You Know You Need Audience-First Marketing — But What’s The Next Step?

Most nonprofits already know that audience-first, omnichannel marketing is the path to stronger engagement and long-term growth. When you use smarter segmentation and real data to guide who you’re talking to, what you’re saying, and where you’re saying it, results follow. 

But knowing that and knowing what to do next? That’s where many fundraisers get stuck. 

That’s exactly why we built the 2025 Moore Playbook for Audience-First Marketing — to help you move from knowing to doing, with proven strategies that meet today’s challenges head-on.  

Whether refining your direct mail program or building a true omnichannel experience, this playbook helps you move forward — from where you are now to where you could be.   

We break down audience-first marketing into five key areas — and give you the “next step” in each one. Because there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. But there is a path.  

Audience-Building: Target Smarter, Not Harder 

Still using RFM alone to drive your segmentation? 

Most fundraisers over-mail their lapsed donors and underinvest in their best prospects. The playbook shows how one national health organization saved $315,000 by shifting from RFM to predictive modeling — with zero loss in revenue. 

When you model behavior, preferences, and giving propensity, you stop guessing who to talk to and start prioritizing the right people — and that makes every channel perform better.  

Customized Messaging: Speak to People, Not Lists 

You probably know who your volunteers, alumni, or event attendees are. But are you tailoring your messaging accordingly?  

This section helps you start simple — using data you already have — and expand into modeled insights over time. You’ll see how one hospital system doubled response by customizing messaging based on where the patient had received care. 

Even basic segmentation — like customizing by region or channel preference — can significantly lift engagement and gift size.  

Optimized Creative: Test What Matters 

This is where most campaigns fall short. Not because they don’t test — but because they don’t test smart. 

At Moore, we’ve helped clients identify and scale micro-wins that turn into major growth. One campaign increased monthly giving revenue by 61% from a single CTA change. Another used multivariant testing to uncover the best creative for different audience segments before rollout — reducing cost to acquire by 18%. 

The playbook shows you how to structure meaningful tests, interpret results, and avoid common pitfalls (like chasing false positives or failing to isolate variables). 

Testing isn’t just something we recommend. It’s how we operate — across every medium, audience, and creative format. 

Omnichannel Execution: Coordinate for Impact 

Omnichannel isn’t just about adding channels. It’s about making the ones you already use work together. 

This section shows how to connect your direct mail, email, digital, CTV, and more — so donors experience consistency, not confusion. You’ll see how coordinated campaigns lifted response by 2x or more, even in programs with modest budgets. 

You’ll also learn where to start if you’re not there yet — including how co-targeting can amplify your results without requiring an entire infrastructure shift.  

Smarter Data Systems: Build for Agility 

One of the biggest barriers to personalization and real-time communication? Siloed or sluggish data. 

This section outlines what we’ve learned helping large and mid-sized nonprofits speed up data syncs, break down system silos, and build responsive dashboards instead of static reports. Even better: you’ll see how improving one system unlocks progress in the other four focus areas. 

It’s not about replacing everything overnight — it’s about removing the next bottleneck in front of you. 

Why This Playbook — And Why Moore? 

This isn’t a thought piece or a white paper. 

It’s the actual playbook we wish every fundraiser had — especially those who are overwhelmed by how fast the tools have changed and how disconnected their programs feel. 

We built it based on what we’ve learned supporting some of the largest and most effective fundraising campaigns in North America. We’ve seen what works — and just as importantly, what doesn’t. That’s what we’re sharing here. 

Because audience-first marketing isn’t a trend. It’s the new baseline. And fundraisers who embrace it now will be the ones still growing five years from now — even as competition, costs, and expectations continue to rise.  

Ready for Your Next Step? 

If your strategy looks the same as it did five years ago, your results probably do too. This is your chance to change that. 

Download the 2025 Moore Playbook for Audience-First Marketing

Smart, tested, and built to help you take the next right step — no matter where you’re starting.