CRM & Lifecycle Marketing Strategy
Freelance Social Media & Digital Marketing | Family Promise of the Jersey Shore
Transforming donor communication and community engagement
through data-driven storytelling.
Overview
Client: Family Promise of the Jersey Shore
Industry: Nonprofit / Human Services
Role: CRM & Lifecycle Marketing Consultant
Timeframe: 2023 – 2024
Platforms & Tools: Mailchimp, Airtable, Google Analytics, Canva, Meta Suite
Key Results:
41 % Email Open Rate
14.6 % Click-Through Rate
28 % List Growth in Three Months
Established new donor segmentation and automation systems
Strengthened recurring donor retention through personalized communication flows
Key Takeaways
Created a scalable CRM and lifecycle foundation for a growing nonprofit
Balanced storytelling with data to increase engagement and giving
Proved impact through measurable KPIs and reduced manual effort
Demonstrated ability to design empathy-driven, mission-aligned communication
The Challenge
Family Promise was growing rapidly but lacked a cohesive email and donor communication strategy.
The nonprofit relied on one-off newsletters and sporadic campaign blasts, with no automated follow-ups or segmentation by donor type.
They needed a system that could:
Personalize donor journeys based on giving history and volunteer involvement
Increase engagement and conversion without adding workload to their small team
Provide measurable insights for board reporting and fundraising planning
The goal: create a streamlined lifecycle system that nurtures relationships and builds lasting donor trust.
The Strategy
1. Audited and Rebuilt CRM Infrastructure
Migrated data into a unified, clean contact list within Mailchimp
Segmented audiences into donor, volunteer, partner, and community supporter groups
Implemented naming conventions and automation triggers for easier management
2. Designed Multi-Step Email Journeys
Built automated welcome series introducing mission, programs, and volunteer opportunities
Created recurring donor recognition series with impact storytelling
Added “missed-donor” win-back sequence with empathy-based copy
3. Developed Monthly Email Frameworks
Standardized newsletter templates for updates, events, and success stories
Integrated calls-to-action that drove website visits, volunteer sign-ups, and recurring donations
Tracked performance across campaigns to inform quarterly adjustments
4. Introduced Visual Brand Consistency
Redesigned email layout for readability and warmth
Added new imagery, consistent color palette, and clear CTAs
The Results
A transformed donor journey and measurable engagement lift.
✅ 41 % Average Open Rate (↑ 13 pts from baseline)
✅ 14.6 % Click-Through Rate (↑ 11 pts from baseline)
✅ 28 % Subscriber Growth
✅ Automated donor communications reducing manual email workload by 65 %
✅ Strengthened donor retention and repeat giving
(images of mtrics and results)