< Back to Results Rebuilding growth through agility and audience-first strategy The Challenge Like many Salvation Army divisions, The Salvation Army Intermountain Division (TSA-IM) faced a familiar acquisition challenge: how to grow efficiently in a landscape where rising costs and inconsistent performance across markets made scaling increasingly difficult. Large metro areas received the majority of mail volume, but returns were beginning to plateau. At the same time, smaller and mid-sized markets that were often overlooked held untapped potential but lacked the investment needed to fully perform. The result was a common but costly imbalance: too much volume in saturated markets and not enough in high-opportunity ones. The division needed a smarter approach that could improve efficiency without sacrificing growth. Our Role Acquisition Direct Mail The Solution RKD partnered with the division to rethink acquisition from the ground up—starting not with volume, but with precision. At the center of the strategy was a fundamentally different planning model: Bottom-up audience planning: Instead of applying a broad, top-down list strategy, RKD evaluated each Corps individually by analyzing audience potential, historical performance and optimal mail depth. These insights were then scaled up to inform division-wide planning. In-house list expertise: RKD’s dedicated in-house list team played a critical role by bringing a level of precision and integration that is rare in the industry. This allowed for tighter control over audience selection, faster optimization and more strategic list mix decisions. Market reallocation strategy: RKD applied strategic market re-allocation to help optimize each service area as well as overall division investment and response. Localized creative and messaging: Localized copy and creative that discussed the needs affecting donors’ communities further strengthened performance, ensuring messaging resonated more directly with each audience. Continuous optimization: Ongoing testing and performance monitoring allowed the team to refine allocation, list mix and creative in real time—ensuring mail was consistently placed where it would perform most efficiently. This wasn’t about doing more. It was about doing what works more often and in the right places. The Results The impact was clear and measurable across the entire division: 39% lower acquisition investment costs 73% higher net revenue per donor 24% less mail, yet more revenue More efficient acquisition investment: The TSA-IM corps division reduced overall acquisition expenses by 39% year over year (YOY) while improving performance. Stronger response and donor growth: The division’s average response rate grew 99% YOY, and its average number of gifts grew 51% YOY, despite reduced volume in key markets. Revenue lift driven by smarter allocation: Across the division’s corps, YOY revenue grew on average 27%, proving that performance gains came from strategy—not scale alone. The average net revenue per donor grew 73% YOY. Improved performance across markets: Smaller and mid-sized markets emerged as key growth drivers, outperforming larger metros in YOY results. Higher overall efficiency: YOY gifts and revenue increased by 51% and 27%, respectively, while mailing quantity decreased on average by 24% YOY, demonstrating stronger return on every dollar invested. Why it worked This wasn’t a single tactic; it was a strategic shift. By reallocating mail based on performance, leveraging in-house list expertise and planning at the corps level, RKD Group helped the Intermountain Division unlock a more balanced, resilient acquisition program. Corps-focused optimization led to division-level gains. Growth no longer depended on a handful of large markets. Instead, it was fueled by a broader, more efficient network of engaged donors across the entire division. Click or drag to explore More Results View allView all The power of a match: Multiplying impact with The Salvation Army Northwest DivisionRead more > Direct mail program overhaul drives net revenue, renews hopeRead more > Velocity model optimizes segmentation for maximum ROIRead more > Growing together: Upholding a culture of collaborationRead more >
