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Who plays charity raffle?

elderly raffle player couple

Find out who’s playing charity raffles and what new audiences to target to diversify your supporter database.

2020 and the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a renewed focus on prize-led fundraising to raise money for charities. The value-exchange model is appealing to existing and new supporters - that is, the chance to win something in return for their support.

One of the most traditional forms of prize-led fundraising is the charity raffle, which has continued to generate incredible results for UK charities for over 30 years.

As of August 2020, 18 of the top 25 UK charities offer raffles as part of their fundraising mix. But how much do we know about the types of supporters playing these raffles? 

Table showing top 25 UK charities with a raffle and / or weekly lottery programme as at August 2020

Understanding the type of audience playing raffle means we can build better relationships with them.

As a fundraiser, you’re constantly looking for ways to increase return on investment for your fundraising products. One of the best ways of doing this is by knowing who you’re talking to and talk to them in a way they like. It may sound simple on the surface, but charities are often left in the dark as to who their supporter groups are.

Understanding your donors’ needs and motivations builds lasting relationships and increases lifetime value. You can build a picture of your supporters by carrying out simple exercises internally. Read more on this in our blog: Get to know your supporter personas for long-term benefits.

You can watch a webinar all about charity raffle and weekly lottery player personas, available on demand now.

We used Experian’s Mosaic classification to bring some context into these personas. 

Experian Mosaic Classifications by key criteria
The Mosaic UK family tree illustrates the major
demographic and lifestyle polarities between the
groups and types, and shows how the Mosaic types
relate to each other.

The Mosaic UK family tree illustrates the major demographic and lifestyle polarities between the groups and types, and shows how the Mosaic types relate to each other.

We’ve included some of the highlights below, but for a more detailed explanation, why not watch our ‘Raffle and lottery player persona’ webinar on-demand?

On demand webinar looking at charity raffle and weekly lottery player personas

Raffle players: the insights

1. Charity raffle players tend to be older and more affluent

Compared to other individual giving products such as weekly lottery, cash appeals and regular giving, charity raffle players are older and more affluent. Using Experian’s Mosaic classification, we can see that they over index compared to these other forms of giving in:

  • Senior Security: Elderly people with assets who are enjoying a comfortable retirement
  • Prestige Positions: Established families in large detached homes living upmarket lifestyles
  • Country Living: Well-off owners in rural locations enjoying the benefits of country life
Mosaic classifications for charity raffle, weekly lottery, cash appeals and regular giving charity supporters

2. Charity raffle players like gardening, homes, TV drama and travel

Knowing the kinds of interests charity raffle players have helps us gain their interest more. These personas are based on an amalgamation of multiple charity player types. Your charity is unique, and it’s essential to understand your specific player types to ensure you find the right way (and the right things) to attract them.

Charity raffle player characteristics

3. There’s an opportunity for a new charity raffle audience, aged 36-45

From the persona work we conducted, we can see an opportunity for targeting a younger age range of between 36 and 45 years old - specifically to aspiring families who live well despite their large mortgages.

They are comfortable with technology – for example, using smartphones and games consoles. Plus, unlike the traditional aged 66+ raffle player, they’re more likely to donate online, so digital play would be attractive for them. Omni-channel approaches to raffle are therefore becoming increasingly important where digital and direct mail work closely together.

Enhance your charity raffle with Woods Valldata

Whether you have a raffle already established or want to start one to take your fundraising to new heights, Woods Valldata is here to support you. We can grow your raffle together, using data and our years of expertise to drive continuous growth and give you the results you deserve.

We’re all about more: more creativity, more collaboration, and more innovation so you get more out of your charity raffle.

Get in touch with our team today to book a chat and discover how we can build a raffle that fits with you.

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