Food bank marketing lessons: Multichannel marketing that drives results

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, the fusion of offline and digital strategies has become a catalyst for success. When constructing any marketing campaign strategy, incorporating a tapestry of experiences across multiple platforms will engage your community beyond a singular channel and lead to better results. 

But don’t just take our word for it.

Today we’re bringing you a case study of a capital campaign that used multichannel marketing to accelerate its success. We sat down with Katie Adkins, the director of communications at the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri, in a recent Good Marketing Unplugged episode. Katie shared valuable insights into how the food bank's innovative marketing initiatives outperformed expectations and contributed to the success of its capital campaign.

Case Study: The Food Bank Market Capital Campaign

In May, the food bank launched the public phase of its capital campaign to raise $7 million for a new food distribution point in Columbia, Missouri.

In six short months, they are at 95% of their goal and have opened for operation. Katie credits their success to strategies they implemented in their multichannel approach to marketing. 

5 Strategies for Multichannel Success

1. Mission Alignment  - Unlike traditional food banks, the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri operates with a unique "choice model." This model empowers individuals to come in and choose their own groceries, fostering dignity and control over their food selections. The vision for the capital campaign kept this mission at the heart of its messaging - regardless of channel. 
2. Amplify Awareness -  The campaign kicked off with a ribbon-cutting event, marking the public launch. Engaging media partners, leveraging digital channels like email and social media, and incorporating direct mail were all driving forces behind raising awareness about the campaign. 
3. Collaboration - The food bank collaborated with a corporate donor's social media presence, maximizing reach and engagement. This collaboration not only benefited from the existing audience but also expanded the food bank's reach to potential new supporters. By keeping the matching campaign simple, focusing on a series of emails and social media engagements, the team exceeded its fundraising goal by almost $10,000. 
4. Segmentation - Recognizing the diversity of their audience, the food bank implemented segmentation in both email and direct mail campaigns. This allowed them to tailor messages to specific groups of donors, whether focused on supporting general operations or the capital campaign.
5. Community Engagement - Fostering a digital community through active engagement on social media platforms contributed to increased visibility and brand advocacy. Responding to comments and messages helped build a sense of accessibility and community online. But in true multichannel fashion, the team didn’t stop there. Volunteer engagement was a key component of the campaign as well. 

The food bank's journey illustrates the transformative power of a multichannel mindset in purposeful marketing. Listen to the full episode here + draw inspiration from these practical insights to enhance your own multichannel strategies.