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.
Save the Children: Buy a brick capital appeal
by Reuben Turner
This warm appeal from Save the Children beat its target by over £150,000 and acquisition approached break-even. Clinics were built and children’s lives were saved.
Read moreThe Children’s Center, Detroit: ‘children should be seen and not hurt’ winter appeal
by Marie Burnett
How the Children's Center in Detroit turned dwindling finances and donations into a huge success through a seamless, integrated, multi-channel campaign.
Read moreReader knowledge, real voices, great stories and big points of view
by Elizabeth Loudon
Writer Liz Loudon shares the difference between really writing to move donors, or just typing.
Read moreCPAR: ‘plant a tree in Ethiopia’ mailing
by SOFII
Ethiopia has to be one of the most difficult fundraising markets in the world. Yet this pack produced results that most more sophisticated fundraisers can only dream of.
Read moreRyton Gardens: recyclable mailing
by SOFII
Ryton Garden’s famous recyclable mailing is one of the best ever examples of the benefits fundraisers can realise when they show that they really understand their donors.
Read moreRSPB: Letter to the future
by SOFII
How do you engage people in your cause, grab their attention and encourage them to stand alongside you on an issue of national importance? Not easy, we think. But here’s a brilliant example of a national conservation charity doing just that, very successfully.
Read moreGreenpeace’s optimistic tick-box suggestion: the ‘Stop Thorp’ campaign court case mailing
by Carolina Herrera
This exhibit works on many levels. At first glance the reply form opposite looks innocuous enough but really it’s a brilliant illustration of how, in times of need, donors will respond warmly to help a cause when it is clearly in trouble.
Read moreFriends of the Earth: the Bee Cause
by SOFII
This extremely important campaign from Friends of the Earth perfectly integrates fundraising and genuine participation, through beautifully produced and interesting involvement devices, both online and offline.
Read moreUnited Negro College Fund: David Ogilvy’s letter
by SOFII
Go back in time to meet one of the commuters who, in 1968, found this superb letter from David Ogilvy on the seat of the train taking him home to his comfortable New York suburb.
Read moreUniversity of Leeds: The calendar appeal
by SOFII
This excellent mail appeal was a success thanks to a very smart theme where alumni shared their experiences and memories of their time at the University of Leeds. To check out the calendar and full creative, click read more.
Read moreThe Royal Flying Doctor Service: ‘Buy a jet’ direct mail
by SOFII
This award-winning mailing certainly caught the eye of donors – donations poured in and income soared passed the target. A subsequent newsletter must have been especially good too, because 750 people gave again even though they hadn’t been asked!
Read moreUniversity of Leeds: direct mail cash appeal to alumni
by SOFII
The direct mail appeal that raised more in 12 weeks than the University had raised in their previous eight years of sending mail appeals.
Read more
