The tangibility of paper makes this medium, and its message, more real to recipients. It creates a connection and memory that other channels do not. Digital of course still has advantages over paper such as interactivity and the potential for more sensory appeal but the tangibility of paper still creates an impact. Which, again, denotes the importance of using multiple channels.

A blog post from Neuroscience Marketing goes into more of the scientific details on digital versus paper.

So how do you choose which media channels to utilize?

1. Take generation into account. Yes, millenniels will be more responsive to social media than boomers and boomers will be more responsive to direct mail than millenniels but that doesn’t mean eliminating either channel for these groups. Find the balance for each of these mediums as they apply to each generation.
2. Consider how engaged your prospect is with your company/organization. Do they typically open emails? Have they responded to direct mail? Have they ever reached out to you for information? You should always be tracking such data. Dedicating too large a portion of your budget to a group this is not likely to respond will only create a negative impact on ROI. Email is the least expensive way to reach out to those who are not highly engaged and this means saving money on direct mail marketing while not staying completely out of touch.
3. What means of communication do your customers prefer? This is information you should have. If you don’t know, ask them and keep current with this data. A personalized URL with a survey would be the best way to capture such data. That way you can make sure you aren’t wasting money on a channel that is ineffective with a certain person or audience.

As always, these types of analyses and decisions require sufficient data. Data will always be your golden ticket in best determining how to choose media channels and allocate marketing dollars. A blanket approach is no longer an adequate method. Break down your audience into niche groups and tailor your media mix for each. This will both lower your costs and increase your revenues.

• Consumer thought process before and after the transaction – Consumers want information and guarantees before a purchase and reassurance after the purchase. You may have to go out of your way to make these things happen but it’s worth it.  Do you have a process that helps guide consumers in their decision making? Do you pleasantly surprise customers by providing something extra afterwards? One great example of a company that considers the consumer thought process prior to a purchase comes from Mail Chimp. I have been looking into new email service providers and they did not just talk about how great they are. Instead, they provided a comparison chart right on their website comparing similar companies in the industry which saved me the hassle of going website to website and putting together my own chart. I loved them right then and there for that simple gesture.
• Where consumers initially go for information – You may be all ready with packets of information and brochures to hand out to customers when they come to your company or organization, but what about the information they are getting before coming to you? This includes information from friends, peers, online communities, and social networks. Are you present in these arenas? Are you actively participating or guiding these conversations in any way? If not, what are you waiting for?
• Direct AND indirect competition - I know paying attention to both direct and indirect competition is not a new concept, but it’s important enough to reiterate. Nonprofits, for example, are not just competing with other nonprofits. They are competing for consumer dollars that could go anywhere else, even to a new pair of shoes.
• Cross channel marketing, not just multichannel – Email can increase direct mail response ROI, social media can boost email ROI, email can help social media ROI, etc., etc. Integrated marketing strengthens campaigns, I mean really strengthens campaigns. You could send a postcard here, email a coupon there, set up a website…but without taking an active approach in using each channel to strengthen and improve the other you are missing out on the full potential of your marketing efforts.

After considering all of these points the important thing to ask yourself is: “Is there anything I could be doing to make life easier for my customers in the grand scheme of things?” Think outside the box. Read It’s the Little Things That Count to learn more about this.

You can use direct mail to drive traffic to your website by printing your website address on the mail piece along with any social media avatars, integrating social media or online promotions into direct mail campaigns, and/or sending out direct mail pieces to make announcements about online events. You could also invite current customers back to the site to provide feedback or reviews.

There was such a giant shift in marketing efforts from offline to online that online channels have now become too cluttered and something is needed to supplement these efforts…print media. According to one study direct marketing tactics (such as direct mail) are twice as likely to drive traffic to a website than digital marketing alone. In fact, 60% of the people surveyed felt that a personally addressed mail piece was more likely to drive them to visit a website than an email with the same message. That’s probably pretty surprising (and good to know) for people who strictly market online. To leave you with one more tidbit on direct mail; recent studies show that 63% of 18-34 year olds consider receiving direct mail to be “a pleasure”. There are so many opportunities when it comes to direct mail that are not being taken advantage of. Now is the time to utilize direct mail to both stand out from the competition and improve your online presence.

By providing the option to respond to direct mail online you are also opening to the door to continued personalized communication. The information gathered from a personalized URL page (granted that mail recipients go to it and answer the questions) can be invaluable to your business/organization. You can use it to communicate with respondents in the future via mail or email with personal and relevant information. It is likely that you can double your response rate by incorporating a personalized URL and relevant content in your marketing campaign. According to PODi, the leading association for Digital Printing Service Providers and Vendors of Digital Printing hardware and software, campaigns that utilize both relevant text and graphics can increase response rates up to five times.

Click here to read more about making the transition from multichannel marketing to integrated cross channel marketing.

1) Changes in donors – The baby boomer generation is taking over the World War II generation in terms of being the most attractive donors. Baby boomers are more leery than their preceding generation and respond best to charities and organizations that are accountable and can prove their credibility. They prefer to support a smaller number of charities with larger gifts in contrast to the WWII generation which prefers to support many different charities with small gifts.

2) Changes in media – Unlike last century, direct mail is not the most successful option when it comes to fundraising, at least not by itself. Multichannel marketing is becoming pertinent in order to increase “awareness and visibility” of your organization’s message. For example, direct mail could still be used but now it should be accompanied by efforts to drive responses through phone or email as well as mail.

3) Changes in competition – The increasing number of nonprofits (54% over the last decade) coupled with increased philanthropic efforts of corporate America heat up the climate of competition so there are more entities fighting for donor dollars. There are also now websites such as Kiva.org and Microplace.com that allow investors to lend microloans to entrepreneurs in underdeveloped countries to help lift them out of poverty. They can earn potentially high interest while being altruistic at the same time.

 As aforementioned, your organization’s response to dealing with these changes should be integrated multichannel marketing. Direct mail campaigns should not be operating alone. Email, personalized URL’s, phone calls, etc. should be incorporated in your campaign along with direct mail. Your message should be consistent across all channels and strategies should “convey the importance of your mission, the effectiveness of your work, and the wisdom and integrity of your organization.”

According to another article, Understanding the Value of Multichannel Fundraising by Andrew Olsen, integrated direct mail campaigns with online fundraising efforts will drastically increase overall revenue. Olsen, a certified Fund Raising Executive, had conducted a direct mail/email campaign and experienced a 40% increase in revenue due to the email component of the campaign.

Other components of integrated marketing may include:

-E-Marketing

-Middle and Major Donor Development

-List Performance Management

-Market Research

-Public Relations

-Brand Development

-Video, Television, and/or Radio

-Corporate Identity

-Integrate Media and Direct-Response Marketing

With the changes that are taking place and the increasing need to evolve along with these changes it’s important for nonprofits to approach donors through many channels in order to have their message heard and experience success in their fundraising efforts.