Customer case studies

Results from three Alabama campaigns.

See who received a card, what the message said, and how the results compared with customers who did not receive one.

Auto retail

Test-drive follow-ups and
first-service reminders

Birmingham-area dealership group
April–June 2026 pilot

32%

Returned after a test drive, compared with 21% of shoppers who did not receive a card.

49%

Returned for first service, compared with 33% of buyers who did not receive a card.

11

Additional vehicles sold, as reported in the dealership pilot.

Who received a card

Shoppers who test drove but did not buy, plus new customers approaching their first service visit.

What we sent

A note from the salesperson mentioning the vehicle they drove, followed by service reminders signed by their advisor.

Who we mailed and how we measured results

The business

A two-location Lexus and Toyota dealership group in the Birmingham area, selling roughly 140 new and used vehicles a month. Client name withheld at the group's request.

Mailing and comparison groups

238 cards: 118 to unsold showroom visitors and 120 to new buyers. Equal groups of 118 visitors and 120 buyers did not receive a card. Every other eligible contact was held out by the BDC manager.

What we measured

38 of 118 card recipients returned after a visit, compared with 25 of 118 in the comparison group. First-service conversion was 59 of 120 recipients versus 40 of 120 in the comparison group.

Timing and limitations

The published mailing window was April 14 through June 30, 2026. The pilot tracked return appointments within 30 days and first-service conversion within 90 days of delivery. Early scheduling interruptions delayed return visits until week four.

Other industry research

The ownership study below is separate industry research, not a result from this mailing.

Cox Automotive ownership study

HVAC & home services

Thank-you cards and
maintenance reminders

Tuscaloosa-area HVAC company
April–June 2026 pilot

83%

Renewed their maintenance plan, compared with 74% of members who did not receive a card.

+21%

More seasonal tune-up bookings: 29 from card recipients versus 24 from the comparison group.

7

Additional maintenance renewals: 60 from card recipients versus 53 from the comparison group.

Who received a card

Customers after an installation or higher-value repair, and maintenance members approaching renewal.

What we sent

A technician-signed thank-you after the job, followed by a seasonal tune-up reminder before the cooling season.

Who we mailed and how we measured results

The business

A family-owned, 16-truck residential HVAC and plumbing business serving the Tuscaloosa metro, completing about 290 service and installation calls a month. Client name withheld at the owner's request.

Mailing and comparison groups

196 cards: 124 to completed-job customers and 72 to maintenance members. Equal-sized groups did not receive cards. Every other eligible customer was held out by the dispatch supervisor.

What we measured

60 of 72 maintenance members who received a card renewed, compared with 53 of 72 in the comparison group. Seasonal tune-ups were 29 versus 24. The pilot also reported 14% more repeat repair calls.

Timing and limitations

The published mailing window was April 21 through June 30, 2026. Seasonal bookings and renewals were tracked through June. Much of the repair-call activity occurred late in the period as temperatures increased.

Other industry research

These articles and surveys are separate from the results of this mailing.

Contracting BusinessHousecall Pro homeowner survey

Nonprofits

Thank-you cards for new donors
and notes to past supporters

Montgomery-area food bank
April–June 2026 pilot

28%

Made a second gift, compared with 19% of first-time donors who did not receive a card.

+34%

Larger average next gift among first-time donors who received a card.

2.4×

More past donors gave again: 17 of 76 recipients versus 7 of 76 in the comparison group.

Who received a card

First-time donors from a spring appeal and past supporters who had stopped giving.

What we sent

A thank-you explaining what their donation helped fund, without asking for another gift. Donors who had stopped giving received a note before the next appeal.

Who we mailed and how we measured results

The organization

A Montgomery-area food bank with a three-person development team and approximately 2,800 active donors and 1,400 lapsed donors. Client name withheld at the organization's request.

Mailing and comparison groups

213 cards: 137 to first-time donors and 76 to lapsed donors. Equal-sized comparison groups did not receive cards. Every other donor in each segment was held out by the development associate.

What we measured

38 of 137 first-time card recipients made another gift, versus 26 of 137 in the comparison group. Among lapsed donors, 17 of 76 recipients gave again, compared with 7 of 76 who did not receive a card.

Timing and limitations

The published mailing window was April 18 through June 30, 2026. The study tracked subsequent gifts and lapsed-donor recovery. Cards were signed by a development associate rather than the executive director.

Other industry research

The sources below describe other organizations' work, not Inqued's results.

AFP and Fundraising Effectiveness ProjectCharity Navigator / LettrLabs campaign

These are results from individual pilots, not a promise of future results. Client names are withheld at their request. Outside research is listed separately.