Page History
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Service | Price | Postage | App? | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TouchNote | Sliding scale from $3.39> postcard, | Yes | Yes | One layout option. Can include words on the front of the card. Easy to use. International! Pricing is a sliding scale. The more credits you buy at once, the less each card costs. The most you'll pay is $3.39 per postcard $6.50 per greeting card. **Annual plan available. $70 a year gives you the ability to send unlimited postcards/ free postage/ personalized stamps/ discounted greeting cards - $1.50 per card. If you'll send 21 or more postcards per year, the annual plan will save you money. Use Promo Code DOUGNBCC for a discount on annual plans. | |||||
| Easy Letter Sender | Domestic Delivery: Letter, picture: $1.45 (1 sheet, 2 sided) $.75 for each additional sheet (2 pages) Postcard, picture: $.64 International Delivery: Letter, picture: $2.17 (1 sheet, 2 sided) $.75 for each additional sheet (2 pages) Postcard, picture: $1.25 $0.64 per postcard | Yes | No | Not a fancy website. To send from the phone, you can probably use your phone’s browser to send a postcard to a single individual. From a Reliant missionary using this service, "To send a postcard to one person is easy." *It's a bit more complicated to send multiple cards to different addresses. Here are some things to know if you want to use Easy Letter Sender to mail a postcard to a list of people: To send to multiple recipients through Easy Letter Sender, click the orange "Add Recipient Addresses" button, then the green "Import list" button. Review your list before uploading and remove any double lines before importing (example: those who have two lines on their address, such as apartment numbers). The system doesn't save your list. So, you'll have to upload it every time you send out a postcard to a large list of people. But, that can be a healthy habit to have since our supporter's addresses change from time to time. Also, you won't be able to mail merge content (such as adding the recipient's name to the salutation in the message block). Note, this site is hosted on a parent site called Click2Mail. That side will allow you to mail merge and save address books, BUT it is very complicated and not recommended. . | |||||
| PrayerLetters.com | Letter, 1 page, single-sided: $136/100 letters 4x6 postcard: $94/100 postcards Notecard w/envelope: $163/100 cards | No app, but the website should be phone friendly. | Christian | A | PrayerLetters.com | $0.88 per postcard | ? | Christian | Christian-owned company that has been serving missionaries for decades. They also print/send prayer letters. |
| Postagram | $2 per card | Yes | Yes. App only. | 4x6 postcards. FYI: Will only format the pic as a square “Instagram style” 3x3 pic that is printed on hard paper so the pic can be popped out of the postcard. Designs change seasonally. $3 to send to non-US address. App only; no desktop version. | |||||
| My Postcard | $3 per postcard, | Yes | ? | Includes international. It’s a European company. Multiple layout options. | |||||
| PostSnap | $2.75 | Yes | Yes | Worldwide shipping. Postcards are only available in landscape. Difficult if you have a vertical photo you want to send (most pics on a phone are are shot vertical). | |||||
| Send Out Cards | $1.25-$2.55 for postcard, $3.75 per greeting card | Yes | Yes | Beautifully designed cards. Choose from photo cards or greeting cards. Easy to set up and use. Here's a well-designed thank you card. *Card Campaign feature allows you to set up a cards to send automatically (for a monthly fee). I like the "decide once" option for this (i.e. everyone gets the same birthday card and message for 12 months, then change it for the next year). Send Out Cards is a small arm of a large marketing company. They weirdly have their other businesses linked within the platform. That part can be confusing. Feedback from a Reliant missionary who uses SOC: In my opinion, they are a fantastic company. GREAT customer service. I have called several times from Honduras. All my contacts are saved in their database and I haven’t found anything yet that works as well as they do. They say they can send things internationally and I tried to send something to the DR once but it never made it. | |||||
| ChalkLine | $0.94 per card | No | No | ChristianA christian-owned company that specializes in ministry letters and donor communication. Can help with designing a mailing piece. |
Video Messages
If post cards postcards are too static for you, why not try a video message? One of the most exciting things for a supporter is to hear of someone’s life impacted by Christ as a result of their support in your ministry. As ministry event approaches (an outreach, Easter Sunday, Christmas campaign, evangelism event, worship night, etc), consider how you can take a quick video of how God is moving. *Pro tip: Record it on your phone and keep your vid under 60 seconds so you can text it to a few individual supporters with a message of thanks.
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- Selfie video of you telling what God just did in Easter Sunday service (3 people came to Christ! We had the most people in attendance ever! The girl I’ve been reaching out to came to church/Bible study/home group homegroup for the first time!).
- Vid of one person you minister to talking about how they’ve been impacted by the ministry this week.
- Vid of you at an outreach event explaining what’s going on and why you’re excited about what God is going to do/ has done through the event.
- Video of a person you disciple thanking your supporters for empowering you to minister to them!
Film your video, then text or email it with a message of thanks to a few supporters (God will tell you which ones to send it to. Just ask!). Just remember, these don’t have to be slick or professional! Consider it like a FaceTime call. Let it be personable, short, and full of energy. It’s a great, QUICK way to thank a few supporters while letting them experience a slice of the ministry they’re working so hard to support.
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This is a great method when you're at a distance (not within driving distance of your supporter) and want to connect. It's also a very dynamic way of giving donors an insider look into your ministry. Any time you can engage a supporter face-to-face (vs an email, phone call, text, or letter), it's far more effective. Connection is found in face-to-face moments.
- Here's how to do it:
- Let's say your ministry hosts a gathering once a week. You can use that consistent ministry activity as an opportunity to bring donors into the heart of the ministry. While on the video call, walk around and show the volunteers and the students while you talk about the vision of what you're doing and why you're doing it. Throughout the time, ask questions of your donor so it's more of a conversation instead of a monologue. You can even introduce the donor through the call to a couple of volunteers as you walk along. Donors say they love these types of video calls because it gives them a great pic of what the ministry is doing and what it looks like. Your ministry partners will appreciate you taking the time out to give them a tour. They may even ask you to schedule another time so others can go on the tour as well! (This has actually happened to other missionaries.)
- A few things you'll want to do before the video call:
- Do schedule these calls with your supporters (vs randomly calling). This call takes a little more planning because I'm trying to get both husband and wife on the call (but maybe younger people who have more free time can get a call with no appointment-setting needed).
- A few minutes before the call, walk around at your event and ask people if you can introduce them on the call. Ask if they can say something short like "Hey, nice to see you!" You can also ask the volunteer or student a question to bring them out a little more on the call.
Is there a type of donor that's best for this type of video appointment? I think it could be done for whoever your priority people are.
- Do you do a financial ask on this call? If the Lord's leading you to ask this person to partner with you financially or increase their giving or connect you with others, this is a great way to make that ask face-to-face! You can also use video calls to remind annual donors about why they love the ministry (*do this before they decide about annual giving for the next year). This sets you up to call back in a few months for the ask. You can use these video calls as a way to reconnect with supporters they haven't talked to in a while. A third way to use video calls is to keep you connected, in relationship with your supporters, and keep their vision high for your ministry (this is especially crucial for your anchor donors and those who are close to falling off your team).
- What method or app do you use to make these calls? There are many apps out there that will host video calls. Here are some of the most common:
- Zoom. The new standard that even your Grandma knows how to use. Thanks, COVID.
- Facetime. Super easy to use, but both users have to have an iphoneiPhone/ ipadiPad/ mac/ etc.
- Skype. Old school, yet versatile. Can call one or multiple people at a time. Can call on a phone (if the person has the Skype app installed on their phone) or can call a computer or tablet (must have the app installed as well). Older people (30's and up) will be more familiar with Skype than the younger generation.
- Google Hangouts. Also versatile. Can call one or multiple people at a time. Can call on a phone (if the person has the app installed on their phone) or can call a computer or tablet (must have the app installed as well). Younger people (30's and under) will be more familiar with Google Hangouts than the older generation.
- It's always a good rule of thumb to FIRST ASK YOUR DONOR what program/app they prefer to use. It will help if you're familiar with and have all 4 of the above mention programs already downloaded on your phone or tablet (it's a bit harder to walk around at an event with a laptop in your hand.... even harder to do that with a desktop. haha).
- Here's how to do it:
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- Gifts - small but meaningful.
- Book (to facilitate discussion with your donor). Mug with the city in which your you're ministering (Starbucks often sells these). Ebenezer stone. Bookmark (see photo below).
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Nonprofit thanks are often perfunctory, predictable, leaden, and unconvincing. Donors give to multiple causes. An average donor will see 10-20 thank you's a year and promptly forget them all. You want to be the thanks they can't forget.
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