How Adding SMS Reinforcement to a Direct Mail Appeal Increased Lapsed Donor Reactivation Reactivation by 571%

Patrick Doty
Senior Consultant, Client Services

How do you know if a new idea will work to strengthen your donor file?

Test, test, test.

It’s a “simple” solution, but it typically garners big answers that give you guidance on what to do next. Whether you’re looking to make a campaign-sized switch for an appeal package or considering opening up another channel for donor communication and messaging, testing is often the first step that lets you know if you’re on the right track.

Douglas Shaw & Associates conducted a test with a longtime ministry client of ours, and it’s hard to argue with the results, which you’ll see below: Lapsed donors were more engaged and more responsive—all of which led to more income! Take a look . . .

Client Profile
A nationwide international Bible translation organization focused on advancing Scripture translation and engagement around the world.

Problem Statement
Douglas Shaw & Associates wanted to determine whether SMS could effectively complement this client’s direct mail fundraising efforts, particularly among lapsed donors. Client leadership was cautious about introducing text messaging to its donor communications strategy and wanted evidence that the channel could drive meaningful donor response before expanding its use more broadly.

Strategy
We recommended a controlled test focused on lapsed donors, a segment where the potential upside outweighed perceived communication risks. The hypothesis was that a timely SMS reminder tied directly to a mailed appeal would both:

1. Increase engagement
2. Prompt more donors to reactivate their giving

By connecting physical mail with digital outreach, the organization could reinforce the fundraising message while providing a convenient path to give online. We specifically wanted to learn if text messaging could serve as a valuable donor engagement channel without negatively affecting donor relationships.

Implementation
Approximately 30,000 donor records were divided into a control group and a test group.

Performance was tracked to the initial mailing, then revenue was tracked for the next 12 months to evaluate the long-term impact of the communication strategy.

Results
Analysis showed that while SMS provided a positive response lift overall, its most significant impact was among lapsed donors, validating the organization’s decision to begin testing within this audience segment.

The pilot’s success led to broader adoption of SMS communications, including mid-year engagement campaigns, Thanksgiving outreach, Christmas engagement messaging, year-end fundraising texts, and emergency response communications.

Douglas Shaw & Associates routinely and strategically deploys tests to determine where and how your organization can increase donations and engage donors in truly meaningful ways.

Get in touch with us today about what ideas you might have—or how we can help determine where testing could play a key role in improving your results.