It is that time of year again when non-profit companies are soliciting for dollars, in hopes to raise money for their charities during the holiday season. I have already received direct mail pieces from Doctors Without Borders, the ASPCA, and the Red Cross.
I am always happy to give to charities that I think do useful work and help address important issues. I love to know that the Doctors Without Borders is using my donation to help bring medicine to Rwanda. However, I am finding a siloing of channels from these organizations. As someone who is much more likely to respond to online marketing than direct mail, I wish that charities that I give money to would offer me the choice of how to be communicated with. While I may respond and sign up initially via direct mail, I would prefer to be communicated with via e-mail or a social network. And instead I just keep getting direct mail, most of which I throw away.
I hate to think that my donation is being spent on these materials that I am throwing out and would rather see examples of how my donation is being put to work through e-mail or Facebook. For example, I would love to follow the ASPCA on Twitter and hear about their animal saving efforts or how they are trying to raise money for a specific issue, rather than getting the same pieces of direct mail.
