With giving levels on a slow climb, e-mail has emerged as a surprisingly effective fundraising tool.

By Paul Barbagallo

“E-mail is at the forefront of any marketing strategy that we put together,” Horowitz affirms. “The direct mail that we do and the money we bring in online netted at about the same amount in 2003, which is something nobody ever believed would happen. E-mail may even pass direct mail this year.”

‘Stream’ lining info
Until April 2003, The Humane Society of the United States’ Internet and e-mail fundraising program had been virtually flat. Then, online communications provider Exciting New Technologies entered the fray and persuaded HSUS to e-mail a broad, untapped market: pet owners who are not ready to receive donor appeals but want tips on how to care for their animals. Once the audience was clearly defined, HSUS and ENT opted to create a streaming video e-newsletter.