Increasing A Monthly Giving Base Cost Effectively

The Challenge:

Nonprofits are well aware of how valuable monthly donors are to their organizations. They also know how challenging it can be to convert donors or prospects to ongoing monthly sustainers. How can they cost-effectively reach those most likely to convert?

Our client had been relying on acquiring monthly donors through "soft ask" messaging on inserts, annual email appeals, and a monthly giving option on its general online donation form, all passive efforts.

The Solution:

THD developed a program aimed at converting active donors to monthly givers through a variety of offers, channels, and touchpoints, all concentrated within a targeted time frame.

The campaign was a month-long, multi-channel donor drive campaign launched in January, historically one of the strongest months of the year for this client. Our strategy was to motivate constituents to begin the New Year with a sustained commitment to the organization. Multi-channel efforts included:

• A homepage banner on the organization's website and custom landing pages
• Emails to active donors focused on sustainer program education
• Sharable appeals to allow for amplification through social networks
• E-newsletter promotions/callouts
• 3rd party pay-for-performance monthly donor acquisition campaign
• Monthly giving prompt incorporated into backer for all direct mail pieces
  

The Results:

Our multi-channel approach grew the monthly giving program by 36%, primarily fueled by our digital efforts, which contributed 75% of the new donors acquired. Our targeted email campaign exceeded industry open rate benchmarks by more than 20%.