Learn how nonprofits can effectively engage their community and amplify their message through strategic marketing tactics that combine direct mail with digital outreach.
Overview: First Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church, a cornerstone of Neenah, Wisconsin, has been nurturing faith and community for over 150 years. With a mission built on “Learn, Love, Serve,” the church focuses on sharing the love of Jesus Christ through inclusive worship and outreach.
However, even with a strong legacy, First Presbyterian Church faced the challenge of reaching new potential members in their rural town. In response, they turned to a strategic marketing approach, aiming to expand their community presence and connect with more local residents.
The Challenge: Reaching a New Audience
Despite its longstanding role in Neenah, First Presbyterian Church sought to engage more deeply with the local population, particularly in a way that resonated on a personal level. Recognizing that special services like Christmas and Easter often draw larger crowds, the church targeted these events as key moments to attract newcomers and share their welcoming atmosphere.
Their primary objectives were to:
- Enhance audience targeting to reach the right people in the community.
- Acquire new members by promoting key services and events.
- Increase brand awareness in a way that inspired community members to visit and ultimately join the congregation.
The Solution: Multichannel Marketing
In 2018, First Presbyterian Church partnered with Taradel to launch an Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) campaign to promote their Easter services. This campaign led to an increase of 50-60 attendees, signaling the effectiveness of using direct mail to drive engagement for major church events.
Encouraged by the success of the initial campaign, the church continued their partnership with Taradel, running consistent direct mail campaigns for key holy days like Christmas and Easter. In 2023, they expanded their strategy by integrating Google Display Ads, reaching an even broader audience with targeted digital ads.
A Look at the Campaigns
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
Since partnering with Taradel, First Presbyterian Church has distributed 31,705 EDDM postcards, each measuring 6.25 x 9 inches, to households in Neenah. These postcards played a key role in promoting special services and engaging with the community on a personal level.
Google Display Ads
In 2023, First Presbyterian Church added Google Display Ads to their marketing strategy. This multichannel approach generated a total of 653,861 impressions on the Google Display Network (GDN), significantly boosting their visibility.
The Results: Driving Membership and Engagement
First Presbyterian Church’s consecutive, multichannel marketing campaigns have demonstrated the power of repeated impressions across platforms. The results speak for themselves:
- Brand Awareness
Over 685,566 total impressions across both direct mail and digital channels have raised the church’s profile in Neenah, fostering greater awareness within the community. - Audience Targeting
By focusing on key times of the year, such as Christmas and Easter, the church has seen significant increases in attendance during these services. As Cindy Kreis, Director of Media, Program, and Communication, explains:
“We have been able to reach a wider audience over specified times, providing great attendance during high Holy holidays.” - Member and Visitor Acquisition
In 2023 alone, First Presbyterian Church saw an increase of 24 new members—a remarkable achievement for a small town congregation. Cindy adds:
“This number may look small, but for a church in a smaller community, this number is actually large.”
Additionally, the church has noticed a consistent, modest increase in visitors as well as a surge in viewership of their online worship videos.
Client Testimonials: A Success Story for Small Nonprofits
Cindy Kreis reflects on the church’s marketing success:
“In our capacity as a small not-for-profit religious community nestled in a rural setting, we’ve witnessed a consistent and modest uptick in membership. Additionally, there’s been a notable surge in viewership of our online worship videos, accessible through platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Moreover, our number of visitors has increased, reflecting the expanding reach and effectiveness of Taradel’s marketing services in our organization.”
Cindy also highlights the improvement in online engagement, with worship service videos seeing increased views on platforms like Facebook Live and YouTube. The combination of direct mail and digital ads has allowed the church to effectively connect with both local residents and remote worshippers.
Multichannel Marketing for Nonprofits
First Presbyterian Church’s experience demonstrates how nonprofits and religious organizations can benefit from a strategic marketing approach that combines the personal touch of direct mail with the broad reach of digital ads. By maintaining consistent marketing efforts and targeting key moments of community engagement, the church has successfully grown its membership and increased brand awareness in Neenah.
Ready to take your nonprofit’s outreach to the next level? Start by exploring how direct mail and digital marketing can amplify your message and help you connect with your community.
