DIRECT MAIL AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR MUSEUMS
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Authors
Zweifler, Rhyan
Issue Date
1986
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
As the literature suggests, the use of direct mail, whether it be for a profit-making business or for a nonprofit organization, can be a reliable tool for raising funds. Proponents of the use of direct mail suggest that the use of commercial strategies and techniques is essential if a nonprofit organization is going to exist in a society where their operating costs are high and the sources of government, corporate, and foundation support is dwindling. In this light, direct mail offers museum professionals and other nonprofit professionals a quantifiable method for generating funds while building a broad base of membership support.
Other authors in the literature argue that a nonprofit institution should not use techniques which are implemented to appeal to a mass public, because the institution is not a business venture. These authors fear that by appealing to a mass audience through promotional events or direct mail techniques, the staff of a nonprofit organization will lose sight of its purpose, whether it be to collect and preserve art or to provide medical care for the underprivileged.
If a museum is to remain financially secure, it must look to the general public for support. Direct mail can offer a museum a productive tool to acquire and retain members who can provide the museum with needed financial support.