Maximize Donor Engagement With Multichannel Integration

To draw people from one channel to another, Millea offered these tips:

• Create a landing page/online donation form.
• Coordinate an e-mail schedule.
• Include a URL shortcut.
• Promote additional online activities to drive engagement, such as “View photos online.”

As an example of effective multichannel integration, Millea laid out the four-step process of the “Thanksgiving Feast for 1 Million” campaign by America’s Second Harvest (now called Feeding America). In the second half of October, the organization sent a direct-mail piece to donors. On Nov. 16, it sent its first follow-up e-mail reiterating the goal and theme of the campaign. Five days later, it sent a second follow-up e-mail that introduced another aspect of the campaign, a matching gift from Tyson Foods. Finally, on Nov. 30 the organization sent a third follow-up e-mail thanking donors and sharing the results of the campaign.