An Insider's View of Integration

An Insider's View of Integration

Dec. 13, 2005

By Abny Santicola

New York public television station Channel Thirteen uses all available communication channels to get the word out and drum up support -- direct mail, e-mail, telemarketing, DRTV. With all of these communication channels going at once, it's important to keep the messaging uniform, says Tricia Reyes, associate director of the Mid Level Associates and Special Membership Programs at the station. If you're "trying to do a membership campaign and you have different types of messaging going out for each channel, it confuses the member ...," Reyes says.

For Channel Thirteen's mid-level program, the copy for the direct-mail piece is created first and the other communication channels follow suit, she explains. The following are some tips Reyes shares on marrying channels and creating uniform messaging for better channel integration.

1) Make sure that the language you use is consistent and can be easily communicated and comprehended by those receiving your messaging regardless of the channel.

2) Create campaigns that link to other channels. For example, when doing an e-mail campaign, create links so that recipients can get additional information from your Web site on the particular topic you're discussing.

3) Create campaigns that use various channels in waves. For example, Reyes says, Channel Thirteen sends out a direct-mail piece first, then does telemarketing and then sends out an e-mail blast.

To contact Tricia Reyes, e-mail her at reyest@thirteen.org.