In Touch Ministries Expands Its Reach

"The email solution gave us options to reach out to people in a new way-a way that's necessary when your future depends on reaching a younger demographic," says Sanjay Mendonca, web services director for 30 year old In Touch Ministries. For the last five years, In Touch Ministries, the global broadcasting teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Atlanta, has employed the product services to deliver religious teachings by email. Its community of online subscribers has grown to more than 750,000 people-thousands of whom receive devotionals online every morning.

Part of the Team

The product solution has become a key element of carrying out In Touch Ministries' mission of "spreading the good news", especially to young, computer-active people. As the ministry grows in numbers of email recipients, it continues to expand its offerings adding more initiatives to its successful online capabilities.  Currently the organization uses the product services to:

·        Deliver daily devotions to thousands

·        Manage Prayer Team communications

·        Send sermon study materials

·        Publicize special events

·        Distribute a weekly newsletter

Integrated Technology Eases Process

Today nearly 60,000 people choose to receive In Touch Ministries Daily Devotionals  in their email. Any project of this magnitude and frequency requires flawless operation, so the product technical service team lost little time establishing a smooth electronic process.

Mendonca states the obvious, "We had to have a savvy e-Marketing partner who knows how to manage integration of its services with our ERP and CRM systems without encountering any issues it can't resolve."

The technical team built electronic linkages which let email content and reporting data flow from the product and In Touch Ministries servers in any easy, integrated process. When In Touch Ministries sends thousands of English or Spanish email devotional messages, the product picks up the content file electronically from where it is posted nightly on the organization's system, updates changes to the subscriber list, launches the emails through ISP's worldwide, and reports back status details of each emailing.

"It's effortless working with the technical product team,"says Medonca.

Convenience of Online Programs

Postal mailings and print publications are still very much a part of In Touch Ministries reach-out efforts, yet for some initiatives online seems the best choice. Because of the nature of the mission of the Prayer Team, which asks for prayers for specified causes, the product delivery serves well as a primary channel of communication to reach thousands quickly and efficiently. From email messages to member sign-up, and web site access to online newsletters, the product provides a simple means to foster the team's spiritual goals.

The non-profit recognizes the economies of paperless communications as people have become more receptive to electronic delivery. Soon the product will send thousands of subscribers the In Touch Ministries online weekly newsletter that provides electronic links to further information and study materials.

Marketing Comes Into Play

Marketers at In Touch Ministries realized the value of online communications when it applied the product services to garner support for its "Messenger" project, which recently reached its goal of sending pre-recorded inspirational messages on solar-powered audio players to 80,000 U.S. military troops around the world. This successful project has since evolved with a new goal to deliver 60,000 international messages in five languages.

In Touch marketing messages are sent to the entire database of 750,000 addresses to publicize its events, conferences and initiatives. In Touch is careful to balance its need for frequent communications with sensitivity toward recipients. Marketers continually look for a way to consolidate announcements, including leveraging a cost-effective weekly newsletter format with a consistent email opt-in policy that avoids any perception of spamming.

Marketing measures the success of these email campaigns by tracking the numbers of emails opened and the links clicked on, and ultimately by the associated growth or donations for the featured program.

 Still Going Strong

In Touch Ministries originally selected the email solution after a 2003 rigorous RFP process primarily focused on technical capabilities. In 2006 the product received a second vote of confidence after a re-evaluation of service vendors.

Medonca is grateful the product and technical service team is so nimble, making the seemingly impossible possible. "Flexibility in an e-Marketing partner is so important to an organization like ours that acts on quick decisions." Sometimes the turnaround has been as short as one or two hours or over a weekend.

"The product's technical team is always able to work out a solution, launch a last-minute email, or overcome a process glitch in a very short timeframe," Medonca says. In Touch Ministries appreciates the technical integration capabilities, but it's the service responsiveness that has made the big difference.

About eProspector

eProspector has been a leader in e-Marketing since 1999. We offer a solution for relationship-based emailing such as to customers and prospects, called eProspector CustomerReachT, as well as a solution for new business lead development, called eProspector.  Most companies need both due to the difference in the compliance requirements as well as email design capabilities. Contact us for more information at www.eprospector.com .