Targeted Mailing for a Non-Profit

Overview

One of the top art museum organizations in the United States was looking to expand its membership, add donors, and increase visitor attendance.

Challenge

To increase contributions, membership, and visitors using direct mail to promote upcoming events and membership offers.

Result/Summary

PDS executed two large-scale prospecting campaigns, spaced six months apart. We worked with this non-profit client to create a list which included their former donors and visitors, magazine subscribers, mail order buyers, and demographically-selected consumers. We uncovered numerous specialty lists that the client had not previously considered or been aware of. PDS also negotiated list exchanges on the client's behalf with other local non-profit organizations and museums, entities that PDS felt might provide very target-rich prospects for our client.

Once the mailings were done, PDS undertook a response match back effort in order to gauge the success of the lists. Expectedly, the client's former donors and visitors had the best response rate of 1.54%. However, the local non-profit and museums lists were also a success with a .53% response rate. The magazine subscribers, mail order buyers and demographically selected consumers also responded very well with a .63% response rate.

The marketing campaign was very successful, with the organization adding many new and returning contributors, members and visitors. Revenue from the campaign greatly exceeded the client's expectation and the return on investment (ROI) from the campaign was 4-to-1. The client was happy and has decided to engage PDS for future campaigns.