A recent study found that 80% of print material like direct mailers are engaged with by consumers, and the same study found that 79% of consumers act on direct mail marketing immediately. These two insights about the effectiveness of print sales and marketing collateral make direct mail marketing a potentially powerful method of outreach as nonprofits look for ways to increase the response rate and ROI of their fundraising campaigns.
Partnering with a strategic print automation expert can help nonprofits execute personalized, high-volume direct mail marketing campaigns that generate new fundraising streams. Here, we’ll look at three ways a print automation solution can help nonprofit marketers optimize their print marketing spend and create a deeper connection with potential donors.
Print automation means increase efficiency and productivity
Nonprofits that regularly print high-volume direct mail campaigns need the ability to print large quantities continuously without production stoppages, and some may even require the capacity to print multiple jobs simultaneously using different streams of donor data. With a more manual print process, these complex, high-volume jobs can result in bottlenecks, breakdowns, or errors, all of which hamper your ability to create the most productive print workflows possible.
With a digital print automation solution, nonprofit organizations can execute several print jobs targeted toward different audiences on a 24/7 basis without process disruptions. This simplifies the task of creating personalized mailers for first-time donors and existing donors, and this also reduces production and delivery time.
Plus, a digital print automation solution that uses print-on-demand (POD) technology makes it possible to scale the print quantity based on demand to help nonprofits reach new potential donors quickly.
With print automation, nonprofit marketers can create relevant, personalized print communications
Supporting a nonprofit via any kind of financial support is a personal decision, one that requires a personal touch in terms of how nonprofit marketers engage and communicate with potential donors. 76% of consumers says that a personalized experience was a key factor in determining whether to engage with a brand, and this makes personalized content a must-have for nonprofits.
With a print automation solution, nonprofits can integrate their customer relationship management (CRM) to create personalized postcards or other forms of direct mail using a variety of donor information and data. Using variable data print (VDP) in this way not only increases the likelihood that first-time donors will respond to your mailer, but it also helps you establish a stronger sense of trust with donors.
What’s more, the integration of your CRM with a print automation solution makes it possible for nonprofit marketers to print highly-targeted pieces in real-time based on any number of triggers.
For example, imagine you could print a special thank you postcard for donors who reach a certain milestone, like a total donation amount or number of years of financial support. This kind of personalized, custom communication can create an increased sense of donor loyalty, and this can pay dividends in terms of generating ROI on these kinds of mailings.
Print automation helps nonprofit marketers use direct mail to enhance online engagement
The ability to connect with a highly-targeted audience across multiple communication channels is key in getting the most out of your marketing dollars. Not only does this multi-channel approach play into what consumers want out of how brands communicate with them, it also creates more opportunities for consumers to convert on offers.
This same principle applies for nonprofit organizations in how they can combine the print and digital space to create multiple touchpoints that better engage and connect with potential donors. The ability to nurture digital leads and increase online engagement with personalized, targeted direct mail is where things can get really interesting for nonprofit organizations, and a print automation solution can make it easier and more cost-effective to create these kinds of mailings.
For instance, imagine a potential donor visits a website page that details the work your nonprofit does and completes a form to receive a monthly print newsletter. Along with a standard follow-up email, a print automation solution can help you create a personalized welcome postcard that positions a special offer as a thank you for a donation.
This use of direct mail to help enhance online engagement creates a more multi-channel marketing approach that is more likely to generate new donors and increase fundraising levels. We helped a nonprofit organization facilitate this kind of campaign to increase the number of first-time donors and boost the amount of monthly donations by almost 80%.
Quantum has the knowledge, experience, and insight to help nonprofits create the kind of targeted, high-quality direct mail campaigns that boost fundraising efforts and demonstrate real ROI. Learn more about how our print marketing automation and direct mail services can help you get the most out of your direct mail campaigns.
