Making the Right Call

Experienced marketers understand that reactivating lapsed donors is more cost-effective than acquiring new donors. It comes right out of the traditional marketing playbook. "It's cheaper to reclaim a former customer than it is to get a new one." Just ask Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.

No matter how you slice it, the immediate cost, response and long-term value of retention make it a very compelling value proposition for any marketer.