The direct mail, door drops and household deliveries showcase
Congratulations! You’ve just found the world’s best and biggest collection of fundraising direct mail, right here on sofii.org. There are more than 160 detailed case histories and articles here for you to learn from, crib from, adapt or copy. And lots more besides. Enjoy!
Click here for the full contents and index for SOFII’s direct mail showcase.
The summary report of the Commission on the Donor Experience into direct mail fundraising can be found here.
The Canadian Lung Association: Santa Door Drop
by Steve Thomas
It’s the simplicity of this door drop that really makes it a hit. And a Canadian classic no less! By recreating the ruddy cheeks, red garb and big beard of the classic Coca-Cola Santa, Steve Thomas and Ross Reid gave donors something familiar and fun to latch onto.
Read moreLife Education Australia: ‘Healthy Harold’ and the giraffe business appeal
by Steve Thomas
With a target audience of only a few hundred prospective donors, fundraiser Steve Thomas (of ST) and charity Life Education brought in thousands of Australian dollars with this iconic campaign.
Read moreSt. Vincent de Paul: Cuddly bear direct mail pack
by Daniel Alvey
This festive direct mail campaign featured a cute, cuddly, heart-warming character. It was the first direct mail pack sent to warm donors who had been recruited online, and the results prove that thinking positively and telling a great story can lead you to fundraising success.
Read moreUniversity of Sheffield: Direct mail – the longer the better? Two page vs. four page letters
by Heather Clement
How the University of Sheffield drew on best practices to challenge their own preconceptions and achieve markedly improved results.
Read moreJerry Huntsinger: 80-years young
by Gwen Chapman
Jerry Huntsinger celebrated his eightieth birthday in July 2013. Since 1965, there has never been a year when he hasn’t had at least one control package being mailed nationally by a major nonprofit organisation. What an achievement.
Read moreCentennial Parklands Foundation Transplant Appeal
by Alex France
With consistent artistic content across multiple platforms and a great community approach, the Centennial Parklands Foundation made a real impact on raising awareness of their organisation's needs, with exciting results.
Trócaire: ‘Exceptional ask’ direct mail campaign
by SOFII
With intelligent identification and targeting of donors, Irish charity Trócaire exceeded all their expectations with what they called an ‘exceptional ask’ aimed at specific donors. Having honed this strategy over time, it’s now paying off.
Read moreCesvi ‘thank-you’ campaign
by Joe Burnett
One of Italy's largest international aid and development NGOs, Cooperazione e Sviluppo (co-operation and development), or Cesvi, took advantage of their president stepping down to send a simple, effective and personal letter to their 5,000 most loyal donors.
Friends of the Earth: Looking after supporters when the media storm hit
by SOFII
When a media storm hit the sector and put fundraising under the microscope, Friends of the Earth acted quickly to get in touch with their donors. They gave them the opportunity to comment both frankly and freely on how the organisation was communicating with them. But what did their supporters have to say?
Read moreHow I wrote it: the NSPCC’s Simple pack
by Robbie Rae
When Robbie Rae started working as a fundraising copywriter at the turn of the millennium, he felt that true masters of direct mail had perfected the art in all its form. Despite that, he thought that it was time to change the orthodoxy. Click here to discover how he wrote a hugely successful pack that did just that.
Read moreLet’s keep in touch
by Rachel Hunnybun
Does your organisation miss simple opportunities to talk to your donors? Click here to see what happened when Rachel Hunnybun contacted her favourite charities to tell them she had moved home.
Read moreHumber River Hospital Foundation: Direct mail appeal featuring Humbert
by John Lepp
It's amazing how many capital campaigns bewilder donors with architect’s drawings, graphs and complicated giving levels. But Humber River Hospital Foundation turned their backs on stuffy institutional instincts and introduced Humbert – their storyteller supreme. Meet him here and see the fabulous appeals that achieved 33 per cent growth in giving in less than a year.
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