  |
 
|
International saturn phone card for usa
Home  Tips and Info Articles Charitable Solicitations
Charitable Solicitations
Handling direct mail donation pleas
For many charitable organizations, solicitations by mail are the most effective way to reach potential donors. Mailings will reach the masses and eliminate the need for timely telephone solicitations. Legitimate charities will take this opportunity to tout their group's services and accomplishments in the community. Conversely, unscrupulous groups have been know to take advantage of this direct mail approach disguising solicitations as invoices, or making emotional appeals meant to steer you away from the lack of substantive information. Most individuals receive a number of charitable mail solicitations each year and the number is growing, especially if you have responded to one in the past. The Better Business Bureau offers the following information to assist potential donors better deal with direct mail solicitations.
Mail appeals - the right and wrong way you should be approached for donations
• Solicitations should include specific and verifiable information about the charity and describe its programs in clear language. Beware of appeals that bring tears to your eyes, but tell you nothing of how the organization addresses the problems it has so emotionally presented.
• Appeals should be solicitations presented in an easy to recognize manner, not disguised as bills or invoices. In fact, it is illegal to mail a bill, invoice or statement of account due when it is an appeal for a donation. The exception to this rule is if the solicitation includes a clear and noticeable disclaimer stating that it is an appeal and there is no obligation to pay.
• Some organizations will send unordered merchandise or gifts such as pens, key rings or calendars along with a donation appeal. It is against the law for those groups to demand payment for unordered merchandise. Furthermore, you are under no obligation to send any money or return the merchandise.
• Through the years, groups have sent appeals that include sweepstakes promotions intended to entice donors to give along with a chance to win something. However, these solicitations should clearly disclose that you do not have to contribute to be eligible for the prizes offered. If a contribution is required by the organization, the so-called sweepstakes is actually a lottery, and it is illegal to operate a lottery through the mail.
Why you receive so many different requests for donations
A high volume of direct mail from nonprofit organizations may be attributed to the sharing, swapping and selling of mailing lists. Once you contribute to an organization, chances are good that your name will be added to what is known as a "donor list." Some organizations will rent out their donor lists which can provide an additional source of much-needed income. If you respond frequently to direct mail appeals, it is likely your mailbox will swell in the future with a variety of solicitations. As an example of the sheer number, a major charity mailing may total a half million to more than ten million letters making supplemental lists from other groups invaluable. Charities consider established donors as the most likely source for future contributions increasing the likelihood that your name will be sought after and shared with several groups. To add to the numbers, you could receive several solicitations from the same group addressed to variations of your name including surnames, maiden names, and letters sent separately to spouses.
How you can decrease the number of solicitations you receive
Unfortunately, there is no ironclad method of completely removing your name and address from all mailing lists and chances are, you do want to make donations to some groups. You can take steps, however, to eliminate your name from some lists. First, write to the organization soliciting you and ask that your name (or names, if you received letters with name variations) be removed from future mailings. Most charities use nonprofit postal rates to mail solicitations which will render the letter undeliverable if you try to simply write on the envelope "delete my name" and fail to add additional postage. Second, you may also contact the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service (DMA, P. O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY ) and request that your name be removed from the mailing lists of certain direct mail marketing firms. Bear in mind that new lists are constantly being created from sources such as telephone directories and zip code indexes. The U. S. Postal Service cannot help you remove your name from mailing lists. The agency is required by law to deliver all properly addressed and postage paid mailings (with the exception of certain cases involving sexually-oriented materials).
How some charities deal with their lists
Disclosure has become a growing concern in everything from direct mail solicitations to Internet pleas. More and more consumers are demanding to know how their information will be used or shared before they will make contributions. As a result, a growing number of charities are disclosing their mailing list policies within their appeals and are also providing donors with an easy means to indicate they do not want their name, address or other information shared with others. Some solicitations will simply offer a disclosure check-off box for donors to indicate their disclosure wishes. A donor who chooses this option is informing the group that he/she does not want the organization to share individual information to other groups. If a charity values your contributions, its disclosure statement will be adhered to and your wishes in that regard will be honored.
|
|
|
 |
| |