Sanky Blog

Sanky Communications is proud to announce our partnership with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Since 1967, CCFA has led the way in research, advocacy, and patient support for those suffering from these diseases.

Currently the Foundation has over 50,000 members and 40 chapters nationwide. In an effort to revamp the way CCFA connects with its members, SankyDirect will be spearheading an innovative direct mail campaign that emphasizes the importance of membership to CCFA’s many supporters and contributors.

In the coming months, SankyDirect and SankyNet will also be working hard to integrate the offline and online components of CCFA’s campaigns. This will not only help educate and update as many people as possible about breakthroughs in research, it will also help raise funds at key times throughout the year. We are looking forward to using social networking in this capacity to expand CCFA’s base of supporters.

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America sponsors high quality basic and clinical research and provides education and supportive services for healthcare professionals, patients and their families. The organization currently raises more than $30 million annually through memberships, fundraising events, sponsorships and other programs. We are excited to help CCFA grow and reach out to its members in new ways through its direct mail and internet programs! Please visit CCFA’s website for more information at ccfa.org.

Each June, members of the Direct Marketing Fundraising Association (DMFA) present their best direct mail and email fundraising campaigns for a chance to win the Package of the Year Award. This year, SankyNet submitted a year-end email postcard sent on behalf of Covenant House.

We are pleased to announce that SankyNet’s year-end appeal for Covenant House was honored as the runner-up in this extremely competitive category!  The highly effective email postcard was sent after a month of heavy solicitation, yet still raised over $150,000 in just 3 days.

Timing is always a key factor when developing a strategy for e-solicitation.  During the winter holiday season, SankyNet sent Covenant House donors three compelling appeals capitalizing on an exciting matching gift opportunity.

The award-winning year-end postcard followed this robust campaign.  Sent during the last moments of 2009, the postcard encouraged donors to take advantage of their last chance to receive a 2009 tax-deduction as well as have their gift matched 2-to-1.

Because of its impeccable timing, this attractive and relevant postcard proved to be most successful solicitation SankyNet produced for Covenant House that year – and the results more than doubled what was raised during the 2008 Year-End campaign.

We are truly grateful to work with dynamic organizations such as Covenant House, and proud to help them achieve such growth in their fundraising programs even during these difficult times. This honor is truly a reflection of Covenant House’s commitment to excellence as they work to rescue homeless kids from life on the streets.

View all the DMFA awards from Package of the Year.

How do you separate the buzz from real best practices in developing an integrated fundraising program? Do you know what multi-channel techniques truly increase donor value and boost your bottom line?

Join Sanky Communications experts, Harry Lynch and Paul Habig, at Fundraising Day in New York, for answers to some of today’s most pressing questions about integration. Learn how to combine the latest online breakthroughs with the most effective offline tools. See how web design, email, and social media, search engine marketing and even text messaging can all work together to enhance your traditional offline fundraising efforts and maximize your overall success.

“The Happy Union of Integrated Fundraising…Online and Off!!” session will provide participants with specific best practices for multi-channel integration, tips for how to effectively synchronize traditional direct mail and email, and strategies for incorporating new media strategies – i.e. mobile and social media.

The Internet/Technology track will take place on June 11th, from 8:45 am – 10:00 am. Visit the Fundraising Day New York website for registration and event information.

On April12, 2010 in Baltimore, the Association of Fundraising Professionals will mark 50 years of working to advance the fundraising profession. Harry Lynch and Paul Habig of Sanky Communications, Inc are proud to join the celebration… and honor the spirit of AFP’s founders by examining best practices, discussing new ideas and trends and sharing experiences to improve ourselves and our organizations.

During their presentation at the 47th International Conference on Fundraising, Harry and Paul will address the timely question, Is your fundraising email is just like direct mail but with an “E”?

This session, which takes place on Tuesday, April 13 at the Baltimore Convention Center, will talk about the remarkable similarities between email and traditional direct mail … and the profound differences. Attendees will also learn how some of their finely honed direct mail skills DO apply … but that their assumptions about what works and what doesn’t just might sink their online campaigns.

Paul and Harry will share tips and best practices covering email fundraising and answer your questions such as:

1. How do I build my email list?
2. How often do I email … and ask for money?
3. How do I measure success?
4. Is anyone really making money with email?

Harry Lynch is the CEO of Sanky Communications and SankyNet, and is legendary in the Direct Marketing industry. In 1998, Harry directed the launch of SCI’s award-winning Internet marketing division, SankyNet, and continues to be actively involved in the creative and strategy for the agency’s 15 online clients. Harry has served as President of the DMFA, Vice-President of the Greater New York Chapter of the AFP, and Vice-Chair of the ADFRCO. Today, he is Vice-Chair for External Relations on the Board of International AFP.

His co-speaker, Paul Habig, the Executive Vice President of SankyNet, has developed multi-faceted online strategies for more than 50 non-profit organizations including Covenant House, PetSmart Charities, Freedom from Hunger, Cancer Care, Northeast Animal Shelter, Visiting Nurse Service of New York and the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to being a frequent speaker at DMFA and AFP workshops and conferences, Paul also serves on the board of the DMFA.

Together, Harry and Paul bring nearly 40 years of experience to the podium at this historic AFP event. From the birth of online fundraising, to the ever-changing medium that has evolved over the last ten years, both speakers will share their knowledge of today’s best email practices.

Join them on Tuesday, April 13 from 1:30pm to 2:45pm at the Baltimore Convention Center. To register, please visit the AFP’s 47th International Conference on Fundraising website.

For more than five years, SankyDirect has implemented a highly successful direct mail program for The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (CCSJD). But as non-profits have learned over the years, integrating direct mail and online communications yields the best fundraising results. That’s why SankyNet has joined Sanky Direct in this exciting account!

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Because of its historic importance and far-reaching influence, CCSJD needs a communication strategy that will provide information about the church’s events and community services while also encouraging donations to support their work.

To accomplish this, SankyNet will produce a variety of online communication vehicles. First, we will write, design, and deliver a regular e-newsletter for CCSJD. This e-newsletter will cultivate a relationship with the Cathedral’s donor base by keeping them informed about events at the CCSJD, stories of people helped through their outreach, and updates by the Dean of the Cathedral.

We also look forward to sending a series of fundraising appeals directed at both past donors and potential future donors. These appeals will be sent during the most strategic times of the church’s calendar year and will promote a variety of donation opportunities.

SankyNet will also develop a microsite that will be separate from the main CCSJD website, which will support the online fundraising program while CCSJD develops a full new website. The Cathedral will be able to offer their constituency, vis-à-vis this microsite, better organized fundraising web pages, with more compelling copy, and the addition of warm and engaging color photographs.

SankyDirect and SankyNet are looking forward to developing a robust fundraising program for the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine that integrates the strengths of both direct mail fundraising and online fundraising. We are excited to lend our expertise to this challenging project!

By the end of 2009, approximately $1 million had been given to charities via mobile phones. At the start of February 2010, that number has grown to over $50 million!

By now it’s obvious that the tragic earthquake in Haiti on January 12 (and the aftershocks that followed) was a catalyst for the explosive growth of mobile giving. And considering that there’s a cap of $5 or $10 per donation cap, getting to $50 million via mobile in a few weeks meant over 6 million people donated – impressive numbers for any campaign, but even more so for a giving channel that was as small but nascent as mobile giving was before the earthquake.

We’ve seen over the years breakout successes that have really driven a giving medium forward. September 11^th, 2001 certainly stands out for online giving, but Hurricane Katrina in 2005 might be a better example. Over the course of just a few days, tens of millions of dollars came into charities online from around the country.

The Haitian earthquake has had the same impact for mobile giving. And recent data is showing – as many expected – that mobile donors are skewing younger than online donors, just as online donors are compared to direct mail donors. To this, a recent report called Early Signals on Mobile Philanthropy (full report here) had a few key findings:

• 17% of Gen Y respondents and 14% of Gen X said they made a donation to Haiti relief efforts via text message, and 3% of both Boomer and Mature respondents reported making a donation to Haiti relief efforts via text message.
• Generally speaking, 36% of all respondents were willing to donate via text message after an emergency occurs and 31% were willing to donate via text message if a friend is raising money.

Beyond the breakout success of this relatively new giving channel for charities, it’s apparent that mobile giving is also a huge opportunity for engaging a younger constituency. Contributing to this, the younger audience is an easier group to engage when there are donation caps of $5 and $10 – an amount that is within reach of many. The reality is that 1 in 6 of Gen Y and Gen X donated to earthquake relief, many of whom likely donated to a nonprofit for the first time.

There’s no question that the tragic earthquake destroyed the lives of many. But as with anything, there are new opportunities; the Haitian relief effort has shown the potential of leveraging a new medium to engage younger constituencies. Only time will tell whether or not the long-term direct marketing tactic of ongoing cultivation will mean that the 6+ million who donated in January can be renewed offline, online, or via mobile channels in the future.

SankyDirect loves being able to help our clients improve their existing direct mail programs – showing them how to reach fresh audiences with better fundraising materials. Our new relationship with Continuum Health Partners (CHP) is giving us the opportunity to do just that. In 2010, we are excited to share our direct fundraising mail expertise with one of New York’s premier nonprofit hospital systems!

SankyDirect has a long history of working with non-profit hospitals, developing programs that keep connections with past donors while helping reach new prospects. During the coming year, SankyDirect will execute an innovative direct mail fundraising program for CHP that will help four of their hospitals accomplish these important goals. First, our design team will re-package CHP’s existing direct mail program to make a fresh and lasting impression on existing donors. As we cultivate these established relationships, we will also expand the reach of CHP’s direct mail program with patient mailings, encouraging past patients to show their thanks by becoming supporters of the hospital.

Through this combined strategy, Sanky Direct is confident that St. Luke’s Hospital, Roosevelt Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center will not only meet their current fundraising goals, but also establish new relationships to ensure their financial security in the future!

It wouldn’t be the holidays without the annual DMFA Holiday Luncheon. But what set this year’s event apart was that guests were given an unusual gift… industry experts Harry Lynch of SankyNet and Vivianne Potter of Amnesty International USA shared 12 ideas to boost your bottom line by December 31st. This informative 30 minute session was filled with key online fundraising and direct mail tips!

Knowing that times are still difficult for many organizations, DMFA board members decided to turn their holiday party into a fun, festive educational experience. Participants were treated to not only great food and company but also valuable lessons in last minute fundraising ideas including:

During the presentation, Harry and Vivianne discussed these and many other techniques that can be used to make a difference in an organization’s online and direct mail fundraising programs.

It was a perfect way to celebrate the season of sharing!

SankyNet is always excited to partner with an old friend to venture on a new and exciting project. That’s why, when Covenant House asked us to redesign their extensive international website, we were happy to expand our partnership. SankyNet specializes in website design for nonprofits.

Covenant House Homepage

In order to build a website that would address all Covenant House’s needs, SankyNet initiated a series of strategic discussions with key Covenant House staff. Through a survey/study, we gleaned the strengths and weaknesses of their existing site. At the end, the entire site required a complete overhaul to maximize the latest fundraising/marketing technological techniques and features – while dovetailing with Covenant House’s online strategic fundraising strategy.

A fresh online creative plan was executed to tell the dynamic story of Covenant House and the thousands of at-risk kids they serve. The new website needed to connect with donors, advocates, homeless kids, and other organizations that confront the problem of teen homelessness – addressing each of these unique audience’s needs.

SankyNet launched the new website in October 2009 and we are proud to report that not only is the site aesthetically beautiful … it is fully optimized for fundraising and marketing!

The site showcases dynamic homepage features, site wide fundraising and advocacy callouts, a targeted gift catalog, portals for homeless kids to find help, and an entire section sharing research conducted by the Covenant House Institute. As well, the site is enhanced for search engine optimization (SEO).

For more than five years, SankyNet has collaborated with Covenant House to produced award-winning fundraising appeals, newsletters, and campaign micro-sites – and we look forward to this continued partnership.

You can view our redesign of the Covenant House International website at: http://www.covenanthouse.org.

KaBOOM! – an organization whose mission is to save play for America’s children – recently presented SankyNet and SankyDirect with an exciting challenge: develop a fully integrated grassroots individual giving program to help augment their already robust corporate partnership program.

Together, SankyNet and SankyDirect will integrate online, email, direct mail, and social networking components to fully engage KaBOOM!’s donors and supporters.

SankyNet will start this process by developing an inaugural online fundraising and communications program for KaBOOM!. This program includes both a monthly e-newsletter and a series of fundraising email appeals. To make sure these online tools are used most effectively, SankyNet will use a twofold strategy. We will both append email addresses from the KaBOOM! offline database, and also acquire additional email addresses through various marketing and social networking campaigns.

SankyNet wants for KaBOOM! to make the greatest possible impact on potential donors, so we will also revise both the homepage and donation pages of their website. Through reorganizing, redesigning, and expanding these elements, SankyNet will use its online expertise to fully optimize the KaBOOM! website into a powerful fundraising tool.

SankyDirect also has exciting plans to enhance KaBOOM!’s messaging. In the coming year, SankyDirect will design a new direct mail renewal program to help KaBOOM! improve their communication with current and past donors.

While developing these exciting new programs, SankyDirect will work with SankyNet to perform extensive message testing on all online and offline communications. Through testing what message yields the best response, our goal is to help KaBOOM! find the optimum voice to communicate with their donors volunteers, and sponsors.

SankyNet and SankyDirect are proud to embark on this joint venture with KaBOOM!. KaBOOM! works across the country with the mission of providing a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. We are excited to help KaBOOM! make America a safer place to play!

Learn more about KaBOOM! at www.kaboom.org.