Tattoo You: San Diego’s KPBS makes its mark on members

You know you’re building a close relationship when there’s skin contact.

That might explain why last October, KPBS used temporary tattoos as a premium during an online renewal drive to public radio supporters.

But the San Diego public broadcasting outlet’s one-to-one efforts aren’t just skin deep. The TV and radio station is continually drilling deeper into a database also used for campaign planning and analysis, particularly targeting high-end donors with customized contacts.

KPBS has three basic membership levels: $120, $90 and $60. The station offers a tiered level of premiums such as an aerial photography video called “San Diego Above All” and MemberCard Plus cards offering discounts to local shops and restaurants to encourage higher $90-to-$120-plus donations.

Only a small percentage of the KPBS database consists of mid-level $300-plus or high-level $1,000-plus donors. Most contributors give between $45 and $60.

TESTING PAYS OFF

Beginning in December, managers at KPBS began making personal thank you calls to mid-level donors in an effort to increase membership retention at that level of support. About 200 members – half of the mid-level donors – were called as part of the test.

KPBS also recently began testing how special events affect long-term member retention. The station recently tested mailing postcard invitations for events to 50% of new members acquired through on-air pledge drives. The on-air drives generate 3,500 to 4,000 pledges, the bulk of which are typically new members.

Database segments are selected to receive invitations to the events, intended to foster more personal relationships with contributors. Members who gave during a science program, for example, might receive an invitation to an affair at a local aquarium.

The overall objective is to increase renewal rates of new members. “First-time contributors don’t renew as well as long-time supporters,” says Kim Jones, director of membership.KPBS uses database records from 172,000 curr ent and past contributors to profile and differentiate categories of supporters. Such data identifies membership status: multiple-gift contributors, supporters working at corporations with matching gifts, and response history to on-air, mail and telephone fundraising appeals.

Perhaps the most important data concerns the type of program aired and topics discussed during pledge breaks that generate donations. On-air chatter targets demographic groups such as the elderly, while spikes in inbound phone calls are analyzed to determine what works.

“When we have a sense of who the audience is going to be we can use a message that appeals to that group,” says Mike Wallace, director of fundraising.

For instance, fundraising during Lawrence Welk programs works well with older generations moved by a subtle message appealing for “everyone to do their part,” he says. During another segment, KPBS reminds stay-at-home parents that public TV is good for children because unlike commercial TV, it doesn’t treat their young minds like a commodity ripe for advertising messages.

KPBS tracks supporters starting with their first pledge. Age, ethnicity, amount pledged and other data are entered in the database by volunteers answering inbound calls during pledge drives. Response tracking also includes the method of payment.

Mail and phone calls are the primary methods for communicating with members. For combination mail and phone campaigns, KPBS identifies its top five categories of contributors. The number of mailings and outbound calls is determined by analyzing past response and usually timed to coincide with on-air drives. KPBS regularly follows up with nonrespondents by phone for membership renewals, reactivation of lapsed members and additional gifts.

Regardless of the media used the goal is always to try to increase the amount of money contributed. As an incentive to give more, KPBS uses a tiered system of premium offers, such as coffee mugs and membership cards offering discounts at local restaurants and public events.

KPBS begins mailing renewal notices three months prior to membership expiration dates. Additional mail is sent to contributors with a history of giving multiple contributions within one year.

Response to mail typically ranges between 3% and 4.5% for members, 1% for prospecting and 2.5% to 3% for reactivating lapsed contributors, according to Jones. On-air pledge drives typically generate about 4,000 contributions. Outbound phone campaigns are run until response dips below 32% because phone contact is the most expensive, says Jones.

A less-expensive alternative is the Web. Wallace notes that KPBS uses on-air announcements offering additional information to generate traffic to its site (www.KPBS.org). And it’s continually testing online with things like the tattoo premium, which was targeted at members listening to KPBS radio at work. Responses to that premium accounted for 11% of member renewals in October 1999. “The Web is one more way to connect with members,” says Wallace.