AFP Westchester NPD 2013 Email and Beyond Bob Wesolowski/Sean Kehoe

Email and BeyondPresented by:Bob Wesolowski Sean KehoePresident Vice PresidentCaring Habits, Inc. Trinity Direct, Inc.Briarcliff Manor, NY Butler, NJ 1-888-CHI-0500 1-973-283-3600

Enables you to coordinate direct mail, email and web landing pages.

Enables you to provide a clear, consistent message across all mediums.

Enables donors to respond quickly and efficiently in their preferred medium, 24/7.

Email and Beyond – Multi-Channel Approach

Copyright ©2013 Caring Habits, Inc., Briarcliff Manor, NY 1-888-CHI-0500

Email and Beyond – Landing Page Fundamentals


1. Make the landing page easy to find.2. NEVER require donors to log in. Everyone

should be allowed to contribute.3. Give your form a positive identity. What

does the form say about your program?4. Use the page to reinforce your message.

Repurpose copy.5. Keep the form simple. Remove

unnecessary options. Use two forms if necessary.

Email and Beyond – 10 Tips for a Better Landing Page


6. Always use a giving table. How much do YOU want donors to contribute?

7. Avoid distractions. Don’t let donors detour. Lose the nav bar.

8. Lose the “sales tax”, “S&H fee” and “shipping address” fields while you’re at it.

9. Test. Test. Test. It’s the only way to improve results.

10. Listen to your vendors.

Email and Beyond – 10 Tips for a Better Landing Page


Copyright ©2013 Caring Habits, Inc., Briarcliff Manor, NY and Trinity Direct, Inc, Butler, NJ

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Use the right software for the blast or have a vendor perform the service.

Provide an appropriate landing page. Three ways to handle a donation. All landing

pages are not created equal.◦ Develop a Stand-Alone page.◦ Develop a page with Dynamic Linking.◦ Develop a page with an Application Program

Interface (API).

Email and Beyond – Email Landing Pages


Advantages:◦ Easy to build and not very expensive.◦ Creates a customized landing page that reinforces

your message. Limitations:

◦ How do you calculate effectiveness? Did the donor respond? Did the donor contribute? Where did the donor come from (direct mail, e-blast,

web, another page on your site)?◦ Partially mitigated by using appropriate software.◦ How do you update donor records?

Email and Beyond – Stand-Alone Pages


Definition: An application (the landing page) “calls” an external source (the URL) as needed during execution to capture data.◦ The link URL can contain donor ID’s, appeal

codes, source codes, giving tables and more.https://www.chi-cash-advance.com/sforms/appeal1305/Contribute.aspx?

Field57208=DonorID&Field60694=cammslnvB

◦ Can be used even with low or modest transaction activity.

Email and Beyond – Dynamic Linking


Advantages:◦ Can be used with all email blasts.◦ Accurately reports the source of all donations.◦ Accurately captures important personal data.

Limitations:◦ Requires programming to develop some e-blasts.◦ Requires a processor who can capture and report

on the additional data. Landing page must be programmed to capture data.



How does it work?1. You imbed key info in the “Donate” button on

the email.2. You send the blast to donors.3. Donors click the “Donate” button in the email.4. Dynamic Link parses the inbound URL, extracts

key info and populates designated fields on the landing page.

5. Donors complete other required fields and submit the donation for payment.



Definition: An Application Programming Interface (API) is a program that specifies how some software components should interact with each other.◦ Generally used for originators who:

Process significant transaction volume; Require real-time reporting, e.g. a shopping cart or

event sign-ups; Want to maintain control of all credit card processing.

Email and Beyond – Application Program Interface


Advantages:◦ Originator controls the process, beginning to end.◦ Originator receives real-time notifications.

Very effective for time-sensitive transactions.◦ Can simplify tracking and reporting.◦ Database (inventory) is often updated in real-time.

Limitations:◦ Requires significant activity to be worth the cost.◦ Requires outside programming resources and a

stable processing environment.◦ Integration with other systems can be tricky.



How Does it Work?1. Donor lands on your form, completes required

fields and submits the transaction for payment.2. “Submit” button sends a “post” to the processor’s

form. Can include transaction number, amount and other identifying information.

3. Donor enters credit card number and expiration date on processor’s form and hits “Submit”.

4. Processor sends a post (the response) back to the originator.

5. Originator acknowledges the payment and updates their database.



Technology

AFP Westchester NPD 2013 Email and Beyond Bob Wesolowski/Sean Kehoe