1. Stewardship of Sustainers
TRAC January, 2014

2. Ongoing communication
PBS SoCal monthly E-newsletter is sent to 9,000 sustainers. Open rate is 29% and click rate is 5%.
Regular member newsletter is sent to 35,000 people and open rate is 24% and click rate is 2%.

3. Sustainer E-newsletter is not an appeal
Includes:
Programming highlights
A member discount of some kind
Information about upcoming events
A sweepstakes for tickets to an event or concert
A “sweet treat”

4. E-Newsletter is sent second week of the month, usually on a Thursday morning.
We experimented with A/B subject lines and for three months in a row, this one won. PBS SoCal Sustaining Member Newsletter

5. The most popular sweepstakes offer was for our David Foster and Friends gala and then the Downton Abbey screening.

6. We do say thank you quite a lot but don’t ask for additional gifts directly.

7. Other communication with our sustainers at PBS SoCal
Acknowledgement letter after initial pledge
Welcome packet with letter from me, a PBS SoCal license plate frame and an EFT conversion form. This packet was sent to 7,000 this year and we received about 100 EFT forms back.
Tax letter in January with cumulative amount.
One additional gift ask letter in December.
Dedicated staff member for sustainers, Jennifer Fletcher.

8. Stop Gap Loss No-Bleed, We hate Target and Home Depot Program
When a credit card payment is rejected three times, an automatic letter is sent asking for updated information.
is sent at the same time
If there is no response to that, after a month, a second letter is sent.
After that, Jen tries to call everyone, but this has become overwhelming, so we’re about to have telemarketers do this.
One month before a credit card is set to expire, we also send a preemptive letter, requesting the new information.

9. KAET program
61-90 days from credit card expiration date: sent to all donors who have address on file
31-60 days from expiration date: sent again, and also any donors without on file, letters are sent
0-30 days from expiration date: sent once again, and outbound phone calls are made to contact donor to update information. If we leave a message, we leave the toll free phone number, with 24/7 service to update information
Once they expire, we attempt one last , and phone call

10. KAET ways to update information
Phone support: Toll free phone number set up to take calls 24/7, via our phone service, ACD Direct.
Phone number is different from our pledge phone numbers
During office hours, the phone number goes to membership services, and we can answer the calls, otherwise calls go to ACD Direct
Online form on our website to be able to update information
Staffing: 3-4 Part time student workers and volunteer, about 25 hours a week, plus 2 full time membership employees

11. Card Breach efforts
We have added an additional that goes out every 2 months or so, which is specifically dedicated to card breaches, instructing donor to use our contact methods to update their information if they have recently been given a new card due to a breach. This communication does not mention any specific breach, since we never know how or who will be effected

12. New tricks to try to stop the loss
We recently set up a dedicated sustainer hotline number with ACD. This is an 888# that is different than the pledge line. It will be 24/7, so people can call in with their updated information when it is convenient for them.
SAGE credit card updater service will collect new information on Visa and Mastercard expirations. It cost .50 for each piece of new information.
Improve communication on-air and in all printed communications that sustaining memberships are ongoing.

13. Contact information
Maura Daly Phinney, Vice President of Membership and On- Air Fundraising at PBS SoCal
Jennifer Fletcher is our sustaining member coordinator and her is