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Direct Mail Fundraising for Newsrooms

Direct mail fundraising is often overlooked, but you’re guaranteed to avoid filters, algorithms, and tech companies that stop you from reaching your audience.  

February 23, 2024

It’s getting more difficult to reach our readers with our fundraising campaign messages. Email is easy to ignore — and even if our fundraising emails get into inboxes they’re often delivered to “promotions” or spam folders. Social media is uninterested, at best, in news publishers, and it was never a great fundraising tool anyway.  

So what’s working? Print — at least when it comes to fundraising for newsrooms.  

Direct mail fundraising is often overlooked, but you’re guaranteed to avoid filters, algorithms, and tech companies that stop you from reaching your audience.  

The News Philanthropy Network hosted Direct Mail Fundraising for Newsrooms on March 19 with guest presenter Sean O’Riordan, membership manager with Spotlight PA. Sean oversees Spotlight PA’s membership program and was previously database manager for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Sean’s slides can be found here. The session covers the following topics: 

• Why direct mail should be one of your fundraising channels 
• Elements of a successful letter and mailing, including how to coordinate with USPS 
• How to build your list and who to send to 
• Do it yourself or hire a mailroom? 
• Typical direct mail results 
• And more 

Additional resources

• Direct mail vs. email marketing: Pick one or use both? – Postalytics
• Introduction to Business Reply – USPS
• The Science of Ask Strings – DonorVoice
• Mailing list brokerage and management service