After generating over 1,250 supporter engagements in only two weeks from their first in-memory dedication page, the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) are already looking to use their page again in the future. We spoke to them to find out the secret of their success.
Isabel Collinge, Individual Giving Officer at the MHF, was delighted with the results of their recent campaign. Prior to starting to work with MuchLoved in April 2023, the charity only had a small in-memory program in place, receiving organic donations through our site and with little in the way of stewardship, particularly since homeworking became a way of life in the wake of the pandemic.
Creating a dedication page for their campaign has helped them start to build their in-memory supporter base, helped improve their stewardship and helped them raise funds in one easy sweep. But how did they do it?
To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, the charity launched an online campaign using a MuchLoved dedication page, asking people to share a memory, or to say their loved one's name on the page.
They used the increased web traffic from the awareness week to launch their campaign to grow their in-memory giving. The team wanted to create engagement amongst their supporters and generate income, aiming to reach and engage with their existing supporters, as well as connect with a new audience.
Isabel and her team promoted their dedication page on social media, using simple paid ads on Facebook and Instagram, produced by a digital agency. They targeted a broad audience to reach potential new supporters.
Below are a few of the simple but effective ads they used in their campaign:
For Isabel and the MHF team, success was measured in engagement and a secondary goal of income generation.
Their page went from 0 dedications to over 1,250 in two weeks. They also received emails from people thanking them, who thought it was a lovely thing to do and appreciating the space to share their loved one's story.
They also received over £1,200 in donations, from a very soft ask - which exceeded their expectations.
Following the campaign, one supporter decided to set up a tribute fund and funeral notice, raising nearly £2,000 - all from leaving one dedication on the page.
Isabel said, "Our choice to use ad spend on this campaign meant we knew it would not bring immediate high returns on expenditure – however, it created a page we can promote again in the future, and gave us a start in developing an in-memory audience for the first time. I look forward to seeing how else we can use our page to engage with our supporters throughout the rest of the year. "
Finally, Isabel shares her top tips for creating and making the most of a dedication page:
