The Union Rescue Mission of Los Angeles has named Grizzard Communications Group its agency of record.
Grizzard, part of media conglomerate Omnicom Group, will be managing the direct response fundraising initiatives for one of the largest rescue missions in the US. Its responsibilities will include direct mail, online integration, e-mail and telemarketing.
Grizzard began working with the Union Rescue Mission doing its custom newsletters and was hired as AOR based on that relationship.
“URM didn’t do an official review,” said Chip Grizzard, CEO of Grizzard. “They liked what they saw, understood the value that we were bringing to the table and decided to make a change.”
Grizzard has pinpointed four key strategies for URM.
One is to better evaluate the quality of donors coming in through acquisition efforts. “A lot of organizations are evaluating their acquisition results based an initial mailing and not on the long-term value of donors,” said Grizzard. “We’re looking at long-term value and trying to bring in donors that yield the highest net over time.”
The agency also will focus on integrated marketing campaigns. “Those involved in integrated marketing are bringing in more new donors that those who are not involved in it,” said Grizzard.
Creating programs that tie current donors closer to the organization will be another area of focus. “One of the things we’ve learned about baby boomers is that they will give more money to fewer organizations,” explains Grizzard.
Finally, Grizzard will be working with URM on doing things that “stand out and are different to create better results,” said Grizzard.
URM is dedicated to serving the poor and homeless of greater Los Angeles. It provides emergency shelter, food, Christian-based counseling, education, physical fitness, job training and transitional housing. The numbers of single guests are up at least 25% this year, and the number of meals served up from approximately 750,000 in 2007 to more than one million in 2008.
