2. YES! You CAN Turn Direct Mail
Donors into Major Donors

3. Tiffany Neill, CFRE
Owner,
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
…and Here's How (and How Not To) Do It
3
P. J. Murphy
Senior Director of Philanthropy,
Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine

4. • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Success With More Mail
• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
- Audit, Try, Try Again
• House of Ruth
- Mail + Staff + Volunteers
Three Case Studies

5. CASE STUDY #1
5

6. The United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum is America’s national
institution for the documentation,
study, and interpretation of Holocaust
history, and serves as this country’s
memorial to the millions of people
murdered during the Holocaust.
USHMM

7. • 125,000 Members (most under $1,000 annually)
Almost all acquired through mass mailings
• Many people contributed $1 million or more
Regional offices with local staff and volunteers for outreach
• Bridging Membership and $1 million?
Annual Fund ($1,000 - $4,999)
Wings of Memory ($5,000 - $24,999)
Leadership Circle ($25,000 - $1 million
Large Base of Supporters

8. • In 2007, only 500 donors giving annually between
$5,000 - $24,999
• Donors who had given large capital gifts to the
campaign had not connected with Museum’s
current efforts
• Needed to educate donors about mission and
connect them with regional staff and volunteers
Gap in the Middle

9. Series of Mailings
Overall
Case
Year End
Specific
News

10. FY 2013 Annual
Fund Mail
Launch
9/12
Year
End
11/12
Fiscal
Year
end
6/13
Invitations
Stewardship
Cultivation

11. Dedicated Mailings
Annual Fund
Solicitation

12. Local Content
Regional
Inserts

13. • Message Alignment
• Many ways to get involved
• Personal follow up
• Strong stewardship
• Ease of giving
Why Did it Work?

14. Number of Donors Increased
14

15. CASE STUDY #2
15

16. Founded in 1985, the PCRM is a
nonprofit organization that:
• promotes preventive medicine
• conducts clinical research
• and encourages higher standards
for ethics and effectiveness in
research
PCRM

17. Tremendous Overall Growth in
Number of PCRM donors in 3 Years
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
2011 2012 2013
25% More!

18. Very Bottom Heavy Pyramid Typical in Direct
Response Acquired Donor Base
- 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000
$50 - $99.99
$100 - $249.99
$250 - $499.99
$500 - $749.99
$1,000 - $2,499
$2,500 - $4,999
$5,000 - $9,999
$15,000 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000+

19. Growth in Low dollar donor base not Resulting
in More Major Donors
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
2011 2012 2013
$250 - $499
$100 - $249
$50 - $99
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2011 2012 2013
$5,000 +
$500 - 5,000

20. But, there is great potential
Almost 2,000 donors with the
potential to give $5,000+ and
high major gift likelihood!

21. What are We Doing?

22. CASE STUDY #3
22

23. For over 30 years, House of Ruth has
been successfully helping women who
were homeless and abused to build safe
and stable lives for themselves and their
children. More than 600 women and
children in the Washington, DC area
receive help from House of Ruth each day.
The long-term assistance provided by
House of Ruth includes housing, as well as
the intensive services that women and
families who were homeless need to build
stable lives. At House of Ruth every
woman and child is safe and cared for.
House of Ruth

24. • Over 20,000 loyal direct response donors
support House of Ruth annually
• Average gift from direct mail is more than $107
House of Ruth

25. • Educate donors about long-term needs
• Focus on the stories of the women and
children helped
• Broad Message
Mailings

26. Clear Case for Support

27. Upgrades? Capital Gifts?
Need to renovate/expand their
supportive day care location

28. • Combination of giving information and
overlays identify key prospects
• Invite to go to property
• Present detail of plans
Reach Out

29. • Data overlays
• Model behavior
Gift information always top!
Public transportation users – advertised!
Data Analytics

30. Small Events
• Major Donors host teas
• Tours of locations
• Testimonials from clients
Connect

31. Continue Mail Support

32. Results
• Donors are increasing their support
• Jury is out until all funding in place
• More donors individually cultivated now

33. Questions?
Tiffany Neill
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
tneill@lautmandc.com
202-296-9660