Hello All:
We want to analyze our current add/sal policy regarding formal vs. informal and i was hoping to obtain some feedback from the nonprofit community. Thanks

In addressing letters/solcitations/newsletters from your organization:
-Do you use a formal or informal standard for the Address Block? Formal includes the use of Titles as in Mr. & Mrs. Peter Smith.
-Do you use a formal or informal standard for Salutations? Formal would be Dear Mr. & Mrs. Smith or Dear Jerry & Marge Smith. Informal would be Dear Jerry & Marge.
-Do you feel it is important to be consistent in using Formal for both or Informal for both?
-Do you address your Members differently than in a direct mail where you are trying to obtain new members?

Thank you!

I think alot of these decisions should be based on the type of organization you are and also what you are sending out. We use Formal always for the Address Block. We keep our Salutation informal so we can choose to address letters either Formally or Informally depending on the letter we are sending.

We decided a few years ago that our main addressees and salutations would be formal (Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), and that we would use additional addressee/salutation types for informal salutations. In all of our mailings, the addressee is always formal. Depending on who is signing the letter, we use a mixture of formal and informal salutations. If our president is signing the letter, and the letter is to a Board member, we use the informal salutation. Also, if we know that the president knows the constituent, we use the informal salutation. However, if we are not sure, we err on the side of formal. All of our bulk mailings are formal. I think that it is very important to have the data in Raiser's Edge entered consistently. You should always have the main addressee/salutation either formal or informal, and the secondary types the opposite. If you want to have a mixture of formal and informal in your letters, you can then pull data and sort it appropriately. For example, in the Mail function, we ask for informal salutations first, and then if there is no informal, we ask for the main salutation (formal). Hope that helps! -Karen Chmielewski Boston Children's Museum

We use an informal format for our primary addressee and salutation. We have two other formats - Formal Addressee, and Individual Addressee. The informal format includes spouses/partners - Jean and Tom Smith. When the donor has a title, we always use the formal format- Reverend and Mrs. William Johnson. The individual format is to address just the constituent - John H. Smith. We felt the informal format was a friendlier approach with our donors and potential donors when corresponding with them.

How do you deal with addressee/Salutations when the individual is a relationship contact that recieves mailing connected to an organization in Raiser's Edge? If Primary Add/Sal is selected it will be sent to both spouses. We have begun creating an additional Add/Sal for Contacts and select that for mailings, but I am finding this a long process to clean up all records. Can anyone offer any advice on mailing to contacts? and an easy way to clean up the database of existing contacts add/sal?
Thank you.
Christie Blair
St. Mary Medical Center Foundation

Christie, We do the same thing you do. I've globally added an addressee and salutation type called Bio 1 to ALL records, both constituent and contact. Then I always choose the Bio 1 Addressee type for contacts, and the Primary Addressee for individual constituents. It works well, because we will frequently have situations where a married individual constituent is also a contact for an organization (or becomes a trustee for a foundation), so I'm covered when that happens, or the reverse - a contact makes an individual gift, and needs to be added as a constituent. In the latter case, I need to add a spouse if there is on, and adjust my primary addressee/salutations. As for the addressee/salutation cleanup - that's a whole differen story. Sometimes global change can be used, sometimes table cleanup can be used, and sometimes you can't even find all the occurrences of a particular type. Hope this helps. Jo Jo Ward Neuhaus Education Center (713) 664-7676 ext. 233 [Email Removed]

We are currently analyzing our address/salutation table, however we currently have 83 different ways to address our constituents. I don’t know where to begin and there is no standard for entry. How would you go about cleaning it up? Kim

Kim, I came into the same situation. I developed 8 different addressee/salutation types, globally deleted the rest and started over. For primary addressee and salutation, I use the primary constituent name only. Then I have the following: Formal Addressee - Mr. John Doe Formal Salutation - Mr. Doe Informal Addressee - John Doe Information Salutation - John HOH Formal Addressee - Mr. and Mrs. John Doe HOH Formal Salutation - Mr. and Mrs. Doe HOH Informal Addressee - John and Jane Doe HOH Informal Salutation - John and Jane Of course, the informals are modified according to title. We never address a doctor in a letter by first name with no mention of title. If our DOD's wishes to personalize anyone with a title by their first name they write it personally on the letter. Our newsletter goes out HOH Informal Addressee or Informal Addressee. Our appeals utilize the more formal style. And our thank you letters vary. Hope this helps!! Stacey P.S. I have been told I am somewhat backwards in my thinking as HOH (Head of Household) usually is singular and refers to the primary breadwinner of the household. I think of HOH as the couple because in today society many women also work in supporting the household. [Email Removed]

Is is acceptable to use the following formal joint addressee/salutations: Mrs. and Mr. Jane Smith -or- Mrs. Jane and Tom Smith Mrs. and Mr. Smith We base our constituen records on whoever signs the check and have not been able to find addressing guidelines for when the female spouse is the primary contact/recordholder. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks! Faye Borchert Database Services Coordinator Special Olympics Wisconsin Inc.

You will find that in most organizations, you will have to construct a formal and informal salutation and addressee field. And then format them according to the main constituent vs. the spouse. Some donors do not want their spouse addressed, or listed. But you do want to keep the info. I also found it helpful to have a field that is the name(s) used for publications, which may be different from how they are addressed in a letter or envelope, or may be "Anonymous". I have come up with a page of addressee and salutations based on etiquette and preference. That way, whoever is doing the data entry on records automatically puts in the proper salutations. Christine Cooke Girl Scouts of SF Bay Area

Faye, I have never seen that format used in 25 years of typing correspondence. I would address to the female as Ms. Jane Doe. The male name on the check may or may not be the spouse. Tanya Fatum Marshall Foundation for Community Health