SONAR^® The Salvation Army: Three-year Acquisition Analysis

The Challenge
One Salvation Army Division utilizing a multi-vendor approach to donor acquisition reached out to Summit Marketing to help analyze and improve their new donor mix and acquisition strategy.

The Solution
Summit SONAR^® increased donor retention and cumulative net income per new donor by acquiring fewer “minnows” (donors who gave less than $20 as their first gift). As a result, the Division chose to consolidate and shift to a unified approach using Summit SONAR^® for their acquisition strategy across the entire Division. They recognized the power of Summit SONAR^®, and they found it imperative to switch to the more effective strategy that brings in long-term donors that are willing and able to support their mission.

The Results
Since implementing Summit SONAR^®, the Division’s minnow rate has significantly improved, dropping to 12.2%. (Remember — the lower the better!) Over the next few years, Summit Marketing will continually evaluate the Division-wide Cumulative Net Income Per New Donor and Two-Year Retention Rate metrics to ensure they trend upward.