You've got (snail) mail

I thought I would share with everyone a little insight into the fundraising business.

In another week, we'll be sending out letters to people who have donated to Shepherds of Good Hope. With all the technology we have at our disposal, you might wonder: Does snail mail and old fashion letters still connect with people? The answer is a resounding yes!

That doesn't mean we don't focus on the opportunities new technology provides us with. During the last five months, we've made a stronger effort to be on Facebook daily, to tweet something interesting each day. We provide new content for our website and we have an Instagram account. Because technology evolves, the method in which we use these new platforms is also evolving.

But that doesn't mean a hard copy of a letter has lost its place with the people who support us. In fact, there was an interesting story in the Toronto Star today that says the brain responds differently to print mail than it does to digital "mail." One reason is the sensation of touch when you hold that letter in your hands. The other is that when people read something online, there are a lot of other things happening on the screen, whether it's a smartphone screen, tablet or computer. You're more likely to focus better when just looking at a letter in your hands.

This idea of focus is gaining traction. There have also been several stories recently about how reading a print book for you is better than reading an e-book. Studies are starting to show that a print book allows you to focus more. You're less likely to scan a page the same way you scan a screen. When reading a print book, nothing else screams for your attention. There are no pop-up alerts or sounds to distract you.

So, it seems the world of print still has some value, which means sending letters to people who see our work as important and want to help us care for Ottawa's homeless men and women still has value.

To all of you who will be opening those letters in a week, thank you for taking the time to read them. Thank you for taking time to read about the people we serve. If you are one of our supporters who likes to follow us online, visit our website to read more about our clients and our programs. If you would like to make a donation, please click here.