Meet the Broker: Debbie McLain, RMI Direct Marketing
Today we meet Debbie McLain, senior vice president and director of nonprofit brokerage at RMI Direct Marketing Inc. in Danbury, CT. McLain has been working with fundraisers and publishers since she joined the company almost 25 years ago.
McLain has experienced economic ups and downs with clients over the years. Starting as a receptionist, she moved up to account executive and ultimately became director of brokerage for nonprofit organizations.
As if declining response rates and rising costs haven’t been challenging enough, organizations are now finding it increasingly more difficult to meet budget goals.
Her clients include the American Institute for Cancer Research, Guideposts, Consumer Reports and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
McLain feels concerned when clients cut back on mailings at the expense of future opportunities, because it’s no secret that less prospecting today leads to smaller house files tomorrow.
“They’re being squeezed harder by boards of directors and the economy. But they have to stay in the mail because if they stop mailing it’s going to cause them more problems down the road,” she says.
When she’s not crunching list data, McLain enjoys playing poker and taking her two dogs for long walks in the woods. This time of year she likes visiting family in Florida. She and her husband recently traveled to Paris to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They have 13-year-old boy.
How can brokers help fundraisers mail smarter?
Basics like looking closely at selections, maximizing list exchanges and analytics are more important than ever in tough economic times, as is list modeling for targeting.
“It’s important not to be afraid to try new things,” says McLain. “If response is low, look at tightening up recency when choosing selects. If the average donation is low, get lists with higher average donors.”
Gender selection can have a big impact on campaigns, given that men typically respond less than women, but usually give higher donations, she notes.
What future do you see in direct marketing?
Large nonprofit organizations and environmental groups with younger audiences are moving more towards using social networking Web sites for direct marketing, a trend that McLain anticipates will filter down to smaller groups.
She still mainly works with direct mail lists, but she expects that direct mail in the future will just be one component in a mix of multichannel marketing tools.
“There’s a learning curve for brokers, but that’s what keeps it interesting. There will always be a place for direct mail though,” McLain says.
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