Ask an Expert: Integrating Direct Mail With Online

Question:
Nearly all our solicitations are done with direct mail, but some donors prefer giving online. Because we lose the customized gift matrix, we can't optimize their potential and often end up losing revenue. How can we connect a customized direct mail appeal to an online donation page to create a seamless experience for the donor?

Answer:
Your online and direct mail appeal should have the same look and feel and contain the same messaging. In order for the potential donor to recognize your brand and feel comfortable continuing the giving process, the two appeals must be consistent. Pre-populated donation forms simplify the process, making it as easy as possible for donors to give, but you must be cognisant of privacy issues, so some sort of unique ID is important. And if you invest all that time and effort into researching optimal giving levels for your donors, your online solution must include a customized gift matrix.

DM2Web™ is an add-on component for online fulfillment that integrates your direct mail appeal with eDonationManager™, our solution for customized online donation forms. Each direct mail campaign provides a personal donor access code (PDAC) for each constituent, usually based on a specific direct mail package code and donor ID.

Once you begin using DM2Web™ the donor can go to a specific url and enter their PDAC, listed on their direct mail appeal. They will be taken to a form consistent with campaign creative that is pre-populated with their contact information and a dynamic gift array based on the customized gift matrix. The only field missing is their email address, which they are required to fill in to complete the donation, and thus become an online constituent.

Want to know more?

Contact Chris at: crotolo@unxvision.com