Digital Publication Development, Print Publication Development
Einstein Healthcare Network
Taking a Step Back Before Jumping into Redesign
Print & Digital Publications
Overview
One of our longtime clients, Einstein Healthcare Network, needed to rethink its donor magazine. The publication was originally designed to feature high-level donors to encourage others to give at that same level. However, there had not always been new donors to feature, and, due to staff priorities and Covid restraints, the magazine was not being published on a consistent schedule. Initially, it was thought a redesign was all that was needed to refresh the magazine, but consulting conversations revealed that the challenges were deeper than design.
Using the AMIE Process to Address the Issues
It was clear we needed to understand the goals of Einstein’s major donor development and how this tool fit in. We deployed our AMIE (audience, message, image, experience) process to discover the most important desirable action and identify the key audience to build on.
We began by conducting a stakeholder session with leadership and development staff that shed light on key audiences and what actions the team wanted them to take. After identifying key audiences, we interviewed and surveyed donors who fit this profile.
Recommendations from AMIE
With a 20% response rate, we were able to make recommendations based on what donors wanted from the magazine. Donors wanted to continue to receive a printed publication, but the content and target audience needed to be adjusted.
During interviews, it was clear donors were not interested in reading stories about other donors. Instead, they wanted to see more journalistic articles that showed the impact of philanthropy on the system, patients, and community.
The research realigned the focus of the magazine toward what was actually converting for Einstein rather than what they hoped would happen. It also allowed us to look into data to identify the entry point of their current ideal donors. Through this we developed a tight focus on an audience segment that was most likely to move into major giving. In the AMIE structure, we call these audiences Likers and Lovers.
Transitioning the Magazine
By positioning the magazine based on insight from past behavior, we were able to target what the most important audiences valued. In response to this shift, we redesigned the content plan and the design of the magazine to appeal to this core segment. By designing a fresh layout and planning research-focused articles we helped Einstein adjust their publication strategy to engage ideal donors.