2-step acquisition
Don’t Ignore Me Because I’m Ageing
Overview
UnitingCare Queensland (UCQ) Blue Care provides in-home aged care services and assistance across the state to empower ageing individuals to live life their way. When UCQ Blue Care partnered with Marlin to grow their Regular Giving (RG) database, they had never used 2-step acquisition before.
In the process of defining the focus and scope of the campaign, we discovered that dementia was a huge concern for ageing Australians. This realisation helped focus the 2-step campaign on raising awareness about dementia and how to identify the early signs of memory loss.
To uncover the most effective mechanism for acquiring new regular givers, Marlin helped design and develop 3 mechanics for testing: a value exchange booklet, a quiz and pledge that ran for 12 weeks in partnership with CleverContacts who completed a series of phone conversations with acquired leads.
In the process we are able to explore different audiences, messaging and creative execution. After trialling a series of emails, social ads and phone conversations, we discovered the best performing cost per RG was a direct download of the age care booklet at just $332.
Problem
UCQ Blue Care partnered with Marlin to grow their Regular Giving (RG) database, they had never used 2-step acquisition before.
Solution
Create an engaging trial acquisition campaign to uncover the most effective mechanism for acquiring new regular givers.
Results
The results from our 2-step efforts were outstanding! The final cost per lead came in 86% below the target and the conversion rate 10% higher! The average cost per acquisition of regular givers was just $332.
“Marlin are brilliant to work with, they really are a part of our team. Marlin undertook the challenge to do the very first Value Exchange campaigns for Lifeline and Blue Care as well as a community fundraising activity for Lifeline . Marlin took time to understand our brands, our values and mission to build campaign executions that not only achieve fundraising and donor objectives, but engaged the organisation through this step change. It is clear social responsibility and client serving is at the centre of everything Marlin does, which makes them a wonderful partner for UnitingCare. We look forward to working with Marlin in the future, continuing a partnership which drives wonderful fundraising learning and results. Thanks team Marlin!”
Sommer Davies, Fundraising SpecialistUnitingCare
The Challenge
Blue Care had significant stretch targets in donor and regular giving acquisition and conversion. To meet these ambitious goals, we needed to trial acquisition mechanisms that would reveal the most cost- effective way to disrupt their audience and grab their attention.
In regards to aged care, these services are not often an ‘easy sell’. Many people believe that services are government-funded, so there’s no need for them to donate. Others find that aged care is an uncomfortable topic to confront. Moreover, most of us don’t understand what’s considered a normal part of the ageing process and what might be early signs and symptoms of dementia.
So our challenge was to create an engaging trial acquisition campaign to uncover the most effective mechanism for acquiring new regular givers. To do this we needed to help people feel more comfortable talking about the needs of elderly Queenslanders and diseases associated with ageing such as dementia.
The Solution
Marlin developed a concept called “Don’t Ignore Me”. The eye-catching communications placed the beneficiaries of Blue Care front and centre, creating empathy and need by revealing the challenges of ageing and dementia within the various touch points of the social campaign.
To build awareness, we tested messaging focused on ageing and dementia and the impacts of these things on older loved ones. To build engagement, we developed a series of ads that posed intriguing questions to Queenslanders such as: Do you know the signs of dementia?
Best performing ads
After the concept was finalised we deployed a test campaign running over 8 weeks that allowed UCQ and Marlin to explore different audiences, messaging and creative executions. For example, we tested dementia led messaging versus general ageing messaging. And we worked very closely with UCQ’s telemarketing agency to learn from the prospective donors’ feedback and anecdotes to improve on our acquisition message.
The Results
The results from our 2-step efforts were outstanding! The final cost per lead came in 86% below the target and the conversion rate 10% higher! The average cost per acquisition of regular givers was just $332.
Additionally, we discovered that the best performing mechanics were the Value Exchange and Pledge. After 1,029 conversations with supporters, UCQ Blue Care achieved 45 new regular givers at an overall response rate of 4.37%, ultimately leading to a higher annual income for the organisation.
We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of our initial 2-step efforts with UCQ Blue Care and are confident the campaign findings will lead to increased RG acquisition and conversion for years to come.
