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The impact of e‐mail in acquiring and retaining whole‐blood donors: a comparative analysis of the Puget Sound Blood Center donor e‐mail communication program
Author(s) -
Geyer Maria Elena
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2005.00642.x
Subject(s) - direct mail , electronic mail , medicine , donation , mainstream , advertising , family medicine , internet privacy , business , computer science , philosophy , theology , economics , economic growth
BACKGROUND: With the emergence of e‐mail as a common form of communication, it is important to understand the role and impact e‐mail can have on acquiring and retaining whole‐blood donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Whole‐blood donors who opted in to receive e‐mail communications (n = 43,232) from the Puget Sound Blood Center (PSBC) and as a result participated in one or more of five e‐mail marketing campaigns between July 2002 and March 2003 were studied. RESULTS: New donors with e‐mail addresses grew by 74 percent over the measurement period compared with 2 percent growth of those without e‐mail addresses. Nearly 15,000 prospective donors were reached as a result of donors passing along e‐mails they received from PSBC to friends and family. Nearly 5 percent of PSBC e‐mail campaign recipients registered to donate online. PSBC e‐mail campaigns have outperformed e‐mail marketing industry mean open rates by 44 percent and click‐through rates by 36 percent. CONCLUSION: E‐mail is now a mainstream communication medium. It has proven to be an effective method of reaching new donors and generating new donation registrations. Donors respond more favorably to e‐mail communications from PSBC compared with e‐mail they receive from other organizations. Deeper understanding of how different segments of blood donors use e‐mail may help blood centers adjust their donor acquisition and retention programs. New recruitment methods are needed to grow the overall donor base, and e‐mail appears to have the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting this objective.