Direct Mail Analysis
Julie VW
SMU
Fund Development AA 626
November 10, 2003
Damascus Way is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1974 to assist convicts through the transition and adjustment of parole and re-entry into the community. The mission is “To provide a structured, caring, Christian-oriented program that will enable adult males involved in the correctional system to remain crime and chemical free, while assisting them in addressing their personal issues and meeting the individual goals, in order to assure their successful integration as productive citizens serving God and their communities.” The facility can serve up to 18 men at a time.
The organization charges a fee for services, with the Department of Corrections providing most of the operating budget. Damascus Way also receives financial support from individuals, churches, foundations, and corporations. Reverend Dick Harden, Executive Director of Damascus Way regularly solicits individual and church donors through monthly direct mail campaigns sent to 700 people and organizations in the Twin Cities. These individuals are friends of the ministry, all of whom have given money or other resources to Damascus Way in the past seven years.
The September mailing focused on a Damascus Way client named Dan Henry. The letter tells of Dan’s drinking problem which resulted in an automobile accident that killed another person. Dan served 24 months in prison before being released to an 8 month program with Damascus Way.
Rev. Harding’s general direct mail campaign strategy involves “being in front of givers often with the needs of the ministry.” This specific campaign had an emotional strategy which aimed to personify the ministry by putting a specific name and a face to the mission. Not aimed to solicit new donors, but to keep old donors informed of happenings, and needs.
The September mailing used non-profit stamps with this dramatic three sentence teaser copy on the envelope, “Dan turned the wrong way on the interstate. There was a crash. Someone died.” Inside the envelope was a one page letter from Rev. Harding with a photograph of Dan Henry and the complete story about his crimes and jail time. The letter closes with two sentences asking for support and a P.S. line which mentions the pledge card and envelope also included in the mailing.
Damascus Way has not done any analysis or tests comparing the effectiveness of various mailing strategies. Donations are not tracked according to specific mailings, making it impossible to determine the effectiveness or profit of any given campaign. The average gift is $25 with monthly contributions ranging from $6,000 – 20,000 a month.
To improve the usefulness of direct mail, I would suggest Damascus Way implement an accounting system that allows them to determine how much each specific mailing costs, and how much revenue was brought in by each mailing. I would also suggest they track which donors respond to what mailing and look for patterns beyond “December always has a lot of donations.” Knowing what donors respond to, and the actual cost of each mailing will allow the organization to make informed decisions about future campaigns and potentially increase the number of donors.
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