Are freebies a good way to get donations?

In an earlier post, I wrote about including free return address labels with solicitations, using the reciprocity principle to persuade individuals to donate.  I wondered if, rather than motivating people to give, it could possibly alienate them instead.

This Dear Abby column addresses this practice; it's actually a follow-up column because she got so much mail on the issue.  Says Abby: "Letters from readers complaining about charitable donation requests with labels arrive in my office on a daily basis..."

Some highlights:

"My view is, if they're using my donation to send gifts, then they really don't need my money.  They should be using donations to help whomever or whatever it is they're soliciting for."

"There's nothing 'free' when organizations try to guilt us into sending money.  My solution for all this junk is, use the labels and anything personalized if I like them; if not, destroy them." 

As a fundraiser, I find this woman's story pretty horrifying (italics mine):

"Last year, for about six months, I collected all the requests for donations I received.  Abby, the total was 532 requests from 119 organizations!...I no longer feel guilty about tossing them.  I sent all of them letters requesting they delete my name from their lists.  118 ignored my request...I give the notepads and other enclosures to Goodwill and shred the labels...I donate less than I ever have in the past because I feel so hounded, so in my case, it has worked against them."

One would think that organizations continue this practice because, well, it works.  But comments like these, from people who are sick and tired of it, give us something to think about.  You can read the Yahoo! comments below the column for even more. 

I want to know what you think—is including freebies with your solicitations a good idea?