Workshop: Direct Mail

February 6, 2025 11:00am-4:30pm ET

Overview

Direct mail is a cornerstone of annual gift fundraising. Despite the evolution of new media and technology, direct mail continues to be a primary driver of donors and dollars for most institutions. Understanding (and regularly revisiting) the basics of segmentation, messaging, timing, production, and analysis will help to ensure that your appeals stand out and resonate with your prospective donors.

Join us on Thursday, February 6th, for an interactive online workshop that will provide you and your colleagues with a framework for effective direct mail fundraising.

Participants will have an opportunity to:

  • Discover the latest trends and best practices in direct mail
  • Meet and get to know colleagues from other institutions
  • Find out how other organizations approach their work
  • View and discuss real examples, issues, and ideas
  • Examine your own efforts and identify opportunities for improvement
  • Obtain tools, templates, and other materials
  • Earn CFRE credit
  • And more!

This event is ideal for advancement professionals at educational institutions who wish to learn more about direct mail.

  • Save $250 when you register by Friday, January 10th
  • AGN Members save an additional 40%
  • Receive further discounts when registering multiple attendees from one institution

Program

(all times are Eastern Time)

11:20am - Sign-In Begins

11:30am - Welcome

Meet the faculty, get an overview of the program.

11:45am - General Session 

Learn key concepts of direct mail.

12:45pm - Assignment/Break

Take time to complete a short assignment, rest, get a snack, check email, etc.

1:00pm - Show & Tell

Meet with other institutions and share an example of a direct appeal and get feedback from your group on how to improve it.

2:15pm - Break 

Take a little time to rest, get a snack, check email, etc.

2:30pm - Assessment and Takeaways

 Use a self assessment tool to identify potential growth areas and develop actionable strategies to improve your program.

3:45pm - Bringing It All Together 

Hear key takeaways, lessons learned, and words of advice from the workshop’s expert faculty.

4:00pm - Workshop Ends

*Note: Only one person/login per institutional registration.

Faculty

Dan Allenby  (Host) |  President & Founder at Annual Giving Network

Dan is an author, speaker, and consultant who has worked with educational institutions for more than 25 years to improve their fundraising results. An internationally recognized expert on annual giving, he is a CASE Laureate and recipient of the prestigious Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence. His book Ideas for Annual Giving offers designs for helping organizations increase their levels of sustainable philanthropic support. Dan has led annual giving and membership programs at Boston University, Tufts University, Georgetown University, and the National Geographic Society. He also served on the faculty for CASE’s Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising and chaired its Senior Annual Giving Professionals Conference and Annual Giving Workshop for five collective terms. He holds a B.A. in History from James Madison University and a M.B.A. from Boston College. Outside of work, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, writing songs, and getting away to the beaches of Cape Cod. His philosophy is that success comes from focusing on what’s right in front of you.

Amy Burke

With more than 30 years of experience in educational and political annual giving fundraising, Amy has led programs at Wellesley College, Harvard College,Harvard Business School, Bentley University and MIT. She holds a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an M.B.A. in Organizational Behavior from Bentley University

 

Megan Poole

With over 10 years of experience in education and fundraising, Megan has led annual giving and direct marketing programs at the University of Virginia and the University of Florida. Her other experience includes work as a college writing instructor and a highschool English teacher. She holds a B.A. in English from Wesleyan College and an M.A. in English from Syracuse University.

 

 

For more information about this workshop, please contact us at 888.407.5064 or [email protected].