List hygiene might not be at the top of your list of key focus areas when it comes to building a successful direct-marketing program, but it should be. I think of list hygiene like a car’s engine. It’s not the flashy part of the car, and it’s not something that you might think of every day; but if neglected, it could significantly reduce your car’s performance. To ensure you’re building a solid, clean donor list, use business rules to determine what constitutes a valid donor record. For example, do you need to have a full name and complete address? Or is it
Brian Cowart
An amazing thing happened when we decided to give our mid-level donors power — revenue soared. And so did gift frequency and donor loyalty.
It all began when we started to treat donors like the “owners” of CARE they truly are. We gave them choices and direct access to senior staff at CARE. We honored their wishes. The results have been extremely gratifying.
