We are fortunate to work in charity fundraising. This is a sector that, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, works together to succeed. We use change as a springboard from which to build and develop our programmes. As a profession we care deeply about the causes we support and how we can best acquire the income required to sustain our services. We have a lot to think about and sometimes we can miss things that can make a significant impact to our programmes. That’s where a successful supplier partnership can make all the difference.
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RNIB, the leading sight-loss charity in the UK, and Woods Valldata have worked together for over 20 years with Woods Valldata helping deliver prize-led programmes and campaign response handling and fulfilment.
Woods Valldata were managing the RNIB raffle and highlighted that more could be raised through the programme by reversing a decision that had been made a number of years previously by RNIB. Back then, based on an overall review of the product mix, it had been decided that their raffle should be put into ‘managed decline’.
Using data and insight to drive more successful individual giving fundraising
Taking a fresh look at the fundraising mix, Head of Individual Giving, Andrea Jones, wanted to interrogate the previous strategy and identify whether Woods Valldata’s claim that the raffle still had plenty left to give was valid.
“The term ‘managed decline’ felt a little concerning. Because presumably decline must end somewhere? At the time the decision was made, regular giving was the preferred approach for supporter acquisition. But against the backdrop of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, more and more supporters are responding to regular giving asks with one-off gifts. We needed to question whether we are giving supporters their preferred experience if we’re not responding to their behaviour and the wider environment we’re operating in,” explains Andrea Jones, Head of Individual Giving, RNIB.
“Working with Woods Valldata and our internal insights team we used data to determine what the coming years would look like for the raffle. I realised that this product still had a future – actually needed a future - and a place in the programme. And we’ve used our insights to understand the programme, what was happening to it, and how we could turn that situation around.”
Working together as a successful supplier partnership
RNIB and Woods Valldata are still at the start of the journey to re-establish their once thriving raffle programme. There’s still a lot to do and learn but as a successful supplier partnership they’ve already made exciting in-roads.
Andrea Jones takes us through a quick summary of the 5-step process Woods Valldata followed to use data and insight to drive more successful collaboration:
1. Identify goals and objectives
Managed decline needed to be challenged. We got together in a workshop scenario with Woods Valldata to understand exactly what the raffle meant for RNIB and for our supporters. From there, we discussed, and agreed upon, the key objectives and goals we had for our raffle. We knew exactly, from that point, where we wanted to be going. All of the elements were clear and targeted, achievable and measurable over time.
2. Gather knowledge
We implemented an insights project with Woods Valldata to understand exactly what was happening with the raffle over time, why it was perceived to be a product that was no longer viable or worth investing in, where our challenges lay, and what opportunities there are.
A follow up workshop session with key stakeholders was held to:
- enable everyone to understand and discuss the findings
- ensure these fed into the objectives and goals
- provide us the base we needed to review activity – current and future
3. Use insights
Now we had a strong data bed and analysis on which to base our decisions, we wanted to focus in the right areas. Using an Impact / Effort Matrix in a workshop with Woods Valldata we plotted actions across the quick wins and longer-term developments. This helped us develop a prioritisation and action plan.
One of the key areas we identified was to grow player volumes through warm conversion and cold acquisition as well as retain existing players through solid supporter journey planning.
4. Data strategy
Data strategy is vital to achieving our objectives and goals. We knew a change needed to be made to our data model and selection for raffle in conjunction with wider giving. We conducted an internal review of the existing process and changed the selection approach to maximise volume and response by putting the supporter first.
Alongside this, we worked with Woods Valldata to develop our raffle supporter journeys online and offline to maximise engagement, second play rates, supporter experience, channel preference and choice.
5. Ongoing testing and development
No programme should be left without a plan for continuous testing, review and analysis. There’s always more that can be done! We’re working together with Woods Valldata to introduce new concepts and ideas to the raffle. At the same time, together we’re tracking, monitoring and benchmarking our key performance indicators (KPIs) and supporter feedback to refine, test, tweak and develop – all to make the RNIB raffle Britain’s best!
Working in a successful supplier partnership with Woods Valldata, RNIB have been able to revitalise their Raffle programme and benefit from the additional income this will deliver.
“Woods Valldata have been an invaluable partner for us on this project. They've listened to what we want to achieve and used facts and insights to help us make the right decisions to get there. This has very much been a collaborative project. We know they're passionate about this project being a success,” says Andrea.
We’re all busy doing the very best that we can to deliver for our causes. Change is a constant and we need to keep reviewing and adapting strategies and decisions to stay relevant to our supporter audience. When you have the right partners there to identify the opportunities you’ve potentially missed, and help get you back on the right track, you know you’re in the right relationship.
Partner with leading fundraising services provider, Woods Valldata
At Woods Valldata, we’re here for you and there for your supporters. Whatever you want when you outsource your cross-channel fundraising programmes – insight, strategy and innovation driving growth, or reliable processes and continuous improvements delivering faster and more accurate banking, thanking and fulfilment – we make your supporters feel appreciated and elevate your ability to achieve more.
Arrange a meeting today to discuss how partnering with Woods Valldata can support your charity fundraising.
