additional envelope message
• which appropriate person signs the letter
• additional personal note vs. no additional note
• testimonial vs. no testimonial, when the person providing the testimonial has knowingly agreed to its use

Testing Don'ts:

• Don't accidentally send duplicate versions of a test mailing to the same person unless that is part of the planned design.
• Don't make major decisions based on small or unclear differences; if there's no convincing evidence of a meaningful effect, don't assume one exists.
• Don't read untested factors into the results. If you didn't test a variable, don't assume that it caused the outcome. Use the evidence you actually collected to decide what to examine next.

Tracking the results

To determine whether your direct-mail program is achieving its objectives, track the outcomes that matter to your campaign. These might include donations, registrations, volunteer inquiries, event attendance, requests for information, website visits, returned mail, or other actions.

For fundraising, you may track whether recipients donate, how much is contributed, total campaign revenue, campaign costs, cost per donor, and whether new supporters remain engaged over time. For other campaigns, choose measures that match the goal rather than treating donations as the only meaningful result. Follow up promptly and respectfully with people who respond, and use what you learn to improve future communication.

In Summary

Direct mail can be a useful way to communicate with supporters, community members, organizations, donors, and other intended audiences, but there is no universal response rate or package that works for every organization. Success depends on reaching an appropriate audience with a clear, relevant, trustworthy message and making the requested action easy to understand and complete.

Direct mail is one form of direct marketing and communication. It can be used to provide information, encourage participation, maintain relationships, or invite financial support. Ethical direct communication should respect people's privacy and choices, avoid deception or unnecessary pressure, and clearly explain who is contacting them and why.

By carefully planning the mailing list, strategy, format, budget, production, follow-up, testing, and evaluation, an organization can determine whether direct mail is a useful part of its broader communication and fundraising efforts and continue improving its approach over time.