Fundraising Letters Best Practices

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Best Fundraising Letters Examples: How to Draft Effective Letters to Increase Donations

Nonprofit institutions work towards offering the necessary assistance to people who need it. They depend on charitable donations to keep running and helping others. Hence, they need to send a letter asking for donations to individuals and businesses now and then to raise funds for specific causes.  

Sometimes, you may feel that most people are not interested in donating anything to your institution. However, the truth is that UK citizens donated nearly £11.3 billion to charity in 2020. Almost 62% of people donated via cash and in-kind contributions or sponsorships. 

So, it is a myth that your letter requesting donations for nonprofit purposes will not work! All you need to do is take the first step, gather a targeted mailing list, and launch well-thought fundraising campaigns.

“Many people and companies are looking to donate right now. But, you need to help them find you.”

You can start by going through the best fundraising letter examples and getting an idea about the concept. They can help you craft powerful and effective letters you can send on behalf of your nonprofit to bring in more donations.

Let us discuss how to create an impactful charity fundraising letter template in this blog to give you a headstart. Furthermore, we will also talk about the different types of charity appeals and letters you may send for various reasons.

What Is a Fundraising letter and Why Is It Important?

Fundraising letters are handwritten or typed appeals sent to prospective donors asking them to contribute to your institution. It helps you discuss your financial needs and provide donors with ways to contribute.

You can send a fundraising letter alone to people or add your booklet to help them know about your work in detail. The purpose is to create emotional bonds with the community and highlight how your fundraising campaigns make a difference.

Also, they give you the chance to tell your story and get people hooked on specific missions or causes. Thus, you can connect with numerous people and ask them to volunteer for your nonprofit or donate something to help you achieve your objectives.

As said earlier, a letter asking for donations lets you create and maintain a unique brand image. And it boosts your visibility among your target audience, increasing donation levels. Remember, people are more likely to donate to charities they know of for a while.

• A fundraising letter helps organisations reach prospects and ask for cash, auction items, in-kind contributions, volunteer time, etc.
• It helps people know your financial needs and make a donation that suits them.
• Also, it lets them know about the campaigns you support. Thus, you may receive contributions to your causes in different forms from specific communities.
• Use direct mail automation solutions like PostGrid to save money and increase your campaign ROI.

9 Best Fundraising Letters Examples to Help Nonprofits Send Custom Charity Appeals

Every charitable institution needs to send a fundraising letter at some point. The basic format may remain the same, but the contents can vary considerably. This section helps you understand the differences between the letters to let you select and use the ones you need:

General Fundraising Letters

Nonprofits send letters asking for general donations throughout the year to help them operate daily and fulfil their goals. They constitute a standard letter requesting donations for nonprofit organisations to enable them to speak with donors personally.

Best practices to send standard fundraising letters:

• Do not draft a very lengthy fundraising letter. It is typically one page, but you can write up to a maximum of two pages. Remember that you don’t want to distract the reader with too much information and push them towards one prime goal.
• You can send these general letters at any time. Hence, ensure you don’t spam your prospects’ mailboxes by mailing too often. You can space the campaigns over several months to grab the audience’s attention but not annoy them.
• Always add the donors’ full names to your letter asking for donations to make them feel special. Furthermore, sign them to add a personal touch and display that you value and respect your donors.

Sponsorship Letters

Sponsorship request letters contain details about how the donor can benefit by contributing to your institution. These letters are typically for finding sponsors for particular fundraising events, like a marathon or gala.

Instead of pooling the money from their pockets, nonprofits send fundraising letters to potential sponsors. In return, the sponsors receive several incentives, like a website or directory listing, advertising space at the event, or their logos on the event merchandise.

Best practices to send sponsorship request letters:

• Send your sponsorship letter asking for donations from businesses months in advance. It gives you enough time to find sponsors and coordinate other things properly.
• Always address the decision-makers in your letters to make an impact. It helps you to personalise your fundraising letter and increases your chances of getting a response.
• Ask for a specific amount to give potential sponsors an idea of your event budget. Inform them if they would be the only sponsor or if you also plan to raise funds from other sources.
• Provide all the necessary specifics about the event you plan on hosting. Don’t forget to add the time, date, venue, and type of attendees to the fundraising letter.

Volunteer Time Request Letters

These letters help you gather supporters to assist you during your charity campaigns. For example, imagine you want to host a fun run. Now, you need a group of volunteers who can help you run the event successfully.

Some of the best fundraising letters examples are for volunteer time appeals because it helps nonprofits not spend on human resources!

Ensure that your fundraising letter focuses on the work you expect volunteers to do, like helping in food drives, collecting funds, preparing posters, etc. Also, let them know how their effort can positively impact the communities you support.

Best practices to send volunteer request letters:

• Start with a compelling hook to make recipients read your entire letter. Let them know that this is not a letter asking for donations. Instead, you want their support to help you serve society better.
• Add your contact information to a visible spot in the letter. It helps readers connect with you effortlessly to get more details or sign up as a volunteer.
• Thank them in advance to motivate them to join you and create goodwill. Also, appreciate the effort of the people who had already volunteered for your organisation in the past.

Corporate Donation Letters

A letter asking for donations from businesses is similar to a sponsorship letter. But, in this case, you don’t offer anything in exchange for their contribution. Also, you don’t need to tie the contributions to a specific event.

Many companies give charity annually as part of their corporate social responsibility. You can find a list of such companies and get in touch using a personal and well-curated fundraising letter.

However, you cannot ask a company to make an extensive contribution directly. You may need to send a couple of letters and conduct multi-channel marketing campaigns to get them on board.

Best practices to send a corporate letter asking for donations from businesses:

• Try to fix an in-person meeting with a decision-maker or representative of the company. It enables you to introduce yourself, create trustworthy relationships, and spell out your institution’s monetary needs.
• Be specific about how much money you need and its purpose in your fundraising letter. Refrain from making vague requests to show that you have prepared for the project and have a solid plan to make it work.
• Thank them for any previous contributions they have made to your organisation.

Auction Items Request Letter

If you want to host an online, live, or silent auction to raise money, you need unique and valuable items for people to bid on. Naturally, you need donors willing to contribute biddable objects for your auction. Thus, you need to conduct a fundraising letter campaign to spread the word and help you find enough donors.

Remember to print and mail letters months in advance so that people have the time to fulfil your request. Be clear regarding the items you are looking for to avoid getting unwanted objects that are of no use.

Best practices to send a letter asking for donations in the form of auction items:

• Include details about your previous auction and inform donors how much money you raised from it. It makes the donors feel good and confident that your auction can help several people. Also, don’t forget to discuss why you want to conduct another auction.
• Your fundraising letter should have a tear-off sheet that lets donors fill out their contact details and the type of item they can donate. Alternatively, you may also include a separate form they can mail back to you using the Business Reply Mail envelope you sent with the letter.
• Invite the donors to your charity auction to showcase your respect and appreciation for them. Let them know the event date, venue, and time, and ask them to join you.

Church Fundraising Letter

Churches are also nonprofit organisations that rely on the support of their community members. A church fundraising letter can be of several types, depending on its purpose:

• Trip funding
• Church building
• Sponsorship requests
• Event hosting
• General donations
• Missionary support, etc.

Send your letters to your congregation members because they would want to help out. Also, try using these appeals to get the best out of your existing relationships with your members.

Best practices to send a letter requesting donations for nonprofit churches:

• Talk about your congregation’s vision and purpose at the beginning of your letter. Also, express your gratitude for the ongoing support of the community to keep the church functioning smoothly.
• Some people already make generous donations after the Sunday mass. Prevent sending the fundraising letter to such people and focus on the others.
• Spread out your campaigns between different groups of congregants. For example, you may mail letters to people above 60 years for Christmas-related donations. And reach out to the millennial group for church-building contributions and other purposes. Thus, you don’t run the risk of spamming people and tarnishing your image.

Matching Gifts Fundraising Letter

Matching gifts is a corporate philanthropy program where employers donate the same amount as their employees to a nonprofit firm. However, employees often fail to submit a request to their employers to match their donations.

Using a fundraising letter reminds employees to submit the paperwork to their human resources departments. It is an excellent way to double the donations you receive effortlessly.

Best practices to send matching gift letters:

• Try sending these letters to your donors immediately after they contribute. The donation would be still fresh in their minds, and it is the right time to submit a matching gift request to the employer.
• Guide the donors on how to check eligibility in your fundraising letter. Make the process as simple as possible for them.
• Use an accurate matching gift database to determine which donors are eligible, helping you mail to the correct audience.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Letters

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an effective way to collect funds from individuals and companies indirectly. It refers to your supporters creating their fundraising pages online and soliciting gifts through their connections.

Consider offering them a few fundraising templates for donations and assisting them in collecting more money. Then, they can add the campaign-specific details to these templates and post them online. Similarly, they can send the fundraising letter via email and text to their family, friends, and colleagues to ask them to donate.

Best practices to mail a peer-to-peer fundraising letter:

• Find influencers with large networks willing to sign up for your campaign as a supporter. Guide them throughout the process to help them make a strong appeal to their followers and drive donations.
• Provide them with a proper link they can post on their social media handles. Also, let them put up your mailing address for people who want to send you a cheque.

School Fundraising Letter

Schools also need donations for a wide range of activities, whether planning a year-end event, buying supplies, or renovating the school building. Their target audience consists of their students’ parents and alumni. You can pull the potential donor’s heartstrings in your letter asking for donations by mentioning the future of all your students.

Explain how their contributions can help young students grow up and become responsible leaders. Also, give them an idea of how much money you want to raise through this campaign.

Best practices to send a school fundraising letter requesting donations for nonprofit reasons:

• Give readers multiple options to help you because not everyone can afford to make a monetary contribution. Some people might want to volunteer or help you raise funds from other sources.
• Tailor your letters to suit the concerns and preferences of the recipients to get more attention and engagement. Luckily, direct mail services like PostGrid allow you to customise your fundraising letter with variable data without extra effort.

What Are the Elements of a Result-Bearing Fundraising Letter?

Nonprofits should add some standard elements to their charity appeals to make them appealing. But, they cannot settle with the basics alone! Their letters must be thoughtful and persuasive. Below, we have mentioned how to write a donation request letter the right way:

Salutation

Avoid addressing your readers with a generic salutation, like ‘Dear Support’ or ‘Dear Donor.’

Use the person’s preferred name and personalise your opening. It pushes people to read your letter further and take action. You can use a formal or informal salutation, depending on your relationship with the reader.

Introduction

Make your introductory paragraph highly customised to show readers that it is not a random fundraising letter. Suppose you want to mail to a past donor. In such cases, inform them how their previous contribution was helpful to your organisation. Thank them and express your gratitude as you begin to share further details.

Acknowledge the person’s participation in specific activities if you want to mail it to a congregant member. Also, discuss how you use the donations to allow the church to function smoothly. Try making the introduction of your fundraising letter personal and engaging.

Explain the Cause

Always mention your cause in the second paragraph. You can include the amount you want to raise and discuss how you will put that money to use. Furthermore, you may talk about your previous missions and projects to highlight your organisation as a trustworthy one.

You can mention the enclosures in this paragraph if you have attached a booklet or pamphlet to your letter asking for donations.

Make a Request

Make a specific request, like “A small contribution of $100 can bring us a step closer to our goal.’ Or you can give donors numerous options and let them select according to their affordability. For instance, your fundraising letter can say:

• $5 can feed one child today
• $10 can feed two children
• $20 can feed five children, and so on

Call to Action

Remember to include an upfront call to action that tells readers what to do next. Give them multiple payment options, like donating online, sending a cheque, etc.

At PostGrid, we hear clients say that they find it hard to track their campaign results. They are concerned that they won’t find out if their fundraising letter resulted in a specific donation. Well, here’s what mailers can do:

• Add a customised CTA to their letter requesting donations for nonprofit campaigns
• Have a robust tracking mechanism to record the responses

PostGrid helps its clients add QR codes, personalised URLs, and custom contact numbers to their mailers to track results painlessly. Thus, they can now tie every donation to a specific campaign and calculate their ROI precisely.

Add Your Contact Details

It is crucial to have a contact information section in your letter. Print your letter asking for donations from businesses and individuals on your organisation’s letterhead. Also, ensure that your letterhead has your brand logo, contact number, email address, mailing address, and website link.

Thank the Reader and Sign the Letter

In your closing line, thank the reader for their time and donation in advance. It creates a sense of belonging and responsibility in the readers’ minds, pushing them to donate.

Then, add your signature at the end to show that this fundraising letter is from a genuine person. It is always better to have a leader from your organisation write a letter as a representative to create 1:1 relationships.

Include a Postscript

A postscript line helps you reinstate your message and CTA in a few words. Many people skip the letter asking for donations to read this line first. Hence, ensure to make it interactive and meaningful.

Here’s a charity fundraising letter template you can use for reference:

[Full name]

[Your organisation’s mailing address]

[Mailing date]

To,

[Recipient’s full name]

[Their mailing address]

[Salutation]

We at [your organisation name] are writing this letter to inform you of our upcoming charity initiative for [your cause]. Our mission is to always [insert your organisation’s primary purpose], and we would like to ask for your help again.

We want to raise [insert the total amount you want to raise] for [insert the name of your project (if any)]. You can check our website or find the attached pamphlet with this fundraising letter to know us more deeply. It will also help you see how your contributions have been helping people for the past [the number of years since your organisation’s establishment].

With a small donation of [donation amount you want from the reader], you can help [state your cause].

You can donate using this link [your online fundraising page link] or send us a cheque at the return address on the letterhead. Feel free to contact us for further questions, concerns, or clarifications.

I am thanking you in advance for your support.

[Signature]
[The postscript of your letter asking for donations]

Sample Donation Request Letter for Nonprofit Organisations

Here’s a sample fundraising letter you can use for mailing your charity appeals to potential donors:

MILLIE POLLARD

48 WESTWOOD ROAD

SOUTHAMPTON

SO53 5PD

Date: 20th July 2022.

To,

NOAH HOLLAND

20G BAKER STREET

LONDON

SW1H 9NP

Dear Mr Noah,

We at ‘Save the Disabled’ organisation have been working to help the needy for the past 20 years. Along the way, we were lucky enough to meet hundreds of volunteers and donors to help us, and we know you are one of them! We want to thank you on behalf of our team and all the people we support.

Today, we are writing this letter asking for donations for our upcoming drive. This project would empower us to help nearly a hundred people suffering from neurological and physical diseases. Our primary objective is to fulfil their basic needs and create a good life for these people.

The drive is at 7 Parker Street in London on 10th August, from 11 AM to 5 PM. You can join us there or donate now using the QR code below. Alternatively, you can pay on our website or send a cheque to the address mentioned in this fundraising letter.

Please feel free to reach out if you want any more information or have any queries. We would be happy to answer your questions.

Thanks in advance for your previous donations and ongoing support throughout the years!

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]

PS- We hope to change a hundred lives for the better with this drive. Click the link below to get more details about our initiative.

How Should You Send a Fundraising Letter and When?

There are many options to send your letter asking for donations to your target audience. You may use direct mail, social media, email, and other channels to reach potential donors. Let us first consider direct mail:

• Direct mail can produce a response rate of up to 9%
• 92% of people who receive direct mail engage with the mailer online
• UK customers engage with 96% of all offline mail items they receive

On the contrary, the open and response rate for email marketing has been on a decline. Users have abandoned 57% of all email addresses after receiving too many marketing emails.

Hence, sending your letter requesting donations for nonprofit institutions via direct mail is advisable. The best time to send these letters is during pre-tax periods when most people and companies donate willingly. Also, you can conduct charity campaigns throughout November and December because these months see the highest number of donations every year.

However, you may send a general or campaign-specific fundraising letter to your intended audience all year round. Just ensure that you use a segmented mailing list.

You can use PostGrid’s print and mail API to plan and flexibly launch your campaigns. It helps you place orders for any number of letters you want anywhere within minutes. With our 2-business day SLA, we can ensure they are ready to mail quickly and efficiently.

Best Tips to Send a Letter Asking for Donations From Businesses and Individuals

You can use the following tips to write a successful fundraising letter and garner more support for your campaigns:

Make an Emotional Appeal

Unlike business marketing letters, your charity appeal should be emotional. Try to drive donations with a heart-touching storyline talking about your accomplishments so far. You can include links to videos showcasing your work in the community. Or you may add some real-life stories of how you helped others.

Categorise Your Audience

You must segment your mailing lists before sending a fundraising letter to your audience. Mailing the same letter to every person in your database kills the purpose of your campaign. Therefore, try to categorise your potential donors according to their:

• Donation history
• Demographics
• Location
• Preferences, etc.

Younger donors contribute more to nonprofits supporting mental and physical healthcare than the older population. Also, women are more likely to donate to animal welfare, children’s help, and art-based organisations than men. Hence, statistics prove that you need to target the correct audience to see better results for your fundraising letter campaign.

Add Relevant Visuals and Extra Materials

Adding images to your letter asking for donations to depict your work is always a good idea. They make your appeals more interactive and trustworthy. Or you can send postcards and flyers containing relevant imagery if you don’t want to insert them into your letter.

Direct Readers to Your Website

Most recipients would want to donate online right after reading your fundraising letter. So, remember to direct them to your online fundraising page where they can contribute in only a few steps.

You may also include social media links to help people know your organisation better and follow you. This practice can boost your online traffic and bring in more contributions.

Avoid Jargon and Be More Conversational

Please refrain from using internal jargon that can confuse the readers because it can ruin even the best fundraising letters examples. Instead, speak to them personally as if you are having a face-to-face conversation.

Track Your Data

Tracking the responses of your fundraising letter campaigns helps you understand your audience well. It also lets you plan your upcoming campaigns with more knowledge about your key demographics.

Automate Your Mailing Activities

Employing a direct mail API like PostGrid to automate your mailing tasks can help you send a fundraising letter to donors at 75% cheaper rates. Thus, you can save more money for your cause and spend less on printing and logistics.

Also, you can eliminate manual labour, which requires more people and time. Our solutions allow you to mail across the country via Royal Mail conveniently and speedily.

More About PostGrid’s Direct Mail Solutions to Help Nonprofits and Faith-Based Organisations

PostGrid offers a wide range of features to help you create, print, and ship a letter asking for donations to your audience. Our clients send thousands of letters and other mail items monthly via PostGrid. Also, they have several choices to deploy PostGrid for their print and mail activities:

• API: Nonprofits can integrate our direct mail API into their CRM to send letters directly from their system. The API lets them fetch donors’ data in seconds to personalise letters.
• Dashboard: Alternatively, charitable organisations can sign up for a PostGrid account and start mailing their fundraising letter through our dashboard instantly.
• Automation software: There is also a third option, which is installing our automation software on your device. You can use our software to:
  • Trigger campaigns
  • Upload and save contacts
  • Create templates
  • Verify addresses in bulk, etc.

Recently, we met the Chief of a reputed charitable organisation to discuss our membership plans. They had a lot of queries, like:

• What is the maximum mailing limit?
• How much does every fundraising letter cost?
• How to check the campaign results?

Our representative had a lively conversation with them, clearing all their doubts one after the other. First, there is no minimum or maximum mailing caps at PostGrid. You can send your letter asking for donations in any volume you see fit. We can always help you switch to different plans if your requirements grow.

If you aren’t sure yet, you can start with our Starter plan at only $0—which allows you to mail up to 500 letters. And you can check your limit, send a fundraising letter to prospects, and access campaign reports by navigating your dashboard.

Our customer support team is available 24 x 7 to assist you if you have any concerns about our API integration or other topics.

After the conversation, the client went for our Growth plan because they wanted to send around 4,000 to 4,500 letters monthly. Today, they get a response ratio of 6% to 8%, helping them start several new initiatives throughout the country.

Are you also ready to print and mail a fundraising letter to potential donors according to your requirements? Request a demo now, and we will solve your queries and help you conduct cost-effective campaigns!

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Commercial Printing Companies

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Top 8 Commercial Printing Companies in the UK to Ease Your Print Activities

The print industry in the UK seems to grow every year because of its latest innovations and developments. We can credit the rise in global trade for pushing the demand for printed products, like documents, marketing letters, banners, exhibition materials, etc.

Other possible reasons for the high demand for print items and commercial printing companies are:

• Increasing competition in every sector
• Rising customer expectations and the need to offer customer-centric services
• The need to create more impactful marketing strategies across various offline and online channels, etc.

In 2021, the estimated value of the print industry was £9.1 billion. More businesses are opting to use the services of commercial printing companies UK to boost quality and deduct costs. Also, such solutions allow businesses to expand their reach and connect with more prospects.

All commercial printing companies have different features and costs. You should select the right vendor depending on your requirements and budget. Furthermore, try choosing a company that provides innumerable customisation options and high-tech features.

In this article, you will learn what is a commercial printing company and how to select the best one. We will also discuss why it is high time to outsource your print activities to ensure efficiency and scalability!

What Is a Commercial Printing Company?

First, let’s talk about commercial printing, a popular term among all businesses from every sector. It means printing items for companies for various purposes, like retail, marketing, compliance, etc.

There might be copy and print shops around you. But, they only print in limited quantities and do not offer specialisation. However, commercial printers provide bulk printing services and variable data printing. Also, they can help you with anything, from lithography and digital to large-format printing.

Some commercial printing companies like PostGrid also offer other features, like API integration and mail fulfilment. But, every industry has different printing requirements, and here are a few examples:

A real estate agent may need the following items

• Open house boards
• Marketing flyers
• Home inspection reports
• Purchase agreements and renewals, etc.

On the contrary, a financial services business may employ commercial printing companies to print these materials:

• Customer relationship letters
• Brochures and leaflets
• Onboarding letters for new clients
• Terms and conditions sheets, etc.

Reasons You Must Use the Services of Commercial Printing Companies UK

Using commercial solutions for printing your marketing and transactional items is a need. They help you grow your business and compete with other companies effectively.

So, if you are still thinking about whether you need to look for a ‘commercial printer near me,’ here are the factors why you must:

Make an Excellent First Impression

When you send an item to a potential customer, it represents your brand. Hence, there is a lot of pressure on a small postcard or a marketing letter to create a fantastic first impression. But, you can do it right by sending top-notch quality materials with vibrant colours and sharp graphics.

Customers perceive your brand as good or bad based on how well your mail items look. Therefore, it is a must to outsource your print tasks to commercial printing companies that have the necessary equipment to get the job done right.

Use Scalable Solutions

Scalability is a crucial factor you must look for in large commercial printers. You cannot know how many materials you may need for specific campaigns. Hence, select a well-equipped vendor that provides high-quality prints with super-fast delivery.

Luckily, many commercial printing companies UK like PostGrid are scalable. For example, our direct mail API can handle millions of requests simultaneously. It has no maximum limits, and you can print any number of items at any time.

Cut Expenses and Save Time

Often, it is hard to print more than a few items in-house. You need a dedicated office space to install state-of-the-art printers that can print all types of materials conveniently. Also, you require extra human resources and more time for the same. Using the solutions by commercial printer companies helps you avoid heavy investments like these and print more flexibly.

But imagine that you need large standees for an upcoming trade event. After all, UK exhibitions attract over 13 million attendees annually, and 20% of these visitors are from international locations. If you participate in such trade events, you need standees, banners, advertising postcards, invitations, handouts, etc.

Luckily, commercial printer companies like PostGrid offer impeccable printing solutions to help you print materials to spread the word about your participation and increase booth footfall. Also, you can do all that at industry-best pricing because PostGrid offers the most affordable rates across the country.

Get Numerous Customisation Options

Customisation is another significant reason you search for ‘commercial printing near me.’ PostGrid’s direct mail services enable you to customise your items any way you want. You may select one of our pre-built templates and design your materials within minutes. It gives you enough freedom to experiment with different layouts, insert your brand logo, add elements, etc.

8 Commercial Printing Companies UK to Help You With Your Print Requirements

Now that you know why you need commercial printing for your regular operations, here is a list of seven vendors you can choose from:

PostGrid

PostGrid is one of the top commercial printing companies with several branches spread globally. It offers print and mail fulfilment for your advertising and transactional items.

PostGrid provides commercial printing to numerous sectors, including:

• Insurance
• Retail and eCommerce
• Nonprofits
• Banks and financial services
• Healthcare
• Real estate.
• Education, etc.

The best part is that you can integrate PostGrid’s direct mail API into your system. Thus, you can place orders for printing and shipping items from your CRM, allowing your staff to work more efficiently.

It is also among the few commercial printers that assist you in everything from design to mail tracking. Hence, you can cut costs by paying all-inclusive rates and maximise ROI by sending the best quality materials.

Here are some more features of our all-in-one commercial print shop:

• Zapier integration: PostGrid helps you integrate with over 1600 apps using the Zapier integration. It is one of the most effective ways to reach more prospects and expand your customer base.
• A vast network of printers: PostGrid’s extensive range of commercial printing companies helps you print attention-grabbing and memorable materials. Also, it lets you customise your orders and incorporate variable data printing painlessly.
• Address verification: Our commercial print shop also provides direct mailing services. Moreover, it ensures that your mail items reach their correct destinations. Therefore, PostGrid offers free address verification on all print and mail orders to help you prevent lost pieces and returns.
• Mail tracking: You may track your mail items in real-time by navigating your PostGrid dashboard. Thus, you can save the effort of entering tracking numbers on the Royal Mail website and waiting for an update.
• Campaign monitoring: One of the crucial factors you must look for in commercial printing companies UK is whether you can check your analytics. PostGrid allows you to access the campaign reports and insights, helping you know your ROI and plan future programs.

One of our clients expressed their concerns and objections to our sales representatives during our regular coffee meetings. They said they want to send thousands of documents monthly to national and international destinations. Unfortunately, not all commercial printing companies UK offer highly-flexible plans to help businesses send their items anywhere they want.

We solved their issues within a few minutes. We started by explaining how PostGrid supports international printing and mailing to 245+ countries. Also, our solutions are scalable and can accommodate their ever-growing needs, enabling them to ship in bulk with the same efficiency.

Our representative also helped them integrate our API into their CRM, from where they can draft, print, and ship their documents in just a few steps. PostGrid supports several popular integrations, like Salesforce, Hubspot, Quickbooks, Marketo, etc.

Trade Printing

Trade Printing is best known for the printing of several types of materials, including:

• Calenders
• Notepads and notebooks
• Church envelopes
• Luxury business cards
• NCR books and pads
• Timesheets
• Prospectuses
• Labels and stickers, etc.

It is among the best commercial printing companies UK for business stationery and branded materials. Moreover, they offer free delivery of your items across the UK and Ireland.

Apart from fast turnaround times, it also provides you with Adobe templates. They have different rates for all products, ranging from £20 to £100.

Metro Commercial Printing Ltd

Metro is a big name in the design field, from website design to digital artwork. However, it is also in the commercial printing business for a long time, offering:

• Litho printing
• Branded workwear printing
• Large-format printing
• Digital printing, etc.

Metro commercial printing is based in Watford, but it delivers to all locations in the UK on time.

City Printing

City Printing is also among the best commercial printing companies and specialises in large-format print materials, like PVC and pull-up banners. It also provides printing services for marketing, booklet, and business stationery materials. Its prime features include environment-friendly printing and a wide range of collaterals.

If you need items with intricate finishing, you can opt for City Printing digital commercial printer because it provides:

• Saddle Stitching
• Squarebacking
• Wiro Binding
• Laminating
• Traditional Foiling
• Digital Foiling
• Die Cutting
• Duplexing
• Perforating
• Embossing
• Drilling
• Handwork
• Padding, etc.

Also, City Printing takes pride in working with solicitors, financial offices, charities, local companies, university students, and event planners. Their target audience includes businesses and individuals looking for fancy and appealing prints. Hence, it is among the go-to commercial printers, primarily for fundraising events, parties, weddings, etc.

O’Sullivan Printing

This commercial print shop is situated in Southall, West London, and offers innovative printing to small and medium-sized businesses. It can help you with orders of all sizes and types. Their list of printing services includes:

• Menus
• Magazines
• Catalogues
• Brochures
• Business cards
• Leaflet printing, etc.

O’Sullivan Printing’s commercial printers use the latest PC and Mac technology for pre-press and post-press processes. It allows you to put your vision on paper and conduct effective advertising among your intended audience.

Auto Commercial Printers

Auto Printers allow you to print your files in high resolution in a short period. You can send them your artwork via email or create your artwork using their online tool.

They are one of those commercial printing companies UK that provide individuals and businesses with print services for:

• Promotional clothing
• Stationery and cards
• Flyers and leaflets
• Display and exhibitions
• Presentation folders
• Brochures and booklets
• Greeting cards, etc.

Auto Printers have very affordable rates and can help you print items in any quantity.

Nettl of Glasgow

Nettl has a digital production centre in Glasgow city for short-run and quick print jobs. And it has a litho production facility out of town for large-scale production, making it one of the most specialised commercial printing companies.

It offers a wide range of printing services, from signage to small-sized items like flyers and cards. Nettl claims to print on any surface you want; it doesn’t matter if you need a print on aluminium panels or huge cut-out cardboard.

However, this commercial print shop does not offer mail fulfilment services. Thus, ensure to dictate your needs in advance before making a decision.

Dornans

Dornans provides bespoke commercial printing services out of Oldham. It is best known for printing materials for the education and hospitality sectors. But it also tends to several other fields, like medicinal and construction.

Also, it differentiates itself from other commercial printing companies with its customer-centric approach. Dornans employ the latest technology to mix their expertise with innovation and produce eye-catching print items.

Moreover, you can print all kinds of advertising pieces, like display stands, branded notebooks, magazines, etc. It also allows you to produce and mail your items directly to customers if you need them.

You should know that not all commercial printing companies UK provide mailing fulfilment. Hence, if you are looking for door drops and other direct mail solutions, try using PostGrid’s direct mail API. It also lets you fetch data from your system and auto-fill information to print personalised items.

Therefore, consider your needs in-depth before you select the best commercial print shop for your daily operations. Also, consider the costs carefully because some companies might ask you to sign long-term contracts. Fortunately, PostGrid has several membership plans you can choose from without any commitments.

Conclusion

Most companies employ commercial printing companies to save money and refrain from investing in print equipment. However, these vendors offer many more advantages like various types of printing, customisation, and finishing.

We hope this piece helps you choose the top commercial printing companies UK to outsource your print activities for various occasions and purposes. Some of them, like PostGrid, enable you to get everything done online, increasing efficiency. Furthermore, PostGrid offers a 2-business day SLA to allow you to process orders almost immediately.

Our professionally-built design templates and API integration help customers conduct on-demand and bulk printing.

Want to know more about how commercial printing companies like PostGrid can transform your print works? Request a demo now!

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Hospital Communication Management

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Hospital Communication Management: How and Why Is Communication Important in Hospitals?

It is a well-known fact that effective communication helps businesses grow and strengthen customer relationships. The same applies to the healthcare industry as patients become more sceptical about choosing the correct physician.

Selecting a healthcare provider is a very personal chore for almost everyone. Patients want to go to a doctor that is supportive and helpful. And with increasing competition, it is a necessity that providers offer top-notch quality communication in hospitals while treating patients.

Also, they need to ensure effective communication between healthcare professionals during the data transmission from one provider to another.

• Patients must feel comfortable talking about their health to get the correct treatment.
• Doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and everyone else involved in offering healthcare services should do their best to create a safe environment for patients.
• They should understand the importance of hospital communication in ensuring patient safety and decreasing clinical errors.
• Providers should consider using automated solutions for most of their tasks and make time to focus on personal correspondence with patients and third parties.
• Overall efficiency comes from the coordination of the entire hospital staff. There should be clear guidelines about what to and what not to do.

This blog elaborates on the importance of communication in healthcare to enable you to implement effective strategies successfully. Also, we will discuss the barriers that providers might encounter while communicating with patients.

Why is Communication Important in Hospitals?

Effective communication between patients and healthcare professionals includes the exchange of medical data. It might also consist of conversing with the patient’s family, friends, and caretakers.

The primary purpose of communication in the hospital should be making the conversation two-way. The patient provides crucial details about their health history and current symptoms. And you make a diagnosis and create a care plan to treat them.

Proper correspondence with the patients and their caretakers allows you to provide better treatment and improve your brand image. Also, it boosts publicity and awareness among other people, which affects your patient acquisition rates massively.

Along with setting yourself apart from your competitors, it helps you stay away from legal trouble. In 2020-21, there were 12,629 malpractice claims against the NHS, proving that this figure is rising. Therefore, it is now more significant to focus on strategies for communication between patient and health professional.

Elements of Effective Communication in Hospital

Providers must master numerous aspects of hospital communication to function efficiently on a day-to-day basis, and they are:

Patient Safety

There are thousands of patient deaths every year because of medical negligence. Some patients also suffer temporary and permanent health damage because of it. Hence, providers are trying to do their best to prioritise their patients’ healthcare and enhance communication in hospital.

Diagnostic Decisions

The doctor’s diagnosis depends on the patient’s input about their symptoms. Thus, patients need to share the exact details to help their providers to improve diagnostic accuracy. Unfortunately, it is not what happens in most healthcare settings.

The communication between patient and healthcare professional is incomplete because of the patient’s hesitation to discuss their condition. Providers must work through it and make an accurate diagnosis before prescribing a care plan.

Adherence

A survey shows that one in five patients does not take all the medicines their doctor prescribed. 62% of people between 18 and 24 believe that call or text reminders can help them adhere to their prescription. Yet, it is shocking how many patients are willing to discontinue their healthcare plan abruptly, and one of the prime reasons is ineffective communication in hospital.

Lack of understanding between the doctor and patients leads to confusion and misinterpretation. Most patients throw their medicines away because they believe they don’t need them anymore. Other reasons they don’t adhere to their physician’s advice are:

• Cost concerns
• Disagreement between the patient and provider
• Side effects
• Hard-to-follow instructions, etc.

But, providers can improve such situations by understanding the importance of communication in healthcare. You can start by being transparent about your decisions and explaining them to the patients in a friendly way.

Patient Satisfaction, Acquisition, and Retention

The level of satisfaction your patients experience from your services depends on several things, including:

• Time spent for communication between patient and health professional.
• Decision-making
• Fulfilling patient expectations
• Clinical team
• Dignity, etc.

Hence, include these factors in your plans for improving communication in hospital. Try to give your patients a few options regarding the medication and overall treatment. Also, ask them their preferences so they can follow the prescription comfortably.

Remember that satisfied patients likely refer you to their friends and family. Thus, ensure that you offer continued services to patients and treat them well. These practices also help you spread the word about your services and get more patients to walk through your doors.

Collaborating With Different Teams

Lab technicians, nurses, doctors, and hospital staff need to be in constant touch to smoothen communication in hospital. It involves entering the correct details into shared databases, transmitting patient files, following up with colleagues on patients’ health plans, etc.

These interhospital strategies help providers understand why is communication important in hospitals and implement it properly.

Staff Satisfaction

Apart from your patients, try taking care of your staff’s needs and expectations. Most of your team members directly work in your patients’ care team. Thus, they need to be on the same page as you and prioritise the health of all your patients.

Intrahospital Vs. Interhospital Communication

You may need to draft different sets of correspondence programs and policies once you understand the importance of hospital communication. There are two broad categories you should take care of, and they are:

Interhospital Communication

This type of correspondence occurs between two or more healthcare organisations or sites. It includes transmissions of patient data between different hospitals or facilities of the same healthcare group. Also, it could mean sending files to a completely different organisation.

Transporting the required medical equipment, sharing test reports, and moving patients to different facilities all come under interhospital communication. It covers many more aspects than effective communication between patients and health professionals. Try laying down solid guidelines regarding how you manage patient data internally and which staff members get access to it.

But, it is hard to maintain effective internal communication in hospital and save the healthcare industry from losses worth billions of dollars. Inadequate communication can spike costs by creating the need for a second opinion or duplicate tests, which may not be necessary.

Intrahospital Communication

There might be some communication in hospital problems if your personnel don’t follow the prescribed rules and regulations. Hence, make a robust strategy to handle intrahospital communication within your organisation. It comprises several activities and events, like:

• Scheduling surgeries
• Setting up appointments
• Assigning and conducting tests
• Coordinating ward or room changes
• Sending appointment reminders to doctors to patients
• Entering precise patient data into the hospital’s CRM, etc.

Poor intrahospital communication can lead to severe complications, like record breaks, delays in offering the correct treatment to patients, and improper procedural coordination. Thus, providers should discuss the importance of communication in healthcare with every team member, irrespective of whether or not they are directly involved.

Barriers to Proper Communication Between Patient and Healthcare Professional

Before you get into solving the issues of communication in hospital, let us get to the obstructions you may have been facing along the way. Understanding the root cause can help you develop better formulas to overcome the challenges and have healthy patient-provider relationships.

Patient Distrust

It is hard for patients to trust you, primarily if they visit you for the first time. They might not feel comfortable disclosing details about their private life that might be vital for the diagnosis. Often, patients having sexual issues or suffering from alcohol abuse hesitate to reveal their symptoms, hampering patient-provider communication in hospital.

The most common reasons that patients withhold crucial medical data are:

• They feel that the physician won’t understand or help them
• They get intimidated by the healthcare provider because of ineffective communication in the hospital
• They are under psychological or physical trauma
• They feel that the provider isn’t paying attention to them
• They don’t want to sound vulnerable
• They feel disrespected by the medical staff

It is surprising how many people drop the idea of visiting a doctor for such reasons. Thus, the first issue that healthcare providers must address while enhancing the importance of hospital communication is addressing patient discomfort.

Language Barriers

Anything that prevents a patient from understanding what you are speaking is a barrier to effective communication in hospital. And language issues can top this list!

If a patient does not speak English, try to enquire if someone is accompanying them that knows the language. Otherwise, it is impossible to converse with the patient and treat them.

Giving Less Time to Every Patient

We understand how it is hard for physicians to give adequate time to every patient to facilitate communication in hospital. However, there are many disadvantages of rushing from one appointment to another. Your patients might think you are distracted and advise against people visiting you. They might change their provider after the first consultation if they feel you aren’t offering them the help they need.

Also, your patients might not get enough time to share all the details and help you diagnose their condition accurately, risking clinical errors. Thus, try to uphold the importance of hospital communication by listening to every patient closely.

Mismanaged Healthcare Data

As the demand for healthcare services increases, hospitals hire more people from time to time. It means that the number of staff members who can access patient files also increases. Therefore, there are higher chances of a data breach or mismanagement of patient files.

Try limiting access to crucial databases to only a patient’s care team. It allows you to keep patient information confidential and private, helping you enhance your communication in hospital programs.

Tips and Techniques to Improve Communication in Hospital

Despite facing several challenges while interacting with patients, healthcare providers can still do well. Below, we have mentioned some simple strategies to make patients comfortable and show them how much you care about the importance of hospital communication:

When First Engaging With Patients

The first communication between patients and healthcare professionals can make a broad difference in acquisition and retention rates. Therefore, channel most of your strategies toward winning your patients’ trust during the first interaction:

• Introduce yourself: Most physicians come in and start interviewing the patient. However, it is not the right way to start a conversation with patients for the first time. Thus, introduce yourself by your name and designation as the first step towards enhancing communication in hospital.
• Sit down: Avoid pacing around your office while listening to a patient’s health condition because it can obstruct your communication in hospital. It makes you look aloof and causes them to withhold some of their concerns. Thus, try being at the same level as them by sitting down and having a decent conversation.
• Be polite: If your patients are elderly, offer them a glass of water. It is a simple act that leaves a lasting impression on everyone. Try being polite to every patient and prevent judging them for anything. Instead, make them feel confident they can recover by following your prescription. It is one of the best examples of effective communication in healthcare.
• Hire interpreters: Providers that get patients speaking other languages should hire culturally-competent staff. It is one of the basic steps to undertake if you want to work on your communication in hospital. Interpreters help you tend to the needs of all your patients equally.
• Enquiring about the patient’s preferences: Do not assume that the patients want to share every detail about their healthcare with their family members. Some might want to handle everything themselves and not involve a third person. Thus, enquire about these things beforehand while prioritising the importance of communication in healthcare.
• Ask questions: Your patients might be unaware of what information is relevant to their diagnosis and what isn’t. Thus, try asking open-ended questions to get them to speak. It also helps you form personal bonds with your patients because these questions create an impression that you care about them.
• Show empathy: Empathy is a crucial factor you should consider incorporating to increase the quality of communication in hospital. Validate your patient’s feelings and assure them that everything will be alright. It sounds basic, but the fast-paced nature of healthcare services restricts physicians from showing kindness.
• Discuss goals: Always discuss the goals of a specific care plan with your patients to add value to the communication between patients and healthcare professionals. Tell them about the duration of their treatment and what they should expect along the way.
• Be open about costs: Talk to people about the treatment costs and how much their insurance can cover. Offer to provide discounted services if possible and redirect them to other institutions if they cannot afford them.
• Send thank-you letters: You can use direct mail for several purposes, from sending thank-you letters to existing patients to distributing marketing postcards. Try using PostGrid’s direct mail services to automate offline mailing and save time.

When Transferring Patient Care to Another Professional

Hospitals, clinics, dental offices, etc., should work towards effective communication between healthcare professionals. It is necessary during the times they need to transmit data to other organisations for a patient’s further treatment.

For instance, suppose a patient needs a neurologist, and your hospital does not have one. In that case, you would transfer them to a different hospital with a specialist who can treat them. Thus, always be prepared to conduct intra-organisational communication in hospital.

• Request patients before you transfer their files elsewhere. Ask them if they have some other specialist they would instead like to visit.
• Discuss the patient’s wellbeing with their carers if the patient is comfortable with the same. It allows you to improve your brand reputation and increase the quality of your communication in healthcare.
• Explain to the patient why they need a transition of care and inform them of the estimated time frames.
• Acknowledge their preferences and refer them to a hospital they can comfortably reach.
• Transfer patient data to other professionals using lawfully-acceptable methods. Secure channels like direct mail can help you transmit medical documents to third parties legally and safely. If you need assistance with communication in healthcare, use PostGrid’s automated direct mailing API to send files online.

When Discharging Patients

Your responsibility regarding a patient’s healthcare does not get over after discharge from your hospital. Inform patients and their caretakers about the steps they need to take and if they should be coming back for routine checkups.

Also, you must provide a discharge summary to patients as part of your compliance communication in hospital. The prime elements of this summary are:

• Warning signs or symptoms the patient might experience and how to deal with them
• The name and contact number of a healthcare professional or staff member who patients can contact
• Any upcoming tests and appointments
• Details regarding ongoing medication

There are a couple of more things you can do to make your communication in hospital better:

• Conduct a follow-up call with every patient post-discharge
• Encourage patients to follow the care plan religiously, but consider their ability and willingness to do so

How Can PostGrid’s Direct Mail Solutions Help You Facilitate Communication in Hospital?

PostGrid offers online print and mail API services to all healthcare providers, including dental offices, physician practices, hospitals, test centres, etc. Here are some examples of marketing and transactional mail that you can send via PostGrid to improve communication in hospital:

• Lab invoices
• Test reports
• Discharge summaries
• Assent and consent forms
• Appointment confirmations and reminders
• Bills and payment receipts
• Health records. 
• Patient statements
• Marketing inserts like postcards and flyers
• Patient circulars, newsletters, etc.
• Letters of appreciation to medical staff
• No-show letters to patients, etc.

Our solutions are curated to serve organisations of all sizes. You can select one of our pricing plans and send offline mail according to your budget and needs. Also, PostGrid offers:

• Pre-built design templates
• Address verification and list compilation
• Real-time tracking
• Campaign insights and analytics
• Wide range of collateral
• Zapier integration, etc.

Integrate our direct mail API into your system and regulate your communication in hospital, depending on your requirements.

Wrapping Up

We no longer live in an era where patients don’t expect anything much from their providers. They would follow the doctor’s instructions and stick with the same provider for years. However, today, you will see patients switching from one physician to another if they aren’t satisfied with their services.

Hence, effective communication between patient and healthcare professional is gaining more significance. And you must tap into new strategies to create better relationships with your patients and drive more conversions.

Luckily, PostGrid helps you improve your marketing correspondence to bring in more patients and retain your current ones. Also, we are compliant with the Data Protection Act and GDPR, allowing you to mail crucial medical documents safely and lawfully.

Click here to learn more regarding PostGrid’s direct mail services that can help you boost your communication in healthcare at low rates!

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