By Jessica Fox, writer at Eventgroove – a one-stop, integrated platform for events, fundraisers, and e-commerce driven to help its customers amplify their brand and reach their goals.

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Inboxes (and the world) are more overwhelming than ever. So how do you get your cause to stand out?

Direct mail. Seriously. 

According to research, our brains process physical mail 21% faster than digital advertisements, requiring less cognitive effort to understand the message. On top of that, Canada Post’s neuromarketing studies found that brand recall was 70% higher for physical mail compared to digital ads. So, while our inboxes are overflowing with unread emails a postcard mailer or letter gets our attention.

This doesn’t mean your nonprofit needs to stop all its online outreach and put all its eggs in mail’s basket. Social media and email are extremely powerful and should be employed. But, by using all the tools available, you’re better able to increase engagement.

Here are five advantages direct mail offers for building stronger donor relationships.

1) Better Visibility

By its very nature physical mail demands attention in ways that online messaging cannot. You pick it up, hold it, toss it on the counter. That tactile, in-person quality is what makes it work so well. 

One way to incorporate it into your outreach is to send thank-you postcards right after donations. After all, your appreciation is genuine, and it will hit that way since your thanks are promptly received. 

Print excels at creating atmosphere, so another natural fit is seasonal campaigns. A beautifully designed holiday appeal or spring fundraiser postcard feels more intentional than the twentieth holiday email decked with festive emojis.

2) Bring Physical and Online Together

Effective direct mail campaigns don’t exist on an island. In fact, they work extremely well when combined with your online presence. QR codes are an excellent way to connect the two. Since you want supporters to act when they have your postcard in hand or see it sitting on their kitchen counter. Adding a QR code linked to a specific url lets supporters donate instantly while giving you tracking data to see what’s working.

A simple strategy: Use one QR code per campaign that links directly to your online fundraising event or volunteer registration. If you’re testing two different postcards, create two different landing pages so you can compare which approach gets better results. Just add a UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) to your url and use Google Analytics to track the results!

Want to get more sophisticated? Create URLs with UTMs for different segments of your mailing list – one for major donors, one for regular supporters, one for lapsed donors. This lets you see which groups respond best to direct mail and tailor future campaigns accordingly.

An example mailing sequence: Mail a postcard with a QR code linking to your donation page, follow up with an email a week later mentioning the card, then send a final, low-key reminder to anyone who hasn’t yet donated. Research has shown that doing so can boost response rates by 70% compared to direct mail alone.

3) Connection

In exchange for ease of use and lighting fast delivery, social media and email sacrifice human touch. By physically connecting, direct mail can feel genuine even when sent to hundreds of supporters.

Donor appreciation postcards work particularly well here. To make your mail feel even more personalized, include a brief, handwritten note, signature, reference their specific gift amount or the program they supported. 

Event invitations are also great for the tactile, person-to-person reason. The experience of receiving a beautifully designed postcard for your annual gala or fundraising walk somehow feels more real.

4) Thriftier Than You Think

One concern about direct mail is cost, but when used judiciously the return on investment is terrific. Studies show postcard mailers typically achieve 4.25-9% engagement rates, significantly higher than most email marketing benchmarks.

To make the most of what you spend, first try sending postcards to your most engaged donors. The people who consistently give, attend events, or volunteer are more likely to provide feedback, helping you to refine your strategy. From there, you can move on to testing letters or even printed brochures.

5) Nurturing Relationships

Like any kind of ask, it’s best to stay in touch rather than sending out a mail when you need something.

For new donors, send an immediate email receipt, then follow up with a welcome postcard that arrives 3-5 days later. After 30 days, send an impact email (maybe with link to a reel) showing what their donation accomplished. Follow that up with a printed newsletter or update every quarter. 

Physical mail can be particularly effective at helping you reconnect with donors you haven’t seen in a while. A letter that acknowledges their previous support and updates them on current results can get a better response than email, especially if they’ve stopped clicking on your messages.

Major donors appreciate printed annual reports, personalized impact statements, or special updates about specific programs they’ve supported.

Making Direct Mail Work for Your Organization

The wonderful thing about direct mail lies in its adjustability. You don’t need massive budgets or complex campaigns to get started. Begin with simple donor thank-you postcards or event invitations, track the results, then gradually expand what works.

Remember that direct mail works best as part of an integrated approach. Use it to complement your online efforts, not replace them.