The Challenge
Nonexistent CRM
Dogs on Deployment began using Classy in 2017, but at the time didn’t have a nonprofit CRM system in place. Without a CRM, they found it difficult to establish a robust donor communications strategy that would allow them to personally connect with supporters in a scalable way.
How We Helped
Increased Giving
With support from Classy’s Customer Success Team, Dogs on Deployment decided to implement Virtuous. Virtuous met their pricing needs and integrates easily with Classy. The implementation has resulted in time savings, more personal donor connections, and an increase in recurring giving.
In their first eleven months using Classy and Virtuous, Dogs on Deployment grew their giving by 94.6%, compared to the previous 12 months.
“Virtuous has a great deal to offer. It’s cost-effective, cloud-based, and the responsiveness of the support team is a huge plus for anyone looking at a CRM.”
– Madeleine Marchaterre, Senior Manager of Development
Automatically Track and Manage Donors
Since implementing the Classy and Virtuous integration, Dogs on Deployment has been able to better track how donors move through different levels of giving. The more a supporter donates, the more interaction the organization has with them.
Optimized Engagement
It’s easy to identify who your top donors are using Virtuous. President and CEO of Dogs on Deployment, Alisa Johnson, will personally call or write to top donors and share her own story of being a service member in need of care for her animals, helping to build a personal relationship with each of the organization’s supporters to inspire lifelong giving.
Additionally, through Virtuous, Dogs on Deployment can keep track of whether a donor supports a specific military member. In which case the organization will send a personalized note from that service member.
Time Saving Automation
A key reason Dogs on Deployment chose Virtuous as its CRM provider was its automation processes. The integration between Classy and Virtuous automatically sends donors from Classy into Virtuous and categorizes them into different levels based on their giving behavior, runs queries on specific donor characteristics, and allows staff to assign tasks to themselves to remember to follow up with specific donors.
“Choosing a CRM to your fundraising strategy can seem like a large investment. If you use it properly and have a strong strategy, you’ll see that the investment is worth it.”
– Alisa Johnson, President and Co-Founder
A Better Recurring Gift Program
Additionally, automation has been a huge timesaver for an organization of their size and growth. This is helping them increase their number of recurring monthly donors. One-time donors automatically get thanked and invited to join their recurring donor core. Accordingly, donors will get updates on dogs’ surgeries or other needs they have supported, an engagement strategy that helps foster continued giving.
