Regular giving: the A/B test

Stop 47 of 58 · about 8 minutes

Which ask turns a one-off donor into a monthly one, and how do you know? The regular giving ask is the most valuable email most charities send, and the least tested. This journey splits supporters by what they already do, and tests two versions of the increase ask.

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Regular giving: a split on Donation status into regular givers (with the A/B test of the increase ask), non regular givers and other supporters, each ending in the All_donation matters redirect. Open full size

Sample charity: the people and numbers in these screens are made up, so the picture shows the tool, not a result.

The lesson

Regular giving starts from Active supporters and sorts them with an Audience Split on Donation status:

Regular givers get Powering our cause, a 4-day wait, then an A/B Test Split (Email) called Increase in donations test: half get Increase donation VerA, half Increase donation VerB. A week later an Interaction Split (Engagement Check) sends the engaged to Where your money goes and Donation increase ask.
Non regular givers get We can not do this without you, then Intro to regular giving, Committed giving, committed help and Could you be a regular giver?, with an engagement check between.
Other supporters get Our plans need you, Donation matters and Your actions matter, with a Comms check.

Every branch ends in the All_donation matters redirect, and Unsubscribed and Bounced exit at each split.

How to use it. The three branches are three different conversations: thank the regular givers and ask for a little more, show the one-off givers what regular giving is, and warm up everyone else. Keep the A/B test: change one thing between VerA and VerB (the amount, the subject line, the image), run it for a cycle, and read the two results on the Overview tab before you pick a winner for the next run.

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Your turn, in Orbit

Open Regular giving.
Click the first Audience Split and read its three branches.
Follow Regular givers to the A/B Test Split. What is being tested?
On the Overview tab, find where you would compare VerA and VerB.

Quick check

In Regular giving, who receives the A/B tested increase ask?

Everyone in Active supporters
Regular givers only
Non regular givers only

Answer: Regular givers only

Need a hint?

The test sits on the Regular givers branch after Powering our cause.

Why it matters

One tested ask a year, kept and improved, beats a new untested one every time.

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