British Red Cross Mail Shot

Eenymeeny

Does anyone else feel that the expense of mail shots from charities cannot be justified? Yesterday I received a pack containing a card, bookmark, 2 coasters and a pen, freepost envelope, blank envelope and a request to donate either a one-off £5 donation or a regular donation enabling Gift Aid. Today I've received another pack.
I'm not decrying the good work that these,and other charities carry out but feel that there must be a cheaper way to encourage people to donate....
I am saddened by the fact that I can't afford to donate but do pass on items to charity shops when they aren't of any further use to me or my family. Maybe I should add these items to the next bag...

battleborn

Yes! its a bloody liberty

PDC

Marketing, wonderful isn't it. We had that too.

I'm sure some advertising agency will have provided figures to prove that they will make more from donations than the costs of the campaign.

I agree with you 100% though, things like this and the employed street collectors put me off giving to major charities more and more. I would much rather support local charities who don't indulge in big business marketing.

and don't get me started on the NSPCC who keep delivering those plastic collection bags on a near weekly basis but have never once returned to collect them.

Vickyh

yes, though went into my local hospice shop and they were selling the same said cards that someone had donated!!

peter_the_piper

Its not so much the initial mail shot I object to its the A5 multi page booklet you get every few months to tell you how your money is spent and can you spare another fiver a month.

phill99

You need to remember that large charities are run exactly the way big businesses are. They wouldn't do mail shots unless they were cost effective, just like any other business wouldn't. They are highly skilled at marketing and know what works best for different demographic groups, income groups and regions.

Yes it does seem a waste but the fact that you are talking about the British Red Cross on a public forum means that their marketing strategy is getting through to you and your awareness of them is high. Therefore some of their marketing objectives have been achieved.

Ectophile

I am getting fed up with their "special appeals" every single month.

And I'd rather they didn't phone me when I've never asked them to, nor given them my phone number.

And I can't help wondering what proportion of the money I donate just goes straight into more fundraising.

Eenymeeny

phill99 wrote: »

You need to remember that large charities are run exactly the way big businesses are. They wouldn't do mail shots unless they were cost effective, just like any other business wouldn't. They are highly skilled at marketing and know what works best for different demographic groups, income groups and regions.

Yes it does seem a waste but the fact that you are talking about the British Red Cross on a public forum means that their marketing strategy is getting through to you and your awareness of them is high. Therefore some of their marketing objectives have been achieved.

Good point Phill99, there's no such thing as bad publicity is there? Nice to see that I'm not alone in disagreeing with their policy though. It all went straight into the bin (sadly most of it wasn't recycleable) I would only get annoyed every time I saw them.

giraffe69

When charities behave like this they simply get crossed off the list of ones I would donate to and the local hospice who always behave properly get more.

qetu1357

Ectophile wrote: »

I am getting fed up with their "special appeals" every single month.

And I'd rather they didn't phone me when I've never asked them to, nor given them my phone number.

And I can't help wondering what proportion of the money I donate just goes straight into more fundraising.

As their mind reader might be on holiday, why don't you tell them you don't want phone calls?

oldagetraveller

"why don't you tell them you don't want phone calls?"
Because they shouldn't be cold calling in the first place and therefore need telling not to call!