Small Team, Bigger Reach: Rethinking Direct Mail for Small and Mid-Sized Nonprofits Nonprofit organizations come in many shapes and sizes. For every national organization—think of American Red Cross, United Way, Goodwill—there are a vast number of small and mid-sized organizations quietly support their local communities. Whether it’s a local animal shelter, a community food...
Opening your mailbox is a daily ritual. You check what’s inside, pull it out and start sorting through what to keep and what gets recycled. Getting past that first hurdle is important (taking note of available real estate on the outer envelope that may catch your eye) and let’s assume that by keeping it, you...
If you’ve experimented with AI, you know the frustration that comes from an AI tool not understanding the task, or performing a task in such a way that your work time is no longer spent creating something but fixing the tool’s misguided creative efforts. In fact, I’m doing that right now. What a tool! My...
As non-profit leaders, you are expected to stretch every dollar, negotiating printing costs and obsessing over the “ask.” But in 2026, one of the biggest drains on a nonprofit’s budget isn’t the printing—it’s the $1.93 “Weighted Fee” hiding in your mail carrier’s pouch when a mail piece is returned if you use an ancillary address...
When it comes to the harsh realities of direct mail, it doesn’t get harsher than this: Not every mailing is going to succeed. Some are going to be meh. And some are going to fall flat on their faces. When that happens, we blame the mailing because it’s easy and obvious. The mailing wasn’t good...
Before joining JHL in 2020, I spent just over 15 years in alumni affairs and annual giving, working for both a national music fraternity and a comprehensive public university. In both cases, resources were often tight and we had to figure out how to maximize results with limited means. I would often sit in on...
Know those folks who they think they can speak Portuguese because they listened to “The Girl From Ipanema” or AI because they asked Google Gemini where to find snickerdoodle ice cream in Perth Amboy? Some marketers are like that about direct mail because they once got a key in the mail that was supposed to...
The End-of-Year Mailer Panic (And How to Fix It) In the fast-paced world of advancement, fall campaign season is a blur. You’re trying to secure last-minute major gifts, scheduling visits with donors during football games, and juggling Homecoming responsibilities. And let’s not forget the awards banquet for key supporters. Then, you stop and think… “Oh...
The Do’s and Don’ts of Using AI in Direct Mail AI is everywhere – and it’s everywhere faster than just about anyone outside of the AI industry has expected. You’ve probably experimented with AI. And if you’re like a lot of people, you’ve been vaguely disappointed in the results, or you’re looking to find some other...
Direct Mail for Non-Profits 101 Reaching the mid-point of summer marks the “unofficial” start of the fall solicitation season. Most, if not all, advancement offices are planning their fall schedules. Homecomings, alumni awards, campus events and end-of-year visits are all part of the calendar for the coming months. With numerous priorities vying for attention, especially...