Understanding Your Merge Purge Reports

August 22, 2016
A close-up of a hand holding a pen, analyzing detailed data in a spreadsheet for a Merge Purge report, illustrating data evaluation and management.
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You probably receive several reports from your merge purge service provider during the course of preparing a file for a new direct mail campaign.  Although they look confusing at first glance, these reports actually contain a lot of interesting information.  Read on for a short course in how to read them. Merge Purge Summary Report: [...]
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Understanding Data Hygiene

August 8, 2016
Red keyboard key labeled Data Management emphasizes the importance of data hygiene in maintaining organized and accurate information systems.
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Data hygiene makes sure records in your mailing list are deliverable to responsive addresses by accomplishing two primary goals: Making Sure Addresses are Deliverable:  Nothing is more wasteful than paying to mail something that is undeliverable.  Avoid doing this by completing at least the first two of the following steps before each new mailing: Coding[...]
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Should You Mail to Snowbirds?

July 22, 2016
Joyful woman in a sunhat smiles while writing on the beach, representing the lifestyle of snowbirds enjoying warm weather.
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In today’s mobile world, many people spend part of their year living in a different location than their primary home.  The most common example of this is retirees who move south for the winter, but it also includes people splitting their time between multiple work locations and grandparents living for extended periods with different sets[...]
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Using Data Enhancement to Increase Response Rates

July 11, 2016
Person analyzing reports on a wooden table, showcasing graphs and data for enhancing response rates in a business context.
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As your database has grown over the years, names have undoubtedly been added in a variety of ways.  Perhaps one of your sales people picked up a business card at a convention or a memorial donation was made in honor of a friend.  Unfortunately, a lot of the people in your database will never make[...]
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Deduping a List to Maximize Your ROI

June 27, 2016
Gingerbread figures lined up, symbolizing the concept of deduplication in data management to enhance ROI in marketing campaigns.
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If you’re new to the merge purge world, the process of “deduping” may seem a bit mysterious.  But once you understand a few basic principles, you can dedupe your lists with confidence. The first thing to know is that when you’re trying to determine whether two records are duplicates, you can choose between three sets[...]
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Are You Sure What the Flags in Your Database Mean?

June 13, 2016
Hand highlighting diverse user icons, symbolizing the importance of understanding flags in databases for effective data management.
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If you’re like us, you’ve probably had the experience of wondering exactly what a flag in your database signifies.  Was “Xmas15” meant to indicate that this person should be sent the December 2015 mailing, that they made a donation in response to that mailing, or that they’ve promised to make another major donation at this[...]
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How to Reactivate Lapsed Donors

May 26, 2016
Senior woman reading a letter at her mailbox, reflecting on donations, representing the theme of reactivating lapsed donors for charitable giving.
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According to the Association of Fundraising Professional’s 2016 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey of 9,922 nonprofits, only 46% of donors who contributed to a nonprofit in 2014 made a repeat gift in 2015.  In other words, more than half of each organization’s donors from the previous year disappeared! Since a marketing rule of thumb is that it[...]
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Optimizing Your Ask String

May 12, 2016
Text on a blue background asking if the viewer will make a $250, $100, or $50 contribution, emphasizing the importance of the decision.
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One of the most crucial elements of an effective solicitation letter is to ask for a donation of the right size.  If a donor has given $100 to you twice before, you are leaving cash on the table if you suggest a donation of $25.  Alternatively, if a donor never gives more than $15 to[...]
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Optimizing Your Merge Purge Operations

May 9, 2016
Two professionals collaborating on merge purge operations, reviewing documents and making annotations to enhance data optimization strategies.
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  Organizations looking to expand their customer or donor base will often rent lists of recent donors or customers from similar organizations.  Prior to sending a direct mail solicitation to these prospects, it is important to clean up these lists by eliminating duplicate names and suppressing the records of people who are already on your[...]
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Cultivating Direct Mail Multi-Buyers

April 25, 2016
Two happy friends smiling while shopping with colorful bags amidst festive holiday lights, showcasing a joyful shopping experience.
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In the search for new donors, direct mailers often rent lists of people who have donated to similar organizations.  Names that appear on more than one acquisition list are called Multi-Buyers. Because these individuals have contributed to multiple organizations, multi-buyers tend to perform better than those who appear on only one acquisition list.   Therefore, you[...]
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