Direct mail remains a valuable income source for many fundraising organisations. However, it is not without its critics and recent reports suggest a decline in direct mail fundraising.
Many direct mail concerns centre on the use of incentives and shock tactics as well as the frequency of mailings. To provide guidance and set standards in this area, the Institute of Fundraising published a Direct Mail Code of Fundraising Practice in 2008, after an extensive consultation period.
While many organisations use direct mail effectively and follow the best practice standards set in the Code, there remain other organisations that ignore these standards and potentially threaten the sustainability of the fundraising technique for all.
It is important to make a clear distinction between good direct mail practice which follows the Institute's Code to attract donations and the poor practice that prompts public distrust.
To highlight this distinction, the Institute is asking for YOUR HELP.
Are you aware of any direct mail campaigns that do not follow the Institute's Code? Campaigns, for instance, that use incentives that bear little or no relevance to the topic, or campaigns that rely heavily on the use of guilt to prompt a response. Can you send examples of these campaigns?
The Institute is asking its membership to help compile a library of direct mail campaigns to help illustrate the difference between good and bad direct mail practice.
If you have an example of poor direct mail practice, please send it (anonymously if you wish) to:
Policy Team
Institute of Fundraising
Park Place
12 Lawn Lane
London
SW8 1UD
or contact the Policy Team here.
Submitted campaigns will be analysed by a team of experts to establish if and how they contravene the Direct Mail Code.
