Tad Druart, Convio

While online fundraising continues to be a growth engine for many nonprofit organizations, the data -- real and anecdotal -- shows that engaging constituents through an integrated, multi-channel approach provides the greatest return over the life of most supporters. Integrating the latest technology and applications can also help you empower your most ardent supporters to share your story in ways that reach, inspire, and motivate others to join your cause.

Yet for most organizations the nirvana of integrated marketing is still an illusion.

With limited marketing resources, organizations need to spend their time and money as efficiently and effectively as possible. How can an organization start doing a better job of integrating the multiple channels, applications, and technologies needed to be successful in today's world?

The first steps are not as hard as they might seem -- and given the influence each communications channel has on the performance of other channels, this integration is imperative.

Integrate your people

Too often, organizations have established silos across their business processes. No one wants to do this, but organizational processes, busy schedules, and conflicting priorities can keep people and ideas from integrating to serve your mission.

One of the first steps is to break down the people silos so that communications are integrated and consistent. This helps everyone in the organization understand what the organization needs and wants to promote, as well as the actions you want constituents to take.

At a recent conference, Grace Markarian from the Humane Society of the United States told the audience that the HSUS team meets nine minutes a day to share what's going on. On a busy day, this meeting can last up to 16 minutes. The meetings have helped them become better integrated as a team, helping them integrate ideas and content into their communications and marketing efforts.

All organizations should and can make staff sharing and integration a habit. If your team is not integrated, it's difficult to integrate your communications.

Here are a few more ways to integrate the team:

1. Bring program, development, and executive staff together to listen to what key existing and prospective constituents need and want.
2. Regularly re-use and recycle. You've probably already created great content for one audience that with small modifications can be re-used to convey a compelling message to another audience. Regularly sharing your work across the organization helps people know what is available and how it can be used.
3. Make sure everyone understands what the organization wants to promote and the most important actions constituents can and should take.

Know your audience and their needs

Donors and other supporters are accustomed to a multi-channel world. In fact, research into the habits of mid- and major-level donors shows that eight in ten have made donations online, and an equal number have written a check in response to direct mail, sent in via postal mail. These individuals are getting their information from multiple sources.

In addition to consistently delivering core messages, provide your audience the opportunity to direct and manage their engagement with your organization. Either through your website or as part of an annual campaign, ask your constituents their preferred methods of receiving information, the frequency at which they expect to receive communications, and if and how they want to communicate back to the organization.

Knowing if your constituents prefer online, print, or if they're willing to receive text messages, helps you plan, prioritize, and succeed. Through this process, you can better determine the content and resources needed to inspire and move your constituents.

Some best practices for integrated marketing

Now that your staff is aligned and you understand the channels your donors prefer, communicate and cross promote your channels.

For example, even if a direct mail piece asks for a response by mail, a constituent may elect to do further research on the organization's website first -- and may also prefer to make an online gift. Organizations savvy to this trend have started promoting specific URLs or web page addresses to donors so that the organization can more easily track the source of the gift.

To reach a more mobile constituency, organizations are allowing people to opt into text message programs, as well. The text messages are used to remind people of key events, deadlines, or immediate opportunities to give.

To optimize the potential for integrated marketing, it is essential to collect as many email addresses as you can for current direct mail donors so that you can engage them online. Ask for email addresses through all forms of communication, including direct mail reply devices, online registration, special events, and telephone contacts.

Additionally, actively encourage direct mail recipients to go online to donate. Direct mail campaigns can drive donors to specific landing pages or micro-sites that coordinate with the theme of the direct-mail campaign. Radio and telemarketing campaigns can also champion the online medium by reminding constituents of the wealth of information available on an organization's website.

Driving offline donors online is important not only because online gifts are generally higher, but because you collect their email address and are able to solicit and engage them across both mail and online thereafter.

Studies have found that direct mail donors converted to dual-channel donors exhibit much better retention and annual value. Conversely, online acquired donors also should be sent direct mail appeals unless they expressly opt-out of mail communications. It is also true that online acquired donors in general are mail-responsive, too, and that converting them to dual-channel donors can improve annual value by 100 percent.

The goal for every organization is to have an integrated staff that translates into an integrated marketing plan. Strive to take the best parts of online marketing -- such as websites, email newsletters, search engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertising -- and use that to make your traditional, offline efforts such as direct mail, advertising, and public relations even more effective.