Updated version of original presentation from Convio Summit 2011, for Bridge Conference Aug 2013

1. THE HOLY GRAIL CHECKLIST
Planning An Integrated, Powerful
Multi-Channel Campaign
Kelly Townsend
Online Fundraising Manager,
Communications
Humane Society of the United States
Liz Murphy
President & Founder,
RedEngine Digital
#AtTheBridge
#humanesociety
#redengine

2. Death By Silo

3. Then & Now
 What’s happened since we last gave this
presentation?
• We’ve added “Integrated” to the title
• Everybody gets IT!
• Still data and reporting challenges, but new analytics and
big data are paving the way.

4. Your Integration Score: Yes or No
1.
Have you executed at least ONE integrated campaign across both offline
and online channels in the last six months?
2.
Do you share one revenue goal with your offline or online colleagues?
3. TODAY, if I visited your website, social platform or got a mailing, would I see
the same or similar campaign messaging and offers?
3. Are you tracking how – and how much – each channel is “assisting”
conversions in your other channels via attribution analysis – or plan to
implement this in the next three months?

5. Kickoff & Collaboration

6. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Elect a single project lead & determine key
stakeholders/go-to people from each channel
 Schedule a kickoff meeting with your channel
colleagues to discuss the upcoming campaign &
get buy-in from each channel that will be involved

7. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Elect a single project lead & determine key
stakeholders/go-to people from each channel
 Schedule a kickoff meeting with your channel
colleagues to discuss the upcoming campaign &
get buy-in from each channel that will be involved

8. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Identify your campaign theme
- Questions to consider:
• What are your top campaigns based on your
audience’s response to the issue in the past?
• What is an issue/campaign that will be ramping
up moving forward?
– Based on pending or upcoming legislation or another
organizational reason (e.g. you’re partnering with a big
brand like Target on an initiative)

9. Kickoff & Collaboration
 HSUS 2013 Campaign Calendar:
– Spring 2013: Protect Seals (based on annual hunt timing)
– Summer 2013: Puppy Mills (because our audience loves it!)
– Fall 2013: Farm Animal Protection (hard-hitting, but recruits
our best names)
– Winter 2013: Year-end (…duh )

10. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Determine the general campaign strategy and
path. Some questions to consider:
– Is advocacy a part of the campaign? If so, when
does this take place?
– Is fundraising a part of the campaign
(as it should be )? If so, when does this take place?
– What other communications or engagement
initiatives will be included? When will these take place?

11. Kickoff & Collaboration
 For example, our goals are advocacy & fundraising
and our campaign strategy includes:
1)
2)
3)
List acquisition (i.e., find new people) – via advocacy or
another type of engagement
Advocacy & Cultivation (i.e., engage your new and
existing listmembers with actions or other campaignrelated communications)
Conversion (i.e., get them to donate (or take action)!)

12. Kickoff & Collaboration
 For example, our goals are advocacy & fundraising
and our campaign strategy includes:
1)
2)
3)
List acquisition (i.e., find new people) – via advocacy or
another type of engagement
Advocacy & Cultivation (i.e., engage your new and
existing list members with actions or other campaignrelated communications)
Conversion (i.e., get them to donate (or take action)!)

13. Kickoff & Collaboration
 For example, our goals are advocacy & fundraising
and our campaign strategy includes:
1)
2)
3)
List acquisition (i.e., find new people) – via advocacy or
another type of engagement
Advocacy & Cultivation (i.e., engage your new and
existing listmembers with actions or other campaignrelated communications)
Conversion (i.e., get them to donate (or take action)!)

14. Puppy Mills Advocacy Emails
Action: Sign the pledge against
puppy mills
Action: Ask your legislators to support
the PUPS Act

15. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Determine campaign approval process (i.e. who
needs to review which pieces of the campaign and
how this will occur).
 Schedule remaining kick off meetings as needed,
as well as regular (weekly or bi-weekly) check-in
meetings to review and make decisions on evolving
and ongoing campaign needs.

16. Kickoff & Collaboration
 Determine campaign approval process (i.e. who
needs to review which pieces of the campaign and
how this will occur).
 Schedule remaining kick off meetings as needed,
as well as regular (weekly or bi-weekly) check-in
meetings to review and make decisions on evolving
and ongoing campaign needs.

17. Audience Segmentation

18. Audience/Segmentation/Data
 Review data on potential audience
segments/groups that you want to target (really, it
should be your WHOLE FILE, or as many people as
you can include!)

19. Audience/Segmentation/Data
 Determine if you want to add new members to your
file via online list acquisition
– Be sure to plan far enough ahead to acquire/add
them if needed!

20. Puppy Mills List Acquisition via Advocacy
Change.org
Care2
100k+ new names added to our online file via advocacy for this one campaign!

21. Audience/Segmentation/Data
 Finalize audience segments/groups and determine
the offers & appeals to each (particularly when
fundraising from different types of donors and nondonors, and new list members)
 Determine how audience will be tracked
throughout and after the campaign in order to
measure success

22. Audience/Segmentation/Data
 Finalize audience segments/groups and determine
the offers & appeals to each (particularly when
fundraising from different types of donors and nondonors, and new list members)
 Determine how audience will be tracked
throughout and after the campaign in order to
measure success

23. Customized Approach to Groups
 Groups we segmented
and appealed to
differently during the
campaign:
 Major donors
 Non-donor action-takers
 1x campaign donors
(~10 days after 1x gift)

24. Customized Approach to Groups
 Groups we segmented
and appealed to
differently during the
campaign:
– Major donors
– Non-donor action-takers
– 1x campaign donors
(~10 days after 1x gift)

25. Customized Approach to Groups
 Groups we segmented
and appealed to
differently during the
campaign:
– Major donors
– Non-donor action-takers
– 1x campaign donors
(~10 days after 1x gift)

26. Schedules & Timing

27. Scheduling & Timing
 Identify the campaign start and end dates
– Don’t forget to include conversion and cultivation emails
within these dates!
 Create a calendar of dates for each channels’
initiatives and make this a shared document (or use
a tool like Outlook or Google Calendars) in order to
allow everyone to see/change these dates as
necessary
 Create a master schedule of tasks and milestones

28. Scheduling & Timing
 Identify the campaign start and end dates
– Don’t forget to include conversion and cultivation emails
within these dates!
 Create a calendar of dates for each channels’
initiatives and make this a shared document (or use
a tool like Outlook or Google Calendars) in order to
allow everyone to see/change these dates as
necessary
 Create a master schedule of tasks and milestones

29. Scheduling & Timing
 Identify the campaign start and end dates
– Don’t forget to include conversion and cultivation emails
within these dates!
 Create a calendar of dates for each channels’
initiatives and make this a shared document (or use
a tool like Outlook or Google Calendars) in order to
allow everyone to see/change these dates as
necessary
 Create a master schedule of tasks and milestones

30. Campaign Outline + Action Items +
Calendar
Campaign Outline & Action Items
Outlook Calendar: Main Dates

31. Goals & Measurement

32. Campaign Goals & Measurement
 Define the primary and secondary goals of the
campaign and make sure you have actual target
numbers for key metrics such as:
– Primary and secondary goals
– Projected Revenue, actions, emails, phone numbers
 Define success metrics & get agreement on them
– aggregate, by channel, both?
 Define analytics tracking strategy to capture data
(tool(s), data points, etc.)

33. Campaign Goals & Measurement
 Define the primary and secondary goals of the
campaign. Make sure you have actual target
numbers for key metrics such as:
– Primary and secondary goals
– Projected Revenue, actions, emails, phone numbers
 Define success metrics & get agreement on them
– aggregate, by channel, both?
 Define analytics tracking strategy to capture data
(tool(s), data points, etc.)

34. Campaign Goals & Measurement
 Define the primary and secondary goals of the
campaign. Make sure you have actual target
numbers for key metrics such as:
– Primary and secondary goals
– Projected Revenue, actions, emails, phone numbers
 Define success metrics & get agreement on them
– aggregate, by channel, both?
 Define analytics tracking strategy to capture data
(tool(s), data points, etc.)

35. Campaign Goals & Measurement
 Set up your
analytics to see
paths to
conversion–
– goals, attribution,
assisted
conversions by
source, event
tagging, etc.
 Track
engagement
across devices

36. Campaign Goals & Measurement
 Tip: Setup your GA multi-channel funnels

37. Campaign Goals and Measurement
 TIP: Create a reporting template in advance with
your performance metrics
 Q&A and test data capture before launch to
ensure all data can be captured and reported on
– DON’T get hung up on this! Keep it actionable, based on
your systems and capabilities

38. Campaign Goals and Measurement
 TIP: Create a reporting template in advance with
your performance metrics
 Q&A and test data capture before launch to
ensure all data can be captured and reported on
– DON’T get hung up on this! Keep it actionable, based on
your systems and capabilities

39. Channels

40. Channels
 Select the appropriate channels to use and test
–
–
–
–
Match campaign to audiences
All online, online and offline?
Does timing work for all channels?
“Natural” partners
•
•
•
•
Search, email, display, social, web, mobile
Email, DM (dependent on emails) and TM
Events, social, mobile
DRTV, phone, web, search, display
 Identify sequencing and use of channels during the campaign

41. Channels
 Select the appropriate channels to use and test
–
–
–
–
Match campaign to audiences
All online, online and offline?
Does timing work for all channels?
“Natural” partners
•
•
•
•
Search, email, display, social, web, mobile
Email, DM (dependent on emails) and TM
Events, social, mobile
DRTV, phone, web, search, display
 Identify sequencing and use of channels during the
campaign
–
Pre and/or post emails with DM, advocacy “warmup,” search and retargeting,
followup telemarketing, etc.

42. Summer 2013 Puppy Mills Campaign
Included all major online channels as well as mail and telemarketing

43. Audience Participation – Yes, You!
What channel integration and sequencing
has worked best for you?

44. Messaging & Creative

45. Messaging & Creative
 Develop Strategy & Creative Brief that includes:
 Campaign Theme
 Goals
 Offer(s) –premiums, ask strings,
other.
 Audience segments/groups
 Channels
 Sample Messaging
 Branding elements, creative tone,
essential imagery and copy that
should be present in each channel
communication
 Messaging adaptions (as
appropriate) for each channel
 Creative test variations (creative
elements, landing pages, video,
etc.)
 Key dates and deadlines

46. Messaging & Creative
 Have a plan for breaking news that relates to your
campaign. Otherwise, you can miss an opportunity.
 Be open and opportunistic.

47. Messaging & Creative
 Have a plan for breaking news that relates to your
campaign. Otherwise, you can miss an opportunity.
 Be open and opportunistic.

48. Be Prepared for Surprises/Opportunities
Puppy Mill rescue emergency appeal #1
Puppy Mill rescue emergency appeal #2

49. Messaging & Creative
 Will you have same messaging and offer in all channels for
campaign timeframe?

It doesn’t always make sense to do so.
 Get signoff on the Brief from all pertinent parties

50. Integrate for the Big Ones!
 As Kelly would say, Duh 

51. Testing & Optimization

52. Testing & Optimization
 Define test elements and document.
 Copy and Design
 Timing of channel
communication
 One channel vs. another
 Offer(s)
 Email
 Subject line, design,
copy, image, sig,
sender, offer
 Donation form elements:
 Design, copy, video
vs. image, gift string
amounts, order
 Use of website tactics
such as windowshades/
lightboxes
 SMS copy or timing
 Images vs. videos on
social media and
landing pages

53. Testing & Optimization
 Define test and control groups
 Assign group setup
 Add final test and control group into the reporting
template

54. Testing & Optimization
 Calculate what could make the biggest difference
– If I can get 5% of donors to upgrade their gifts
– If I can increase my donation conversion rate by 10%; my
clickthrough rate by 3%; my CPA by 5%

55. Testing & Optimization
 Define test and control groups
 Assign data pulls and group setup
 Add final test and control group into the reporting
template

56. Testing & Optimization
 Define test and control groups
 Assign group setup
 Add final test and control group into the reporting
template

57. Testing & Optimization
 Determine your plan for testing
– When testing email items such as subject lines, the best way
to do this is to send two test emails (each with a different
subject line/other variation) to a small portion of your
audience 24 hours ahead of the main/full-file email. This
way, you have enough time to see if one variation has a lift
over the other, then you’ll go out to your full-file the
following day using the winning format
 Identify optimization decision points on the
campaign calendar

58. Testing & Optimization
 Determine your plan for testing
– When testing email items such as subject lines, the best way
to do this is to send two test emails (each with a different
subject line/other variation) to a small portion of your
audience 24 hours ahead of the main/full-file email. This
way, you have enough time to see if one variation has a lift
over the other, then you’ll go out to your full-file the
following day using the winning format
 Identify optimization decision points on the
campaign calendar

59. Sample Test Plan
TEST: Is there a difference in revenue raised when we
appeal using a donor’s largest transaction amount on
record versus using their last donation amount?
METHOD: A/B split test via email
RESULTS:
• Average gift was 10% higher when we used the
largest transaction on record.
•
9% higher conversion rate when we used the last
transaction on record.
•
However, there was no significant difference in
overall funds raised ($100 difference).
•
No difference in response rate (both 0.04%)
•
NOTE: Small sample size was approx. 100k.

60. Cultivation & Conversion

61. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Create your welcome and conversion series BEFORE
you launch!
 Reference came messaging tone and look as
campaign

62. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Create your welcome and conversion series BEFORE
you launch!
 Reference same messaging tone and look as
campaign

63. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Determine segments for conversion & cultivation
plan, e.g.
– One-time donors to the campaign should get a sustainer invite
10 days after their donation (whether this is during the campaign
or after)
– Non-donors should be asked for a one-time donation after the
campaign ends –and you may use another channel such as
telemarketing if all prior asks were done online. Donors who give
should get a sustaining donor appeal shortly thereafter!

64. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Determine what your cultivation series (or single
cultivation email) will look like.
– Always thank action-takers and/or donors as your final
communication about the campaign.
– Some additional questions to consider:
• Will you follow up with campaign action-takers and/or donors
in the future? If so, when and what will you say?
 Calendar all dates for cultivation and conversion
within the main campaign calendar

65. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Determine what your cultivation series (or single
cultivation email) will look like.
– Always thank action-takers and/or donors as your final
communication about the campaign.
– Some additional questions to consider:
• Will you follow up with campaign action-takers and/or donors
in the future? If so, when and what will you say?
 Calendar all dates for cultivation and conversion
within the main campaign calendar

66. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
To end the campaign, we thanked donors (left) and action-taker/non-donors (right).
We recapped the campaign and mentioned our plans for the remainder of the year.

67. Cultivation & Conversion Strategy Plan
 Tip: Think (way) ahead. Create a strategy and
campaign for lapsed donor communications
frequency reporting methods and goals for
retention or reactivation
– e.g. for canceled sustainers

68. HSUS Canceled Monthly Donors
 Goal: Reinstate lapsing and canceled monthly
donors by asking them to become monthly donors
again.
 Channels used: Email, website landing pages,
inbound call center, outbound call center

69. HSUS Canceled Monthly Donors
 Methodology:
• Series of emails to all lapsing and canceled online monthly
donors, asking them to become a monthly donor again.
• Outgoing emails include a link to dedicated donation forms, as
well as a phone number to our membership inbound call
center.
• After emails/inbound call center period is over, all nonreinstated sustaining donors are called by an outbound call
center.

70. HSUS Canceled Monthly Donors

71. HSUS Canceled Monthly Donors
RESULTS:
• Of all of the canceled
monthly donors included
in these programs, an
average of:
 6.8% reactivate by
email
 1.3% reactivate via
the inbound call
center
 6.2% are
reactivated via the
outbound call
center
Reactivation Rate by Channel
Email
Inbound Call Center
Outbound Call Center

72. Reporting

73. Reporting
 Identify who will be responsible for Q&A of data
throughout the campaign, data pulls and reporting,
including third-party vendors (match-back, etc.)
 Identify frequency of reporting

74. Reporting
 Identify who will be responsible for Q&A of data
throughout the campaign, data pulls and reporting,
including third-party vendors (match-back, etc.)
 Identify frequency of reporting

75. Reporting
 Identify report formats
– Dashboard for executives vs. spreadsheets for
your team
 Identify all parties who will receive reports and how
often these reports will be sent
 Identify timing of final campaign report and
schedule a post-campaign review/reporting
meeting.

76. Reporting
 Identify report formats
– Dashboard for executives vs. spreadsheets for
your team
 Identify all parties who will receive reports and how
often these reports will be sent
 Identify timing of final campaign report and
schedule a post-campaign review/reporting
meeting.

77. Reporting
 Identify report formats
– Dashboard for executives vs. spreadsheets for
your team
 Identify all parties who will receive reports and how
often these reports will be sent
 Identify timing of final campaign report and
schedule a post-campaign review/reporting
meeting.

78. Post-Campaign Review

79. Post-Campaign Review
 Gather cross-channel team when the final report is
complete
 Review final campaign report and results by
channel
 Document learnings from each channel for future
campaigns and disseminate internally

80. Post-Campaign Review
 Gather cross-channel team when the final report is
complete
 Review final campaign report and results by
channel
 Document learnings from each channel for future
campaigns and disseminate internally

81. Post-Campaign Review
 Gather cross-channel team when the final report is
complete
 Review final campaign report and results by
channel
 Document learnings from each channel for future
campaigns and disseminate internally

82. Puppy Mills Campaign Reports
(detailed & executive)

83. Post-Campaign Review
 Identify opportunities for new integrated
campaign(s)
 Schedule planning session for next campaign

84. Post-Campaign Review
 Identify opportunities for new integrated
campaign(s)
 Schedule planning session for next campaign

85. THANK
YOU
Any Questions?
#AtTheBridge

86. Interact with US
 Tweet at us
– @redengine
– @humanesociety
 Like us on Facebook!
– www.facebook.com/redenginedigital
– www.facebook.com/humanesociety
 Check out our websites
– www.Redenginedigital.com
– www.hsus.org