Let Us Give Thanks
6 really good reasons why you should have your list on the market
An active and healthy acquisition program means your house list stays ‘fit’ and is likely to be sought after by other mailers.
There are many reasons why your active donor or member file should be available for exchanges and rentals with other mailers.
Here are 6 really good reasons why you should have your list on the market:
- LOWER LIST COSTS: You have the ability to develop exchange relationships between your organization and the lists you are using, or plan to use, in prospecting. This cuts costs for acquisition since exchanges are far cheaper than rentals.
- RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THROUGH RENTALS: Making your file available for rental, in addition to exchange, allows you to maintain positive relationships with core lists, even when the exchange balance gets too high(and their available list universe too low) for you to allow additional exchanges.
- RENTAL INCOME: Renting your list generates extra income for your organization. We recommend keeping your fundraising rates low for your fellow nonprofits, but you can be institute more aggressive pricing for commercial entities. Rental pricing for nonprofits in general is a solid two digit number ($85 per thousand, for example). But when settling on a rate for commercial mailers, you have a bit more room to work with. Aim to never have less than three digits ($150 per thousand is a decent number).
- SAMPLES: These give you an upfront look into what your competitors and core continuation lists are mailing. When organizations approach you for a list rental, they have to submit a mail sample, which is a great way to get insight into their acquisition program. A sample tells you at least three things:
- What their control or test packages look like;
- What their potential donors respond to;
- What they are doing or testing that you may not be.
- TEST IDEAS: When new mailers within your core market ask to rent your list, it opens up the door to new test ideas. Out-of-market mailers using your file continuously could be a sign that you could test into that arena. For example, if The New Yorker keeps renting your file, take a look at their file and see if they have selects available for an intelligent test.
- YOU HAVE CONTROL: Don’t forget—you are in control! You decide who, when and how. No mailer can use your list without your approval. You have the ability to block dates, say no to packages that look too similar to your own, and deny requests all together. The power is in your hands.
Nonprofit Video Toolkit – Part 1: The Power of Video
Video is one tool in the non-profit tool box that can be used to raise awareness and even raise funds. Check out this video from Cisco and find out more!
Helping AMIT Help Israel
This summer, Vivint, one of the largest home automation companies in North America, is giving away more than one million dollars to charities through its GiveBack Project.
We LOVE Vivint for it’s innovative approach to charitable giving.
We also LOVE AMIT. With 85 schools in 24 cities throughout Israel, AMIT sets the standard for quality education in Israel.
Now, you can help AMIT receive a grant of up to $250,000 from Vivint. Here’s how:
Step 1: Like Vivint on Facebook
Step 2: Search for Amit
Step 3: Endorse Amit
You can start voting today and continue voting once a day until August 27th.
Vote for AMIT early and often.
David
List Updates for the Week of June 5th, 2011
Free List Industry White Paper
NextMark, our favorite source for list information, commissioned research to better understand the core issues related to list acquisition and list fulfillment.
“The Evolution of List Fulfillment” is the first whitepaper of its kind, leveraging the combined experience of seasoned direct marketing professionals (list brokerage and management executives), with technological expertise (NextMark) and qualified third-party editorial (Ray Schultz).
Download your free copy (PDF format) now: The Evolution of List Fulfillment
David
Salons for the Savvy Organization
Today’s eJewish Philanthropy features an article by Susan Weidman Schneider, one of Lilith Magazines founders, on the concept on Salons.
She writes…Salons, popular among intellectually curious and avant-garde Jewish women from the eighteenth century onward, are re-appearing in the 21st century as an opportunity for thoughtful women to get together to mull over some of the most exciting thinking of the day. Lilith Magazine has created contemporary salons where ideas hatch and are nurtured, places where small groups of women meet for informal discussions. Salon conversations can pull in women of all ages to talk and act on many progressive fronts – reproductive freedoms, diversity in Jewish families, rights for Israeli women, and much more.
Are salons right for your organization? Read the full article here.
Both Lilith Magazine and the National Council of Jewish Women (mentioned in the article) are long-time clients of Negev Direct Marketing and we support their fine work.
David
Chabad In Japan
Israel First to Set Up Field Hospital In Japan
While we like any connection between Israel and Japan, this one makes us especially proud.
Israel is also providing tons of aid assistance – including mattresses, blankets, coats, gloves and chemical toilets.
Get the details on this story at The Jerusalem Post.
David
NextMark’s Mailing List Search Tool
“There’s big demand for postal mailing lists lately. Despite its traditional nature, postal is still one of the most powerful channels for driving both offline and online traffic (and sales!).The key to driving quality traffic through postal is using a quality mailing list. In fact, experts agree that your choice of mailing lists is the single most important factor in driving your results.There are more than 60,000 mailing lists available. Without the right tool, it’s unlikely you’ll find your ideal lists. Fortunately, NextMark provides a Mailing List Finder tool. It’s easy to use. And, best of all, it’s free.”
Search updates on LinkedIn with the new Signal feature!
The Most Charitable Cities in the United States
“While PlayStations fill holiday gift lists, ’tis also the season for giving to the less fortunate. From donations to volunteerism, The Daily Beast ranks the cities with the biggest hearts.”
Link to full article from The Daily Beast - Most Charitable Cities
1. Seattle
2. San Francisco
3. Kansas City
4. Atlanta
5. Dallas
6. Minneapolis-St. Paul
7. Portland
8. Washington
9. Houston
10. Denver
11. Los Angeles
12. Philadelphia
13. Detroit
14. New York
15. St. Louis
16. Pittsburgh
17. Chicago
18. Cincinnati
19. Boston
20. San Diego
21. Cleveland
22. Phoenix
23. Miami
24. Milwaukee
25. Tampa-St. Petersburg
Stop the Press! Forward Names Surman Associate Publisher
In his position, Surman will be responsible for growing both the print and digital revenues of the Forward – including both English- and Yiddish-language newspapers and websites – while managing and overseeing their business operations. Prior to joining the Forward, Surman co-founded and led Eye Multimedia LLC, a multimedia startup, and also consulted for a variety of businesses and not-for-profit projects.
Before that, Surman was the vice president of new business and strategic development, and vice president for classified advertising, for the New York Daily News. In those positions he was responsible for strategic partnerships, investment and acquisition activities, as well as leading advertising and classified sales teams. Surman also held a series of management roles at The New York Times in sales and marketing, product development and management, and corporate strategy and acquisitions; he worked in – or closely with – business units in multiple media segments, including digital media, newspapers, magazines, radio, and television broadcasting and production.
Earlier in his career, Surman was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and a professional journalist. His writing and photography have appeared in The New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, Congressional Quarterly, Technology Review and other outlets.
Four Marketing Tips From the Experts or “Could You Market Chocolate Filled With Air?”
“Since launching in October, (Paul) Pruett has been able to get Bubble Chocolate onto the shelves of more than 1,000 retailers — mostly independent stores, but also a few large chains like Whole Foods. So far, he hasn’t done much marketing except for some in-store demonstrations. How can Pruett persuade Americans to pay a premium for chocolate pumped full of air? We asked four entrepreneurs to weigh in.”
Award-Winning Consultants
Lautman Maska Neill & Company is proud that three campaigns – which successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for three wonderful organizations – were awarded Silver Maxis by the Direct Marketing Association of Washington (DMAW).
The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) multi-channel Department of Defense Campaign, the Masonic Children and Family Services of Texas acquisition package and the Center for Jewish History Calendar of Events renewal were all recognized by the DMAW for their stellar results and creative excellence.
The Maxi ceremony, held Monday, July 26th at the beginning of the Bridge Conference, was a great reminder that solid fundraising strategy (in a creative package) yields great results!
Congratulations to all of our associates at Lautman, Maska Neill & Company.
The Saddest Day
Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av is by far the saddest day in the scope of Jewish history.
Both the First Temple and the Second Temple were destroyed on that day and many other tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people happened on the very same day.
We mark the day with a 25-hour fast and many other customs of mourning. For details, there is a good article here.
There continues to be some dissonance in modern day Israel’s attitude towards Tish B’Av. The Jewish State is reborn and the Jewish people alive and well after a long exile. Problems remain to be sure, but none-the-less here Israel is, now home to half of the world’s Jewish population.
Still we continue to mourn.
An easy fast and better times ahead.
David
Israeli-Developed Boiled Potato Batteries May Provide Cheap Power
It sounds like a headline from the Onion, but it’s not.
You can read the full story in Ha’aretz Online.
This new high-tech Potato Battery was developed at Hebrew University, and Negev Direct is the list broker and manager for the American Friends of Hebrew University.
Potatoes also happen to be Israel’s biggest agricultural export.
That’s great synergy.
David
Tips on Marketing your Products and Earning a Profit in a Tough Economic Climate
“Jonathan Levav is an Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. He has authored numerous articles published in trade journals, focusing on consumer culture and market research. His areas of expertise lie in: Consumer Behavior, Consumer Debt / Credit Cards, Consumer Savings Behavior and Consumer Spending.”
“How do you market your products in a global economic crisis? Professor Jonathan Levav analyzes the consumer fear that grips the market place and fuels lower sales, creating a cycle of downturn. Levav keys us into some tips and tricks of the trade in trying to market your products and earn a profit in a tough climate.”
A Production of http://www.leadel.net and http://www.eurojewcong.org ; The European Jewish Congress and its President Moshe Kantor.
The Cleantech Group on Israel
Your’re probably asking yourself just what the Cleantech Group does.
So we’ll let them tell you in their own words:
Since 2002, the Cleantech Group has been providing investors, entrepreneurs, and Fortune 1000 global corporations with the latest industry market intelligence through subscription-based research, global industry networking events, and world-class consulting services. By focusing entirely on innovation in clean technologies, Cleantech Group helps its clients make critical business decisions that foster growth, reduce cost, and meet consumer and government demands for improved environmental quality.
Sounds like a good thing to me.
Cleantech has just posted an article entitled “10 Reasons Israel is a Cleantech Leader”, in which they refer to Israel as the Silicon Valley of Water.
If you are interested in Israel or environmentally-clean technology, it well worth the read.
Israel’s technology focus is expanding to include the clean-water, solar and biomedical fields as well as computer hardware and software.
It’s a big breaking story and a great talking point that can be used by fundraisers for many pro-Israel non-profits.
Don’t miss the opportunity.
David
AJC & AJC To Merge and Form New AJC?
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I’ve had a standing offer open for the past 15 years.
If anyone can cogently explain the difference between the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress I will donate $100 to any charity of their choice. Excluding these two organizations, of course.
The reward remains unclaimed, and as of today the offer is officially withdrawn.
Rumor has it that the AJC and the AJC are on the verge of a merger.
Read the full story in the Jerusalem Post.
My suggested name for the new combined organization: the American Jewish Consolidation.
David
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