Save on Direct Mail Fundraising: It Doesn't Have to be Expensive

The STAMP Quarterly Cohort can help you unlock the power of direct mail fundraising. 

By Corinne Loiseau, Director of Mail at Grassroots Analytics

Direct Mail: The Comeback Kid

I’m not old enough to remember this — but once upon a time, political campaigns exclusively fundraised through phone calls and letter-writing efforts.

Flash forward to now, and some campaign staffers barely know where to buy stamps. I once hosted a Zoom call with seventy campaign managers for U.S. House races and only a handful of them had ever seen direct mail fundraising at any point in their career.

It’s a big reason our mailboxes aren’t inundated the same way our cell phones and email inboxes are blowing up. And it’s a big reason why mail, for those who are still doing it, works.

Why did so many campaign staffers “forget” about fundraising through snail mail? It wasn’t exactly an accident — most made the conscious decision that emailing and texting was cheaper, faster, and more feasible for a quick two-year political campaign. They stopped passing down the direct mail fundraising lore, and now, here we are.

And yes, mailing is always going to be more expensive upfront than texting. The cost of paper, postage, and printing is unavoidable. But any fundraiser knows what really matters is the ROI — and last year, direct mail was our highest-ROI fundraising channel. 

In fact, the Data and Marketing Association reports that 96% of people engage with all direct mail. When an envelope shows up at your mailbox, there’s no spam filter, or junk inbox, or AI assistant to tell you not to open it. Instead, there’s something similar to the feeling you get when your grandma sends you a Valentine’s Day card in the mail — there’s the thought process  of “someone thought about me, and someone put time into sending this to me.” 

We’ve found that donors who are already giving through digital channels will send an additional gift 3.5 times higher when solicited via mail as compared to what they had given previously via digital.

Direct mail has become an untapped fundraising powerhouse. And at Grassroots Analytics, we’ve made it cheaper than ever for political campaigns who are just now returning to the world of snail mail.

What is the Quarterly Cohort?

Traditionally, the smaller your budget, the more expensive direct mail becomes. Printers are set up in such a way that a $100K budget is really when you start to get your best money’s worth.  But not every campaign has that kind of cash-on-hand ready to spend on a fundraising channel that, to them, is brand new and untested.

This is exactly the kind of problem Grassroots Analytics has always looked to solve. At our core, we aim to dismantle the barriers to fundraising for political campaigns and nonprofits. Our innovative data approach allows us to create highly targeted models to quickly and efficiently acquire new donors. But there’s no use in hyper-targeting if you can’t afford your smaller-scale mailing.

By printing in a “cohort”, your campaign can benefit from the same bulk discounts a $100K budget receives — even if you’re only spending $3K. 

It’s more than just economies of scale, though. A successful direct mail fundraising campaign isn’t complete without strategic support– and that’s where GA comes in.

Save On Direct Mail Fundraising: How it Works

Each quarter, we coordinate bulk mailer orders for progressive campaigns and organizations nationwide. With a collaborative approach, multiple organizations combine their mailing needs to unlock operational efficiency and significant discounts on printing materials like paper, ink, and envelopes.

How does joining the cohort work?

Commit and set a budget. 

Once you say “yes” to fundraising for your cause with our cohort, GA’s team of experts will strategize a personalized targeting approach for your campaign. We identify highly-targeted donor lists with a proven track record of giving through mail, and further refine segments by demographics, key issues of interest, geography, and hundreds of other variables. For every donor or prospect you want to mail, the cost will be under $1 per piece.

Example list: 3,537 direct mail donors located in California who have given to PACs in the last 12 months, give $50+, and care most deeply about electing young candidates in local races

Customizing your piece

Once you’re signed on and paid, we start cooking. Though following a standard format is a requirement for the Quarterly Cohort, the letter and reply is fully tailored to you. Our team crafts ultra-personalized copy that is unique to you, your message, and your audience’s passions and giving behavior. On paper, we have even greater freedom to communicate a compelling message that resonates and personally connects with your audience, driving them to take action. 

Review art and copy

In just a handful of days, we’ll send you a first draft of the letter ready for your review. Our team will collaborate closely with you on edits and alterations to ensure your piece reflects your unique tone while emboldening your audience and ultimately driving donor action. Once the messaging is finalized, we’ll roll it into artwork and send it your way for a final review.

Final send-off

With a hyper-targeted list of high-dollar donors inspired by your cause, compelling copy, and attention-grabbing artwork, mailers are now ready for send-off! Our team will place your order with the rest of the cohort and coordinate with union print shops. You can set it and forget it. From here, our team will manage all operations to ensure your piece is perfect. 

Finally, expect mail to arrive in homes roughly one month after the final send-off date.

The Takeaway

GA has made it possible to save on direct mail fundraising. Through the Quarterly Cohort, our average $10K mailing last year didn’t just acquire new-to-file donors — it resulted in immediate net dollars raised. Direct mail doesn’t have to be costly for smaller budgets; collaboration can make it accessible.

Fundraising via direct mail already boasts the highest response rates, gift amounts, and return on investment among grassroots fundraising channels. Now, you can experience these advantages while avoiding the expenses that often discourage organizations from utilizing the powerhouse that is direct mail.  

By participating in the cohort, your campaign or organization leverages a proven fundraising model used by mission-driven organizations to drive impact for a progressive future.

Interested in joining STAMP’s upcoming Q3 Cohort? Express interest by July 3rd to take part. Mailers will land in homes at the end of August—just in time for key September fundraising deadlines.

Unlock your fundraising potential and save now– reach out here to connect with our STAMP team!