The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of insights and inspiration here at HomeMade. Through client events, conferences, and meet-ups, we’ve gathered a valuable trove of observations that challenge our previous understanding and highlight the dynamic world of fundraising.
Digital: Still very dynamic
Digital acquisition is becoming increasingly complex. We’re witnessing a fascinating evolution driven by Generative AI, transforming creative processes in unprecedented ways and scales. We and our clients are leveraging AI to:
- Optimise ad performance
- Create more varied ad content
- Benefit from enhanced conversions
Platforms like LinkedIn are proving to be fertile ground, offering strong returns on ad spend. Meanwhile, the ongoing transformation of X requires careful navigation for causes around the world.
AI: Promise and pitfalls
Our exploration of AI has been both exciting and humbling. While the technology’s potential is enormous, our experiences reveal nuanced realities. Some campaigns attempted to reduce costs by using AI to edit supporter email communications. Interestingly, the initial savings in time were often outweighed by subsequent reductions in effectiveness and income. Conversely, tactical AI-driven SMS campaigns continue to deliver promising results.
The key lessons? We need:
- Continued experimentation
- Better-trained AI models
- More sophisticated prompting techniques
- Most crucially, the invaluable human touch of experienced fundraisers to review and refine AI-generated content
Retention: The new acquisition
With acquisition costs continuing to climb, we have been investing more into retention strategies. We’ve discovered powerful approaches that are breathing new life into supporter engagement:
- Personalised, small and well-timed print materials
- Targeted integration of print and eDM, both using PURLs (Personalised URLs)
- Custom VIP incentives to welcome back and renew relationships
Peer-to-Peer: an exciting 2025
Recent experiences with both real-life and virtual events, including supporting the Moonlight Walk for MS Queensland and the MS Gong Ride, saw nearly 10,000 people raise millions and uncover fascinating insights:
Moonlight Walk
It is still important to make shared moments that matter. The event brought over 2,200 supporters to the heart of Brisbane, raising over $380k. Its success continues to be driven through excellent nurture of a community united by a shared purpose. Congratulations to the MSQ team!
MS Gong Ride
With two distances, and a huge sigh of relief that the weather behaved this year, the Ride saw over 6,500 riders raise nearly $1.4m! Again, pre- and on-event experiences were key. From great training resources and fundraising coaching to extra trains to get the riders home. We noticed increased adoption of e-bikes this year, opening the event to participants who might have previously felt excluded. We look forward to exploring how this could lead to new communities being involved in 2025. Big shout out to the awesome MS Plus team for this great result!
Coastguard’s BIG SWIM
A further thought on this after the inaugural event exceeded income targets by 300%. As you develop and extend virtual challenges, there are opportunities to engage and recruit corporate partners, sponsors and teams. Try to embrace this without alienating the wider community, while also considering value add for the partners – such as dedicated online hubs, leaderboards, face-to-face coaching meet-ups or incentives.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): The quiet hero?
Our CRO projects are delivering remarkable results:
- 5-10% improvements across every step of event registration and donation payment forms
- Improving access to Apple Pay and Google Pay and seeing their uptake grow
- Increasing opt-ins for ongoing communication
- A standout achievement: over 100% improvement in e-commerce results for a New Zealand charity by redesigning their charity shop’s landing / category pages
Looking ahead: Fundraising challenges on the horizon
At a recent Auckland event, we polled fundraising professionals about their top challenges. The consensus? Five key areas of focus:
- Retention
- Innovation
- Diversifying income sources
- Growing income
- Optimising donation and peer-to-peer experiences
As we approach the end of 2024, these challenges remind us that fundraising is more than a transaction—it’s about creating meaningful connections and driving positive change.
We’re excited to continue exploring them with our clients and sharing our learnings. The fundraising landscape is evolving, and we’re committed to staying at the forefront of innovation.
Stay tuned, stay inspired, and most importantly, keep making a difference!
The HomeMade Team