2-part question:
1-I'd love to hear how others use solicit codes successfully. Do you have a hierarchy (i.e. "DO NOT SOLICIT" includes less restrictive codes, such as "DO NOT MAIL")?
2-Do you track non-profit orgs who donate to your org, but whom you do not solicit, and family charitable foundations through the Solicit Code, or do you track them in other ways?
Thanks!!

Becky

Becky Vodrey
Database Manager [Email Removed])
Lutheran Social Svcs. of NE Florida

--- Edited at 5/25/2007 12:17:25 PM by Becky Vodrey

For simplicity sake, I strongly suggest using the solicit codes only for defining who gets what from your organization, as opposed to having to remember combinations of solicit codes, constituent codes, or attributes. We use solicit codes as follows: Do Not Solicit - these constituents will get newsletters and other informational mailings, but nothing with an "ask" Asked to be removed from list - these constituents get nothing from us...we use this when a constituent specifically asks to not received any mailings from us. This helps us to keep track as to why someone is not getting anything mailed to her Do Not Mail - these consituents get no mail whatsoever. We use this as opposed to the above for constituents that WE don't want to mail to. For example, we don't want to mail to a family foundation because we already mail to the individual Solicit only once per year (spring) - get our spring appeal only Solicit only once per year (end of year) - get our end of year appeal only Nicole D. McMorrow Database Administrator Women's Foundation of California 340 Pine St., Ste. 302 San Francisco, CA 94104 www.womensfoundca.org [Email Removed]

Since we have multiple departments sharing the same database we have two codes that override everything - Do Not Mail and Minor - No Solicitation. Then each department has a few solicit codes they use to define who doesn't want certain mailings or to be telephoned. For the solicit codes that are department specific, we have acronyms in the beginning to identify it. For example, I'm in Advancement so we have one that is ADV-No Monthly Solicitations. I agree to keep it as simple as possible. Angie Snyder Operations Manager Wycliffe Bible Translators Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Here are the codes we use with their definitions: DNS/Contact OK - Per Donor (do not solicit but send publications at donor's request) DNS/Contact OK - Per Staff (do not solicit but send publications at staff's request) DNS/No Contact - Per Donor (no mail whatsoever at donor's request) DNS/No Contact - Per Staff (no mail whatsoever at staff's request) No Contact/Solicit OK - Per Donor (no publications, but solicitations are sent at donor's request) No Contact/Solicit OK - Per Staff (no publications, but solicitations are sent at staff's request) With this system we don't need a hierarchy - one usually covers it all. They cannot choose to receive just one publication (for example, our annual report but not newsletters) - it's all or nothing! Sorry - forgot to respond to your second question. We use Constituent Codes to designate Foundations & they are excluded from our solicitation pulls. Tracie Cassidy Database Coordinator Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation (206) 987-6833 [Email Removed] [i]--- Edited at 5/22/2007 12:02:47 PM by Tracie Cassidy[/i]

We try to keep our solicit codes to a minimum, but it is becoming very difficult. Our basic list is: DO NOT MAIL (no contact at all) - requires a reason in Notes explaining why the code is there. Do Not Solicit - will only receive informational mailings and invitations - also requires a reason in Notes. Don't Telephone - excludes constituents from phonathon and follow-up calls. Don't Solicit via E-Mail - self explanatory. For other mailing and solicitation exclusions, the Inactive code is assigned by staff to those constituents who fit into certain criteria (Alumnae are never coded Inactive). Kathleen The Bryn Mawr School [Email Removed]

We keep it simple. Do Not Solicit means the donor is not to be solicited by any means. Do Not Mail means Do not solicit via mail. Do not Call means do not solicity by phone. Very rarely do we send anything that does not contain a solicitation or invitation from our development department. When we do, solicitation code doesn't fit into the equation at all. We do not solicit family foundations as a general rule and they are kept out of mailings by constituent code.

No Communication No Solicitations No Publications No Events Do Not Email Do Not Mail Do Not Call Do Not Fax A. Hasim Hakim Donor Systems Specialist WakeMed Foundation

1) We do not have a hieerarchy. We have: Removed from mailing list by request Undeliverable (we use this in addition to "no valid address" so we know why a record is marked "no valid address" and that the box hasn't been checked by mistake) Solicit only with permission of solicitor Removed from list by solicitor Solicit at year-end only Do not solicit by direct mail Do not solicit by telephone Do not exchange/rent name Do not send newsletter Do not send premiums and a few others specific to our operation 2) We would put "Do Not Solicit by Direct Mail" in the records of organizations like Foundations and non-profits.

1. We don't use a hierarchy too much. We've recently started expanding our use of solicit codes and I find them very helpful to help target our mailings (we do 8 or 9 direct mail appeals each year, plus 3-4 newsletters). Our current codes are: a. Do Not Solicit--these constituents will receive our newsletter, but not our direct mail appeals b. Do Not Mail--will not receive any mailings from us c. Holiday Appeal Only--donors who wish to be asked for a gift at the holidays only, but will also receive the newsletter d. January membership renewal only--donors who wish to be asked for a gift in January only, but will also receive the newsletter e. Monthly c.c./debit donors--these are donors in our monthly giving programs and I can easily include or exclude them from mailings based on who we want to mail to f. Going Home--this is the name of our newsletters; this code ensures that these donors receive our newsletter even if they don't fit any of the other newsletter criteria for that issue g. SCLT--this is an internal code for a major donor appeal that resulted in multi-year pledges; I can include or exclude these donors easily h. 2006 1905 Society member--these are our top donor level in 2006; I use this to limit how much direct mail these donors receive i. Out-of-state honor/memorial donor--these are donors who made an honor/memorial gift but are not likely to give to us again; it was easier to give them a solicit code to exclude them from our mailings 2. We don't use solicit codes on foundations too much because I pull all our direct mail by starting with an individual query, rather than a constituent query. Hope this helps, Carrie Sorensen Humane Society of Indianapolis

Don't phone Don't rent/exchange Monthly pledgers (Also tracked as a constituent attribute by whether they pay pay cash, check, credit card or EFT.) No premiums Less often Once a year (We send this in November - they can't choose the month to solicit.) Remove from list Hostile ADSLA Direct Marketing Manager United Farm Workers