Planning Ahead for Supply Issues
If there’s one thing we as fundraisers would love nothing more to be, it’s one step ahead. But external factors like inflation, international conflict, lingering effects of the pandemic, you name it - usually get in our way. Many of us who worked through the early days of COVID-19 are more than familiar with the supply chain issues that still impacts our industry to this day, sometimes known as the Great Paper Shortage.
Is there any way we can avoid this happening again? Well, it’s time to make peace with the fact that we probably can’t. Instead, we can be as prepared as possible to run successful direct mail campaigns despite shortages that may arise. Think of alternatives to folded self-mailers, like postcards. They have less postage costs and much quicker deliverability. Also, consider your mailing list very carefully. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s worth narrowing your list to a segment that you expect a higher return from - this will be more cost effective than trying to reach a wider audience through mail.
A general best practice is to plan your campaigns as early as possible to make sure that your vendors have enough time to source all of the materials. And it doesn’t hurt to always be ready to make adjustments based on what’s available.
We never know what the future holds! But there are certain measures we can take to make sure we can be proactive about identifying risks and issues.