Webinar: Taming Your Year-End Mailing List

In this session, we explored the crucial data hygiene required for a successful year-end direct mail appeal, led by Marlisa Post, Database Specialist with Donor Database Experts. The expert panel emphasized prioritizing cleanup, such as resolving duplicates and standardizing salutations, while correctly handling address updates and utilizing a donor’s full engagement history for precise list segmentation.

Here are 3 key takeaways from the webinar:

1. Data Hygiene and Pre-Mailing Essentials
   1. Resolve Duplicates to Reduce Cost: The immediate priority is to resolve duplicate records before pulling any list to prevent wasting postage and to improve donor stewardship.
   2. Standardize Naming and Salutations: Organizations must align internally on a consistent tone and audit the database to ensure all addressees and salutations are correctly formatted before the mailing goes out.
   3. Update Suppression Codes: Reviewing and updating solicit codes and “Do Not Mail” flags is critical, and any high-level suppression code must be documented with an explanation of when and why it was added for future staff.
2. Handling Address Data with Care
   1. NCOA Requires Verification: While NCOA (National Change of Address) updates are necessary, relying solely on them is risky, especially since they can be complex and sometimes inaccurate regarding seasonal addresses.
   2. Donor Input is Supreme: A donor directly reporting a new address or seasonal move should always take precedence over system-generated NCOA data, and organizations should use surveys or calls to top donors to confirm these details.
   3. Check the Interconnected Address Fields: To ensure mail deliverability, users must verify that the Send Mail = No flag, the No Valid Address checkbox, and Solicit Codes are all aligned across the constituent record.
3. Strategic Segmentation with Giving History
   1. Gift Data Drives the Ask: To set a targeted ask amount, the mailing list must be segmented using a donor’s complete gift picture, which includes total giving, largest gift, and first gift over several years, rather than just their last gift amount
   2. Engagement Matters: Beyond financial gifts, organizations should factor in non-monetary engagement like volunteering or board service when deciding who to include in the appeal or how to customize their message.
   3. Document Decisions: The idea of future-proofing the database is vital, meaning any complex decision must be thoroughly documented to ensure consistency and aid future staff.