Animal rights group ASPCA has added more than 1,000 e-mail addresses to its database since launching a lead-generation effort earlier this month. Lead-generation firm Pontiflex is executing the campaign pro-bono, after deciding to work on it instead of giving away free items at the Ad:Tech New York conference.
Debbie Swider, e-marketing senior manager at the ASPCA, said the goal of the campaign is to introduce the company to a new audience. Typically, ASPCA markets to consumers online via pet-focused sites and keywords, but this campaign is running on general-interest sites like PlanningFamily.com, CookingClub.com and GardeningClub.com.
“This was a good way to reach those who might be a pet lover or activist, but who aren’t actively going to pet sites,” Swider said.
Zephrin Lasker, CEO of Pontiflex, said the company has committed to donating 5,000 leads to the ASPCA, a number he expects to hit by mid-December. It began the effort the first week of this month.
Once a user opts in by giving his or her first name, last name and e-mail address, he or she immediately receives a welcome e-mail describing the various ways the user can get involved with the ASPCA. Options include making a donation, signing a petition, signing up for text alerts or following the company on Facebook or Twitter.
Users who opt in will receive four e-mails, one every two weeks. If a user takes action on one of those, he or she will receive weekly e-mails.
According to Swider, ASPCA does the majority of its marketing in-house and works with various agencies on a project basis. This is the first time the company has worked with Pontiflex.
Lasker said that obtaining qualified leads is especially important for nonprofits that don’t have huge marketing budgets.
“With keyword prices rising, nonprofits can’t be running huge campaigns only to get 20 people opt-in,” he said. “This is just the next step up on the ROI ladder.”
