We partnered with About Loyalty to harness its rich data set of 200,000 supporter opinions and behaviours across 12 charities to answer a vital question – which emotional connections drive repeat loyalty and giving.

To answer this question with confidence, we turned to a robust statistical technique – penalized regression. This form of regression works well in situations where there may be multicollinearity in the data or where there are many predictor variables.

The technique confirmed the significance of key metrics as drivers of donor loyalty but also allowed us to provide new depth of insight into the nuances of donor behaviour and the emotional connections driving it.

Ultimately, the results highlighted the importance of more targeted donor engagement strategies. We were able to create a dynamic model which enabled simulation of various events and the quantifiable impact of key metrics, making it a powerful tool for ongoing learning and improvement.

Results have also been used to create a vital benchmarking tool. Enabling charities to compare their performance against sector averages, identify areas of improvement, and implement strategies to drive repeat giving.

“With over 200,000 donors sharing their views, the challenge was to cut through and find the key insights. Kokoro’s analysis did all that, helping us to understand the emotions that sit at the heart of a relationship that donors have with the charities they support. Not only were we able to see this across all charities, but we were also able to identify what makes each charity special and unique. With this insight, each of the charities has been able to create tailored and practical plans for growing their supporters’ loyalty and raise more money.”

Roger Lawson, Founder, About Loyalty