Maximize Results with Integrated Marketing Communications

* Promote your online efforts through radio and telemarketing campaigns. Don’t miss a great opportunity to drive traffic to your Web site by mentioning it as part of your radio and telemarketing messages. Highlighting information that is unique to your Web site might prompt an individual to pay a visit.

* Create unique landing pages on your Web site for each direct-mail campaign: Web pages (or better yet, micro-sites) that have been customized for a specific direct-mail campaign make it easy to track results from your offline efforts, and also might encourage individuals used to the offline medium to move online.

* Ensure consistent themes, branding, and messages across all channels. Consistency in these three areas reinforces your brand, as well as your message, and helps keep your organization top of mind. Receiving an e-mail with a compelling image and message one day, and then a postcard with a similar look and feel and message the following week, could prompt a procrastinating constituent to get online and make a donation or mail a check to you instead.

* Cross-pollinate your lists: Introduce donors who have only interacted with you online to direct-mail communications, and vice versa. Track their responsiveness by channel to optimize future campaign results.

Above all, identify and use a combination of offline and online marketing communications tailored to the preferences of each donor. If a constituent clearly has expressed a desire for contact online (either through their actions or by telling you directly), then respect their wishes. Learn from each constituent’s actions and adapt your communications accordingly. You will be able to raise constituent relationships and donations to new levels.

Gene Austin is chief executive officer of Convio. www.convio.com