Unfortunately, few marketing tactics have real staying power. After they have generated their response, emails are deleted. Direct mail ends up in the recycle bin. Social media posts are buried. All out of sight, and potentially out of mind.

One element of your direct marketing campaign, however, can keep your brand at hand long after the initial contact has been made: books.

Books seem to be misperceived as cost-prohibitive because of the large runs they once required to be seen as cost effective. But with modern technology, you can now print a hundred books for way less than you’d think.

Whether packaged with a fundraising letter or provided upon an online form request initiated by an email message, digitally printed books have a long shelf life where they continue to remind their readers of the publisher’s story and value. 

Let’s Take a Look at Two Non-Profits where Digitally Printed Books Make a Difference

1. Regional Environmental Organization

The Sourland Conservancy, just mailed a book to their audience titled “Living in the Sourlands — A Stewardship Guide.” The book describes the sensitive environment where its audience lives and how they can personally be better stewards of the land around them. Accompanied by a letter from the president, a donation form, and a reply envelope, the book itself serves as the mailpiece. It generates a significant portion of the organization’s annual revenue.

2. National Organization That Connects Money with Local Food Producers

Since 2010, the Slow Money Institute has raised over $56 million for over 625 small food enterprises. Its work is entirely supported by individual donors who understand the mission as described in the organization’s flagship book: Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money, by founder Woody Tasch.

This book serves as the organization’s cornerstone. While it is available for purchase, annual copies are provided free for certain donation amounts. Donors can also download other Slow Money titles such as “State of the Sector Report — Investing in Small Food Enterprises, and State of the Soil. Slow Money Journal is mailed bi-annually to members. Clearly this organization realizes the power of print to inform its donors in book form prior to appealing to them for support.

How can other direct marketers take a page form these non-profit book publishers?

Here are just a few of many short-run book concepts for other industries:

  • Fitness: In addition to providing club members with YouTube instructional videos and email promotions, hand out booklets for them to log their exercise regimens. They can even be personalized by unique regimens tailored to each individual.
  • Financial: Provide booklets to customers that espouse your overall philosophy with roadmaps to retirement, college savings, or business ownership tailored to the type of specific groups you are serving.
  • Healthcare: Give booklets to family members and caregivers that help them know what to expect and how to provide assistance to their loved ones who have certain illnesses.

Short-run digitally-printed books can be customized on an individual basis or by persona groups. They can be printed any size, in full color, and with as many pages as it takes to cover the subject. Thinner books can be saddle-stitched while thicker books can be perfect bound. Because they are short-run, they can also be modified and customized on the fly without wasting batches sitting dormant in storage.

Hand someone a book and you’ve immediately won his or her appreciation. It then becomes the book’s job to instill willingness among readers to learn and give more.