# Building Your Direct Mail Program

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/books/building-your-direct-mail-program/
- Published: 2001-06-21T18:55:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**In _Building Your Direct Mail Program_ Gwyneth J. Lister provides the tools you
need to make direct mail programmes as effective and efficient as possible. **

Direct mail is the lifeblood of any organisation’s fundraising programme, providing
steady income for the annual fund, helping to acquire new donors, creating opportunities
to communicate with current donors, and providing valuable information about both
donors and prospects. But it is also a highly personal fund raising vehicle-a one-
on-one relationship that is developed, nurtured, and maintained.

The book includes nuts-and-bolts information on the basics, from deciding who should
receive the direct mail package and working with list brokers to creating and budgeting
the package and evaluating the results.

With material tailored for volunteers and professionals who have little or no experience
with direct mail, Lister walks you step-by-step through the process of creating 
a strong direct mail programme.

Filled with handy worksheets, checklists, and tips for avoiding the most common 
pitfalls, the book takes you through the process from start-to-finish–from knowing
who should receive the direct mail package and working with list brokers, to creating
and budgeting the package and evaluating the results.

In addition, Lister provides specific tips and strategies throughout all phases 
of the direct mail process, including guidelines for projecting mailing costs, advice
on determining when it is most effective to use a direct mail campaign, suggestions
for testing direct mail packages, and more.

Nonprofit fund raisers, professionals, consultants, and managers will find _Building
Your Direct Mail Program_me an invaluable guide to developing one of the key fund
raising tools of any organisation–a successful direct mail programme.

**Building Your Direct Mail Program is published in The Excellence in Fund Raising
Workbook Series and J-B Fund Raising School Series.**

## Author

**Gwyneth J. Lister, CFRE**, is an adjunct faculty member of the University of San
Francisco’s College of Professional Studies and Indiana University’s Fund Raising
School.

She has worked in the nonprofit field for more than twenty-five years as a development
director and executive director, and, since 1987, as director of her consulting 
firm Accelerated Income Methods (AIM). Lister is a past recipient of the “Outstanding
Fundraising Executive Award” from the National Society of Fund Raising Executives
Golden Gate Chapter.

## Reviews

“Following the steps in this workbook will enable you to use direct mail effectively
in building a broad base of donors. Lister’s long and varied experience will help
novice and experienced professionals alike.”
**Kim Klein**, publisher, _Grassroots
Fundraising Journal_

“When I started volunteering more than twenty–five years ago, I had very few resources
to help me be a successful direct mail fund raiser. If I had _Building Your Direct
Mail Program_ then, I know I could have doubled the money we raised. This book will
give any nonprofit a clear, easy plan to follow that will make their direct mail
campaign a success.”
**Ann Cameron**, banker and volunteer board president, La Clinica
de la Raza

“Yes! Volunteers and professionals alike are taken on a step–by–step process that
actually moves you by leaps and bounds toward accomplished direct mail practice.”
**
Skip Henderson**, fund raising teacher, University of San Francisco and Indiana 
University′s Fund Raising School