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Using Marketing Channels Effectively
By Dager | November 22, 2009
Peters talked about multi-channel fundraising, from snail mail to PURLs (personalized URLs), during the recent National Catholic Development Conference in Arlington, Va.
The sheer volume of channels available might scare off some people, but using these channels strategically could end up helping your organization’s communication efforts, according to Peters.
Here are his thoughts:
It’s about the math. Integrating communications across multiple channels should work positively, increasing your donor numbers. You aren’t subtracting anything - so you only have room to gain.
One size does not fit all. People respond differently to various channels. The person who may answer your email campaign might never respond to your Facebook account or your direct mail.
Small organizations have an advantage online. Social networks and email campaigns can be implemented with little or no cost. But these channels still require time, especially social networks that need time dedicated to building relationships.
Direct mail is not dead. People have bemoaned the death of direct mail since the Internet took off. Peters reminded that people said the same thing about the fax machine taking over for direct mail - and look how that turned out. The average nonprofit makes 5 percent of their revenue online, which has increased substantially in the last 10 years but still doesn’t beat the donation juggernaut of direct mail at most organizations.
Have one hand help the other. If you are looking to grow your email list, look no further than your direct mail house file. These names represent people who love your organization. Try an email append to get their email and build another relationship online.
Integrate across channels. Keep your branding consistent with all channels so you don’t confuse the donor. If you send out a direct mail piece about puppy mills, don’t make dog fighting the prominent theme in your telemarketing follow-ups or email. Stick with one issue at a time and see if you can segment donors by their responses.
Each organization is different. Ask yourself what is the return on investment for anything that you do and make sure it works for the organization. Test everything so you know exactly how the communication integration works.
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Topics: Nonprofit Marketing |