Email and Phone: Friends or Foes?
	Posted by Guest Blogger at Jul 25, 2013 07:04 AM CDT

This article was written by guest author Jamie Natelson, Vice President, Avalon.

I hear it all over the industry and from a few of my clients: why can’t we do that by email? The drums have been beating for nearly a decade about the new frontier. What I say to them is yes, you should have a healthy digital marketing campaign, but you need to keep your toes in every channel if you want to raise money … and that includes telemarketing.

First of all, telemarketing works. Contacting your donors by phone improves overall donor value. Even if they do not make a pledge, they are more likely to give your next appeal ― mail or email — a second look. When you engage a donor directly, you can start a conversation, educate them about the program, overcome misconceptions ― and in most cases (really!) leave them with a better feeling about the organization and the work that it does.

Digital efforts and telemarketing efforts increase donor value — together this value is higher. So, I ask you … why wouldn’t you integrate them?  Here are some ways to do so:

• Send donors an email outlining your sustainer program and its benefits (remember the pre-call postcards; this is cheaper and easier by email), tell them to expect a phone call, and follow up with a conversation to answer any questions and close the deal. You can also send a follow-up email to hedges or to invite those you could not reach to your monthly giving program.
• In fact, you can do this email/phone hit on an appeal, a renewal or an online activist conversion program to great success. If you don’t believe me – test it.
• Another way to get the most out of the phone/email combination is to create a landing page for every telemarketing campaign. Make sure it is something simple to remember (\renew or \call).  Share this with your callers so they have another trusted place to tell contacts about during the call.         
• Use email as the first line to collect fulfillment. Cost can vary with firms, but this is an easy way to save on printing and postage costs — and it is an email gathering device.
• While you have them on the phone, why not do some list building? Sadly, most asks are just give us your email and we will send you updates. If you can, think of a more creative way or something that you can send them that will make them want to give you that email. That personal ask on the phone goes a long way.      
• Also, you can use the phone effectively to convert your online activists and petition signers to donors.

You have heard it before: test, test again, and then test some more.  Each organization is different, and you need to find the cadence, balance, timing, etc. of what works for you.

The important thing is to be creative in how you use all channels, and remember that integration always strengthens each channel and improves donor value.

So, what are you waiting for? Make a call, send an email or consider both!