The 2024 Canadian postal strike has sent ripples across nonprofits who rely heavily on direct mail for donor engagement and fundraising. With Canadian domestic mail international mail to Canada effectively suspended, organizations must pivot quickly to ensure their efforts remain uninterrupted. Beyond being a wake-up call, this disruption offers a critical lesson: In today’s world, relying on a single fundraising channel is risky at best and catastrophic at worst.
Direct mail is becoming more challenging
Direct mail remains a cornerstone for many nonprofits. Yet, this year’s postal strike is far from an anomaly. Historically, strikes have occurred frequently, with notable disruptions in 2011 and 2018.
The need to reevaluate this channel becomes clear beyond just the threat of strikes. Covid taught us the vulnerability of our global supply chain, and the constant hikes in postage costs continue to raise the price of direct mail as a channel. There is also the increasing rate of natural disasters disrupting mail delivery at home and abroad.
And while the solution isn’t to abandon direct mail, it’s essential to ensure that no single channel becomes indispensable for fundraising.
Digital diversification comes with its challenges
Digital channels provide speed and adaptability, but they also come with their vulnerabilities. Consider the disruption of Apple’s privacy updates. The removal of tracking disrupted advertising, forcing fundraisers to rethink how they measure campaign success. Similar bumps arose around the automated opening of iPhone emails and we are seeing potential disruptions with TikTok as it moves through the US courts.
During the 2020 election, anything deemed political content could get flagged. Making matters worse, what was considered political was often as bland as simply talking about feeding the homeless.
The lesson? Putting all your eggs in one digital basket can be as risky as relying solely on direct mail.
Diversification allows for flexibility
Diversification is about more than weathering the big storms. Having a presence in multiple fundraising areas allows nonprofits to quickly shift budgets and pivot strategies in response to external changes, both big and small.
It is important to note that operating in multiple spaces demands more learning and effort, as different channels have different metrics and often require different creative approaches. However, this adaptability is no longer a luxury — it’s a lifeline.
The choice in today’s volatile environment is clear: diversify and be resilient or risk stagnation.
Practical steps for nonprofits in response to the postage strike
The strike is a wake-up call to think about what channel diversification can look like for your organization. In the meantime, here are tactical responses you can deploy today in response to the Canadian postal strike:
- Reassure donors: Use email, social media, and website updates to explain the situation and provide alternative giving methods, such as phone donations, online giving forms, or text-to-donate campaigns. Highlight for the donors the importance of their contributions in light of these events.
- Reimagine donor updates: Switch upcoming printed impact reports to digital alternatives like e-newsletters, video text messages, or an online PDF. This ensures continuous engagement without relying on physical mail.
- Modernize donation pages: Ensure landing pages are mobile-friendly and emphasize security to make older donors feel more at ease with changing their giving habits. Eliminate unnecessary fields and consider mobile pay options to reduce friction.
- Engage directly: Add telemarketing campaigns to maintain personal connections, particularly with check donors. For quicker response, try text-messaging campaigns to boost immediate giving.
The Canadian postal strike is a stark reminder that disruption is inevitable. Whether it’s labor disputes, technological shifts, or unforeseen events, nonprofits must prepare to navigate an uncertain landscape. Diversifying your fundraising channels isn’t just a best practice — it’s a survival strategy.
By embracing a multichannel approach, nonprofits can ensure their missions thrive regardless of the challenges that arise.
.jpg)
