The Full Story
La Sierra University aimed to supercharge their giving day’s impact by delivering personalized messages to distinct donor groups. To bring this vision to this, the team turned to Pledgemine by EverTrue, utilizing its flexible tools to create a series of segmented direct mail and digital appeals. This strategic approach to segmentation was designed to resonate with the diverse demographics within their donor base.
Segmentation Strategy:
In October, the La Sierra team kicked off their campaign with “Save the Date” postcards to a broad audience within their database. These postcards were designed to be visually appealing, simple to read, and easy to pin on a bulletin board or fridge, ensuring high visibility and recall.To further personalize their outreach, La Sierra segmented their direct mail appeals into 26 distinct groups. For donors aged 35 and older, they mailed 13 appeal letters customized to align with specific departments or projects that the donors had previously shown interest in. This targeted approach increased the relevance and impact of the appeals. Meanwhile, another 13 segmented appeal postcards were aimed at younger alumni, specifically those under the age of 35 or identified by their graduation year. These postcards included QR codes for easy access to donation pages, catering to the tech-forward preferences of the younger demographic.
In addition to direct mail, La Sierra implemented a segmented email strategy to complement their postal appeals. A series of emails were sent to the entire database, including “Save the Date” notifications, reminders, follow-ups to the direct mail appeals, a “Giving Day Donate Here” link, and a “Thank You” email. To reinforce these messages, 13 additional email appeals were segmented by department or project.
Multi Channel Approach:
La Sierra’s Giving Day campaign didn’t stop at direct mail and email. They embraced a multi-channel strategy to maximize outreach. Text messages were targeted specifically at Millennial donors, leveraging the immediacy and convenience of mobile communication. The campaign also included boosted and targeted posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, extending the reach and engagement through digital channels. Additionally, a dedicated Giving Day webpage and articles in the university and church magazines further broadened the campaign’s visibility.
Outcome:
La Sierra University’s segmented approach and multi-channel strategy delivered impressive results. The campaign raised a total of $581,505, with approximately 440 donors contributing around 500 gifts. Thirteen departments actively participated in the campaign, showcasing the support the campaign received across the university.
The segmented mailings and strategic use of Pledgemine significantly enhanced donor engagement and increased overall contributions. By tailoring messages to specific donor groups, La Sierra effectively captured the attention and generosity of their diverse donor base. Kristine’s innovative use of Pledgemine provided a flexible and cost-effective solution, allowing La Sierra to experiment with new formats and segmentation strategies.
Takeaways:
La Sierra’s success highlights the importance of understanding donor demographics and preferences, as well as the benefits of leveraging advanced tools like Pledgemine for targeted fundraising campaigns. The outcome of La Sierra’s Giving Day campaign serves as a promising blueprint for future fundraising initiatives, underscoring the value of strategic planning and the advantages of using adaptable, visually appealing direct mail formats to achieve fundraising goals.
