Guide Dogs QLD

In an era of increasingly expensive acquisition campaigns, large mail packs and ever-bigger premiums, Guide Dogs Queensland did something different: they created an easy-to-replicate, low-cost acquisition pack which delivered excellent results.

The pack needed to tell a moving story and resonate strongly with donors to create deep connections. The challenge: not using a premium incentive.
With budget savings accrued from a warm appeal, the team focused exclusively on the story. They adapted one of their best-ever appeals for a new audience, using their in-house designer. For the mailing list, they exchanged data with four other charities, chosen for their values alignment/broad QLD reach.
They set an ambitious target to break even financially, which required achieving a minimum 3.8% response rate and a $40 average gift. The results: a 5% response rate and an average gift of just over $40.

Out of the 5,607 records mailed, 280 people made a gift (32% above target) with total revenue reaching $11,295 (21% above target). The profit was $2,381, a positive ROI of 27%.

The happy team will now increase acquisition efforts over the next three years with the campaign undergoing further refinement. There are also plans to elevate those new supporters into long-term, loyal donors.