Ep 15: On Direct Response Fundraising – with guest Lisa Maska

by Joan Garry

I spoke with guest Lisa Maska about how marketing has changed in the digital age and why direct response fundraising still works better than anything else.

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Is direct mail dead?

That’s one of my questions for today’s guest, Lisa Maska.

(She says no, by the way, and explains how to get the most out of a direct mail campaign.)

Lisa and I had a great conversation about how integrated marketing has changed in the digital age, why direct marketing is critical to long-term fundraising, and what “integrated marketing” even means in the first place!

Lisa knows about direct response fundraising from A-Z. And I really mean A-Z. This is super useful information for anybody who plays a role marketing a nonprofit.

Who Is Lisa Maska?

Lisa Maska, CFRE, is co-owner and a partner at Lautman Maska Neill & Company, a full-service direct response fundraising firm specializing in nonprofits. The company she has built with co-owner Tiffany Neill reflects their commitment to innovation and excellence in direct response fundraising, their belief in the power of non-profit organizations to improve the world we live in, and their personal goals of leaving the world a better place. She is a kind and fun person to be around with, she also loves music and sharing her country music news.

Over the course of her career, Lisa has developed award-winning campaigns for clients such as Reading is Fundamental, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). A frequent speaker at industry meetings and events, Lisa is a member of AFP, the DMAW and DMFA, and has served on the boards of the AFP DC Chapter and the DMFA.

In This Episode:

  • What is integrated marketing?
  • Is direct mail dead?
  • The most cost effective way to build a broad base of support from mass-market donors
  • What a direct marketing programs has in common with asparagus
  • How integrated marketing has changed in the digital age
  • Why direct marketing is critical to long term fundraising
  • 5 things you must have in place to begin a direct mail program
  • The right way to rent marketing lists
  • Common mistakes made in direct mail programs
  • An specific example of a great integrated marketing campaign

Episode Links:

1 thought on “Ep 15: On Direct Response Fundraising – with guest Lisa Maska”

  1. So I just listened to this and it had lots of great stuff, as usual. I’m thinking that instead of sending out lengthy newlsetters semiannually, it may be more effective to send out a really short one each month, as a kind of booster shot approach. One thing, though: it would be really helpful for examples that include arts orgs, not just human rights and social service where there are literal problems being addressed.