What if we told you it’s possible to increase the results of your nonprofit appeal mailing by renting the list of people who donate to a similar organization? Sound far-fetched? It’s actually a viable and smart option for your next mailing.
Your mailing list makes all the difference when carrying out a nonprofit fundraising campaign and the ability to rent the donor list opens up great possibilities.
How Does It Work?
When preparing your appeal campaign, your mailing expert can acquire the use of a donor list of an organization that is similar to yours. That means you’re connecting directly to real donors with a history of giving.
You might wonder why an organization would provide their list for other charities’ fundraising efforts. The simple answer is that it helps provides a beneficial additional source of revenue. Additionally, sometimes an organization may require a list exchange as part of a rental agreement, which means they receive a list of potential new donors in return for providing you with access to their list.
If you’re unsure about using a rented list, keep in mind that donors like to donate. A mailing that uses another organization’s list has a very good chance of eliciting a positive response. Nonprofit fundraising mailings utilizing real donor lists rather than acquired, demographically targeted lists tend to see an increase in response. Appeal mailings using a standard acquisition list may see average returns of around .2 to .4 percent. However, campaigns using real donor lists see average returns between 1.6 and 1.8 percent.
Things to Know
There are a few extra steps you’ll need to take when using a rented list for nonprofit fundraising. The organization owning the list typically will require a sample of your appeal mailing for review. In addition, you will likely need to have the mail date for your campaign approved, in the event the list owner is planning a mailing for the same time period.
Rental lists are more expensive than typical acquisition lists. For example, while an acquisition list targeting your ideal audience may cost $60 per thousand records, an actual donor list could cost twice that. However, if you stand to win the support of new donors who will continue to make financial contributions, that list will pay for itself.
Mellady Direct Marketing has nearly 30 years of experience in mailing. We are adept at working with nonprofit organizations to develop and process mailing lists for maximum savings and results. We’ve truly seen time and again how the right mailing list can make all the difference for your nonprofit fundraising efforts.
Do you want to incorporate a rented donor list into your next nonprofit fundraising appeal? Contact Mellady Direct Marketing today and get started with a free quote.
