What is your typical reaction when you receive a solicitation message? Most of the time, your first response would be to toss it in the trash. But according to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), that instinct can change depending on the sender.

Nonprofits will often send direct mail solicitations to donors or other interested parties in an effort to garner donations but that mail is not always read immediately or at all. According to the “DMA 2013 Statistical Fact Book,” mail sent by museums in Postal Year 2011 had the greatest chance of being read immediately – 56.7 percent.

However, only 18 percent of respondents indicated they would respond to the request, compared to 23 percent (the highest response) for church solicitations.

Below are nine other organizations with that had the highest rate of being read, along with the response rate:

• Medical: 49.1 percent; 8.0 percent;
• Union/Professional: 55.9 percent; 10.5 percent;
• Church: 53.4 percent; 23.0 percent;
• Veterans: 52.0 percent; 18.6 percent;
• Educational: 50.2 percent; 9.7 percent;
• Charities: 41.8 percent; 13.8 percent;
• Political: 32.9 percent; 9.8 percent;
• AARP: 48.1 percent; 12.7 percent; and,
• Nonprofit Publication: 46.5 percent; 14.1 percent.