CASE STUDY
Metro Ministries:
Fall 2008 Multichannel Campaign
CHALLENGE: Create a successful fundraising campaign for Operation Holiday Hope, at a time when many people were struggling in the wake of the economic downturn.
Metro Ministries is a Christian, nonprofit organization dedicated to serving inner city children throughout the five boroughs of New York City and in various urban centers around the world. Its Operation Holiday Hope outreach provides a new gift wrapped toy to children at Christmas, often the first new toy a child has ever received. It also provides a one-on-one way for Metro Ministries to minister to children and share the Gospel.
SOLUTION: An integrated campaign using the web, e-mail and direct mail.
STRATMARK developed two mailings using the Operation Holiday Hope offer: a newsletter followed by a direct mail appeal. Stratmark’s online division, is7, created a homepage refresh for the Metro Ministries web page and Operation Holiday Hope landing page that featured a strong push to give a gift online. The direct mail appeal included the URL for the Operation Holiday Hope landing page and a push to give directly online. Coinciding with the in-home dates for the direct mail pieces, is7 also sent an e-mail blast to about 22,000 Metro Ministries donors, again with a direct link to give a gift online.
RESULTS: Significant income increases across all channels!
Combined efforts for this campaign made it possible for Metro Ministries to serve 28% more children than they were able to serve the previous year, in both the U.S. and abroad. No child went without. This integrated campaign was the first of its kind for Metro Ministries and proved to be a great success. The added e-campaign elements and additional direct mail appeal letter brought a new level of continuity and interaction for the donor file, and helped bring new life to an already successful annual campaign.
