It’s happening. “Online giving is now a donor’s preferred method of giving” for the first time, according to Grizzard’s 2014 DonorGraphics Study (Grizzard Communications, Omnicom Group Inc.)
However, many donors are prompted to give online by a direct mail piece. Grizzard notes that “as much of 70 percent of your online and white-mail giving...is coming from a donor who received a direct-mail piece within the previous 30 days.”
Time to integrate your direct-mail and online solicitations (and responses) to reinforce this multi-channel interest. Donors who respond through more than one channel typically give a larger amount over five years than donors who work through only one channel. Add to that, the Boomer’s affinity to online giving. The net result is that your best strategy to take advantage of this new swing in giving methods is to make sure that your two approaches work well together.
- Although the copy will differ, the message should be the same.
- Keywords should carry over between the two.
- Graphics should have a relationship to one another.
And, though you’ll respond through the medium in which the donor gave, make a plan to cross-promote to this donor within the next month!
