One of the most effective ways to boost your response rates is sending strategic, multi-touch campaigns. This approach uses multiple contacts with the same or different media to build your message over time.
Often, these contacts are layered in three stages:
1. Priming the pump (“Watch for our exciting offer!”)
2. Presentation of the message
3. Follow-up or reminder to respond
This is not a formula that you should apply rigidly, and not all programs will utilize the same elements. But it’s a good, general rule of thumb that has proven very successful.
Take the example of a private school that wanted increase its donations. It developed a multi-touch campaign that stretched over several weeks. The program included:
General awareness letter to introduce the campaign and its financial goal
First, second, and third appeal letters, with personalized data based on child, grade level, teacher, recipient’s past giving history, and progress toward the goal
Postcard alerting families to an upcoming Phone-A-Thon
Phone-A-Thon follow-up card
Final appeal letter
Using this approach, the school reached its financial goal three months early, and overall, achieved new records for revenue and participation.
Not all multi-touch, multi-channel campaigns have this many elements, but this campaign shows the power that repeated, reinforced communications have to boost revenue, combined with the trust that many organizations, especially nonprofits, have in this approach.
Want to boost revenues using a multi-touch campaign? Give us a call!
