Growing Donor Files: It's Time for a New Approach

Using varied messaging and packages in acquisition at the individual level provides huge opportunities for growth — targeting new mail lists and increasing response rates on existing mail lists and co-ops. This deeper understanding of what messaging appeals to whom also enables nonprofits to better target messaging to sources in other channels such as online communities like Care2 and Change.org; direct-response retargeting and, more broadly, display advertising; offline events; and most any other channel. In addition to using this knowledge for acquisition targeting, this large health charity is planning integrated online-offline messaging specifically targeting the Affluent Professionals. More complex? Yes. But also a lot more donor-centric and effective.