The latest CAF UK Giving Report makes for sobering reading. With six million fewer donors than a decade ago, every fundraising channel has to work harder than ever.
I recently had the pleasure of joining a webinar hosted by Woods Valldata alongside Helen Halahan, John Eddolls from Royal Mail Marketreach, and fundraising consultant Stu Radcox to discuss exactly that question: how can charities get more from direct mail?
While the conversation covered everything from creative to production and mailing, my focus was on the role that data and analysis can play in making every mailing more effective.
Too often, when people think about analytics and direct mail, they only think predictive models and selections. Who should receive the appeal?
That’s certainly part of the story, but better analysis and insight can do so much more.
Move beyond better selection
Predictive models and segmentation can absolutely help identify the supporters most likely to respond. With tools becoming more accessible than ever, whether through off-the-shelf solutions or charities building their own models. there are more opportunities to improve targeting.
But the real value comes when you use those insights to shape the entire supporter journey.
Analysis should help answer questions such as:
- Which supporters respond best to direct mail rather than email or other channels?
- Who should receive higher or lower ask amounts?
- Which audiences benefit from greater personalisation?
- How frequently should different supporters be contacted?
- Where should stewardship take priority over another fundraising ask?
Rather than treating every supporter the same, segmentation allows charities to make more informed decisions across the whole programme.
Segmentation should influence strategy, not just reporting
One of the most powerful uses of segmentation is understanding how different groups behave.
Some supporters will respond immediately to a direct mail appeal. Others may receive the pack but choose to donate online days or weeks later. Some may be prompted to engage through another channel altogether.
If we only look at last-click attribution or direct responses, we risk undervaluing the role direct mail plays for certain audiences.
By looking at results with different types of attribution and through the lens of segmentation, we can start to see that different supporter groups engage in different ways. Applying simple attribution rules can give a much fairer picture of the contribution direct mail is making and help charities make better investment decisions.
Measure what really matters
Ultimately, the goal isn’t just to improve response rates.
It’s to understand where direct mail creates value across the wider fundraising programme.
That means combining predictive models, segmentation and better measurement to answer questions such as:
- Where can we confidently save pack costs?
- Which supporter journeys generate the strongest long-term value?
- How does direct mail influence giving across other channels?
- Are we measuring the true impact of our campaigns?
When we bring these techniques together, direct mail becomes much more than a standalone channel. It becomes part of a smarter, more connected fundraising strategy.
If you’d like to hear the full discussion, including insights from experts in mailing, creative and fundraising strategy, I’d encourage you to watch the webinar. There are plenty of practical ideas for charities looking to make one of their most valuable fundraising channels work even harder.
Author: Andrew Sargent, 2026 © Sequoia-Insights.com