Direct Mail for Churches: How to Make It Work

As the world becomes increasingly digital, traditional marketing tools like direct mail seem to have taken the back seat. However, that doesn’t mean direct mail marketing no longer works or that organizations have stopped using it altogether. In fact, at $38.5 billion, spending on direct mail still makes up the largest portion of local ad spend in the U.S.

This gives testimony to the effectiveness of direct mail marketing, especially when it comes to reaching a local audience. With the right approach, it could also be the perfect tool for your church to attract more attendees and engage your valued members.

Benefits of Direct Mail for Churches

Direct mail marketing for churches can have many advantages:

Church Advertising Allows You to Stand Out

With direct mail, you have the ability to customize your mail materials. This allows you to deliver church outreach cards that stand out from standard envelopes and flyers. The more your mail stands out, the better the chances of it being noticed.

Helps Build a Personal Connection with Recipients

The physical material of direct mail can have a stronger emotional impact on recipients, allowing them to form a personal connection. No wonder 70% of consumers feel that receiving direct mail is more personal when compared to online interactions.

Helps Attract New Parishioners/Attendees

Your direct mail marketing campaigns can reach homes and families that aren’t already a part of your parish. With a compelling message, you could welcome these recipients as attendees to your church.

Great Way to Re-Engage Members

Direct mail for churches is also an excellent tool to re-engage members who have stopped attending service for a period of time. Reminders that you’re thinking of them could invite them back into the church.

How to Use Direct Mail Marketing

If your direct mail campaigns haven’t worked in the past, improve your efforts with the following tips:

Design Mailers that Stand Out

Colorful envelopes, oversized mailers, and interesting textures can help your mail stand out in the mailbox. Take it one step further by personalizing the mailer with the recipient’s name or a handwritten message. Colorizing and personalizing your mail could improve your response rate by a whopping 500%. Additionally, oversized envelopes see the highest response rates at 5%.

Leverage Nonprofit Postage Rate

To make your outreach budget go further, take advantage of the nonprofit mailing rate that USPS offers to nonprofits.  This could help you save a bit on postage and use the money you’ve saved for other necessities.

Write a Compelling Message

Your eye-catching mailers should be accompanied by a message that’s equally thought-provoking. Carefully plan your messaging so you can inspire recipients and encourage them to attend your church. Messages of forgiveness and love and messages of acceptance could be the key to attracting parishioners – both new and old – to your church. You could also write messages to show your work through the communities you’ve supported and the people you’ve helped.

Take Advantage of New Mover Lists

One of the best ways to attract new people to your church is by sending direct mail to people who have just moved into the neighborhood. Take advantage of Just Moved Mailer services to gain access to new mover lists and get new attendees to your church.

Make It Actionable

Do you want people to attend the next Sunday service? Or perhaps you want them to participate in an upcoming event? Whatever the goal of your direct mail marketing campaign is, make sure you include a call-to-action so recipients know exactly what you want them to do next.

Use the Right Direct Mail Marketing Tools

Depending on the goal of your campaign, use different direct mail marketing tools strategically:

• Door hangers for quick intros
• Postcards for quick intros and regularly checking in on parishioners
• Church invitation postcards for upcoming events
• Flyers and brochures for detailed information on your church, cause, or event

With a combination of the right tools, messaging, and mailer design, a direct mail marketing campaign can make a positive difference for your church. 

Need help crafting powerful mailers for your church?

 

Find out how One Stop Mail can help.