Your challenge: Double your fundraising revenue, with no additional marketing budget and no additional resources. Sound familiar? Sound impossible?

Well, it can be easier than you think, by leveraging the latest print technology and some innovative Web-based tools.

In recent years, applications that leverage the power of digital print on-demand technology have sprung up all over the Web. These Web-to-print applications provide tools that take the expense out of producing customized marketing pieces. These tools can be used to dramatically lower the cost of developing and implementing fundraising programs. Customized jobs can be digitally printed at a low cost regardless of whether the job is for 10,000 pieces – or just one.

Web sites like shutterfly.com and snapfish.com, enable users to create personalized items from family photos. By allowing everyone to utilize and personalize the same basic template, the cost of creative design is removed. The same idea can be applied to premiums used for fundraising, such as calendars. Many nonprofits send calendars to their donors and prospects, not knowing if the calendar is ever appreciated or used, or simply discarded.

But, what if your donors could create their own personalized calendar, choose which of your organization’s photos they would most like to include, and specify personal dates such as birthdays and anniversaries to be printed on the calendar? The calendar would almost certainly become more valuable to them and they would most likely be willing to donate more.

A simple html link to your new calendar-building Web site in your organization’s electronic newsletter or e-mail update will help drive traffic to the site. (Be sure to add the "tell a friend" link too.)

What better way to reach thousands of warm prospects, raise more funds and grow your e-mail lists? Cross-promote your calendar in your direct mail solicitations and get the synergy of two direct response channels.

Tips to get you started:

1. Look for applications that cater to nonprofits. Be sure there are templates available that suit your needs in the areas of fundraising and direct mail.
2. Look for no-cost set-ups.
3. Look for applications that are "turnkey," with ready-made campaigns that practically run themselves.  
4. Test the online interface to be sure it is intuitive and easy for you and your donors to use.
5. Check that the application provides a way to grow your e-mail address list.
6. Look for reputable companies who have years of experience servicing needs of nonprofit organizations.
7. Ask about assistance to help with promoting your new fundraising campaigns. Some level of assistance may be included with your sign-up.

Benjamin Arnold, Director of Business Development, OpenPrint.org, a division of Mail Computer Service.