There are more than 6,000 hospitals in the U.S. today and 57% of them are classified as nonprofits. Collectively, these nonprofit hospitals employ nearly 2.2 million people and rank as the single largest nonprofit employment sector in the U.S. economy.
However, the U.S. healthcare industry is under tremendous financial strain with many hospitals reporting significant operating losses. Considering that up to 10% of a nonprofit hospital’s revenue is derived from donations, it’s clear that hospital foundation fundraising is of strategic importance.
This blog will explore nonprofit direct marketing with a special focus on nonprofit direct mail fundraising for hospital foundations. Direct mail for nonprofits is a specialty unto itself with many of the most powerful foundation fundraising ideas for nonprofit hospitals involving direct mail campaigns.
Is direct mail still effective for fundraising?
Mark Twain famously said that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. The same can be said of direct mail marketing services. Pundits have been predicting the impending death of direct mail fundraising for more than 20 years and yet the metrics tell the opposite story. According to the United States Postal Service (USPS):
- Up to 90% of direct mail appeals are opened by the recipient, compared to only 20-30% of emails.
- More than 70% of American consumers prefer to be contacted by direct mail because they can read it whenever they want, highlighting the enduring appeal of physical mail for nonprofit direct marketing.
- Direct mail boasts a 3.7% response rate, outperforming mobile (1.9%), email (1%), social media (1%) and internet display ads (0.02%).
Clearly, the answer to the original question is a resounding “yes.” Direct mail fundraising remains a highly effective marketing tactic and, as the following examples indicate, nonprofit direct mail fundraising remains the cornerstone of hospital foundation fundraising.
What are some direct mail fundraising examples for hospital foundations?
One does not need to look far to see examples of prominent hospital nonprofit organizations using direct mail fundraising to great effect. The following examples illustrate the sheer variety of hospital foundation fundraising ideas that are accomplished through direct mail appeals.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is known for direct mail fundraising campaigns that often include personalized letters and stories from patients to engage donors on an emotional level.
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic takes a sophisticated approach to nonprofit direct marketing, using various direct mail letter designs to share patient success stories and updates on medical research, eliciting donations to support ongoing projects.
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic sends out direct mail appeals that highlight the hospital's achievements and future goals, often including detailed brochures and donation forms.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) adds personalization to direct mail for nonprofits, sending personalized direct mail pieces that focus on cancer research breakthroughs and how donor contributions are saving patients’ lives.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) engages in nonprofit direct marketing, reaching donors through direct mail campaigns that highlight the organization's mission and the positive impact of donations on families in need.
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine provides yet another example of nonprofit direct mail fundraising in action. Johns Hopkins contacts alumni and former patients by direct mail, sharing updates on medical advancements and inviting them to contribute to specific research funds.
What is a good ROI for fundraising direct mail?
The examples above read like a Who’s Who list of the nation’s premier healthcare nonprofit foundations. The fact that they all rely on direct mail fundraising suggests that it works. But what do the metrics say?
According to Fundraising Report Card, nonprofit direct mail fundraising campaigns for healthcare nonprofits often see a return on investment (ROI) of 4:1 to 6:1. That is, for every dollar spent on direct mail fundraising appeals, the hospital foundation receives between four and six dollars in return.
Perhaps more than any other, this statistic explains why nearly 90% of hospital foundation fundraising revenue is attributable to direct mail marketing services of some type.
Taylor: Direct Mail Services for Nonprofits
As one of the largest and most innovative providers of direct mail marketing services in North America, Taylor prints and mails more than two billion pieces each year. We are uniquely positioned to deliver direct marketing services for nonprofits like those described above, thanks in part to Taylor’s deep subject matter expertise in the healthcare industry itself.
Taylor is well-versed in the role of direct mail in healthcare marketing as well as direct mail services for nonprofits in particular.
- Multiple Taylor production facilities from coast to coast specialize in direct mail programs, getting you into mailboxes faster. Many hold the certifications so critical in the healthcare industry such as HIPAA, HITRUST and SOC 2 Type II.
- Taylor offers comprehensive omnichannel marketing capabilities and can integrate direct mail campaigns with email, SMS text and custom websites.
- Taylor has designers in-house who create direct mail fundraising appeals that engage deeply with donors and drive higher revenue.
- We are a trusted partner to the U.S. Postal Service, holding a USPS® Gold Level rating and a national commingling contract for First-Class Mail®. This expertise enables us to maximize the postal discounts so critical to direct mail ROI.
Looking for a direct mail marketing company with special expertise in nonprofit direct mail fundraising for hospital foundations? Contact us to learn more about Taylor’s direct mail services for nonprofits.
