Direct mail is the lifeblood of any organization's fundraising program, providing steady income for the annual fund, helping to acquire new donors, creating opportunities to communicate with current donors, and providing valuable information about both donors and prospects. But it is also a highly personal fund raising vehicle-a one-on-one relationship that is developed, nurtured, and maintained. In Building Your Direct Mail Program-the latest book in the Excellence in Fund Raising Workbook Series--Gwyneth J. Lister provides the tools to make direct mail programs as effective and efficient as possible. With material tailored for volunteers and professionals who have little or no experience with direct mail, the author walks readers step-by-step through the process of creating a strong direct mail program. The book includes nuts-and-bolts information on the basics, from deciding who should receive the direct mail package and working with list brokers to creating and budgeting the package and evaluating the results. Lister also offers specific tips and strategies for all phases of the direct mail process, including guidelines for projecting mailing costs, advice on determining when it is most effective to use a direct mail campaign, suggestions for testing direct mail packages, and more. In addition, the book is filled with a wealth of handy worksheets, checklists, and tips for avoiding the most common pitfalls. Nonprofit fund raisers, professionals, consultants, and managers will find Building Your Direct Mail Program an invaluable guide to developing one of the key fund raising tools of any organization-a successful direct mail program.