Lead Generation for Sustainers

Challenge

Our client was looking to increase the number of monthly givers (sustainers) and had recently struggled with the cost and limited scale of their existing approach. They hypothesized that online lead-gen followed by a quick-turn TM campaign could be a better approach. In order to make the ROI viable based on the two-stage conversion funnel (converting at both the lead-gen and the sustainer TM stages) they would need to achieve $2 or better CPL while maintaining a high degree of lead quality.

Strategy 

Further’s solution focused on Facebook and our team applied effective targeting and segmentation strategies coupled with daily monitoring of performance to target high quality, high response leads at the desired cost. We measured ‘quality’ through a closed-loop reporting feed with the client’s TM team. (Incidentally, this client used in-house callers rather than a 3rd party TM provider.)

In addition to anti-targeting existing sustainers and other audiences that were undesirable for the call to action, we identified new qualified lead audiences through behavior and interest insights.

Results

• Stage 1 (lead-gen conversion) CPL was significantly better than target KPI’s at all stages of the campaign
• At one point the charity asked Further to reduce spend because the TM team couldn’t keep up with the volume we were providing; ultimately they grew the TM team from 2 callers to 5.
• Stage 2 (TM) conversion rates remained consistent despite a dramatic increase in scale
• The program continues to run (with rotating campaign themes) as an evergreen pipeline for sustainers