The Client
The Yellowstone Park Foundation (YPF) is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization created in 1996. A group of concerned citizens, working with the National Park Service, started the Foundation in order to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park. The Foundation works to fund important projects and programs, many of which are beyond the financial capacity of the National Park Service. The Foundation receives no annual government funding; it relies instead upon the generous support of private citizens, foundations, and corporations to ensure that Yellowstone's great gifts to the world will never diminish. Since its inception, the Yellowstone Park Foundation has successfully funded more than 150 projects in Yellowstone.

The Problem
YPF planned to begin online communications as a way to nurture relationships with supporters in a cost-effective and environmentally-responsible manner. But having never sent email marketing messages previously, foundation employees were anxious about making a good first impression with email.

How We Solved It
In the early weeks of YPF’s participation in the Convio Go! program, Convio consultants recommended the Welcome Series strategy and built out an automated email campaign based on content the foundation provided. 

The Outcome
New subscribers now receive a series of three emails, automatically triggered to send at specific times in the weeks following sign-up. With an open rate of more than 50%, and having yielded several donations without any overt ask messaging, this email campaign provides a warm, appealing welcome for YPF’s growing online community.  

Convio products used: Email Marketing, Fundraising