No Sustainer
Left Behind: A
Mini-Workshop
Becky Chinn
LKA Fundraising &
Communications
Jennifer Halm
Capital Public Radio
Amanda Rothstein
Minnesota Public Radio
Acquiring sustainers is
just the beginning
➢ Retention
Payment method
Satisfaction
➢ Upgrades
What it takes
➢ Integration
➢ Investment
➢ Constant messaging
EFT: CapRadio’s Key for Retention
We’ve found that new sustainers paying by EFT (Electronic
Funds Transfer) can have a 13-month retention rate as high
as 92.4%.
CapRadio has leveraged this reliability by promoting EFT as
the preferred method for sustainer giving.
CapRadio’s Sustainer Payment Trends
Currently half of
our members are
sustainers, with
80% of sustainer
dollars processed
by EFT.
Key tactics for CapRadio’s 80/20 Mix of
EFT/Credit Card Sustainers:
• EFT sustainers have been branded as Evergreen
• EFT is presented as the preferred pay method
• EFT is incentivized more than sustainer giving by
debit/credit card
• Debit/credit card sustainer giving is available, and is used as
a gateway for future EFT sustainer gifts
What this
looks like
online:
What this
looks like
online:
What this
looks like in
direct mail
renewals to
annual
donors:
What emails
to
non-sustain
ers look like
during an
on-air drive:
EFT Makes Upgrading Sustainers Easier
Upgrades can happen without donors needing to provide
new payment information, and upgrades are collected with
less effort via:
•
•
•
•
Direct Mail
Email Messages linked to simplified web forms
Telemarketing
During in-bound customer service calls
What this
looks like in
direct mail to
current EFT
sustainers:
What emails
to EFT
sustainers
look like
during an
on-air drive:
EFT Conversion at MPR
• Omni-channel campaign twice yearly (January, August)
• Similar approach to building Sustainer file
• What is the benefit to the Member?
• Default payment option
• Coordinated messaging across channels
• Incentivize with match or challenge
First Coordinated Campaign
On-Air: 30-second spot aired for two weeks across services
Direct Mail: Two drops of mail
Telemarketing: Included upgrade ask
- Default option in payment recapture
Email: Two sends
Web: Designated streamlined web form (mpr.org/checking)
How’d it go?
Since January 2017…
• About 8,500 conversions
• Steady – high response across channels
• 300 Sustainer increases
• 80 new pledges
• $30,000 in new/increased gifts
• EFT rate increased 23% → 34%
What this
looks like
in email:
What this
looks like
in mail:
Payment Recapture
• Multi-channel approach
– Week following declined charge, deploy Mail, Telemarketing, Email
• Three month communication cycle; pledge written off at
month six
– Returns taper dramatically at end of month two
Week
Payment
Recapture
Schedule:
Effort
Week
Effort
Week
Effort
1
Mail
Email
Phone
2
Mail
Email
9
Mail
Email
2
Email
Phone
6
Email
Phone
10
Email
Phone
3
Mail
Email
Phone
7
Mail
Email
11
Mail
Email
4
Email
Phone
8
Email
12
Email
What this
looks like
in mail:
What this
looks like
in email:
Thank you!
Q&A
Key resource:
Greater Public Sustainer Toolkit
Speaker Information
•
Becky Chinn
Partner, LKA Fundraising & Communications
503.867.8363 / [email protected]
•
Capital Public Radio
Jennifer Halm
916.278.8975 / [email protected]
•
Amanda Rothstein, Minnesota Public Radio
Manager, Direct Membership Fundraising
651.228-4892 / [email protected]
Special thanks to our Platinum Sponsors!