Getting more from less – Bright ideas for big impact

Presenters: J Cromack (Salocin Group)

10.10-10.20

The soft opt-in offers charities a significant opportunity to boost fundraising and supporter engagement by allowing them to email more supporters without explicit consent, potentially unlocking millions in additional income annually. Here, we will provide an update on the current status soft opt-in for charities and when we can expect to see these new rules in place

Presenters: Kayleigh Philps (Wood for Trees) and Alan Sparke (The Salvation Army)

10.20-11.00

We’ve all heard the advice of ‘keep it simple’, but often this can be easier said than done. The shininess of advanced analytics, and the latest buzz words around Generative AI, can seduce us into wanting to run before we can walk. Of course we want to get ourselves and our organisations to the holy grail of making best use of these techniques, but we can only achieve those lofty analytical heights if we have a solid foundation from which to build them upon. So how do we begin, and how can we make sure we start from solid analytical foundations?

This session highlights how we can ensure we have a strong grasp on the basics when it comes to analysis. We’ll cover the all too often overlooked aspects which are crucial to understand and get right. You’ll leave with some practical, tangible takeaways you can take back to your organisation to make sure you’re analytical foundations are strong and solid. And from those solid foundations can you continue to build your analytical empire.

Presenters: Ben Briggs (Join the Dots) and Matt Cann (Salocin Group)

11.20-12.00

With tightening budgets and increasing competition for donor attention, charities are turning to data-led strategies to maximise their impact. This session will explore tactics to refine audience targeting and improve marketing efficiency and how we are doing this using data.

Presenters: Rob Dyer (Salocin Group) and Kelly Heaton-Ralph (Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex)

12.00-12.45

Major donors respond to leadership. They want to invest in bold missions, measurable outcomes, and trusted relationships. This demands C-suite involvement in identifying aligned prospects, articulating a compelling case for support, and personally stewarding key relationships. Beyond revenue, major donor engagement shapes reputation, extends influence, and attracts further investment. When organisations champion philanthropy, they elevate fundraising from transactional to transformational.

For leaders, major donor strategy is not optional – it’s essential.  This session explores our whitepaper on truly understanding the major donor income your organisation brings in, and how to drive growth using your data and a range of analysis and insight tools already likely to be at your team’s disposal.

13.35-14.25

Jules Howard is a zoologist, author and broadcaster known for his engaging, accessible approach to science communication across radio, TV, live events and print.

Presenters: Nicolas Audry (Herdify), Symon Russell (Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex), Megan Baker (RSPCA) and Jodie Hanrahan (Join the Dots)

14.25-15.10

With the charity sector facing a tough time, what lessons can the sector learn from companies like Meta, Twitter and Uber, who achieved breakout success against huge odds and well-resourced competition? In this session, we’ll discuss the psychology behind why people donate to charity, and how these companies used this to fuel their growth. Join us to uncover how you can build a strategy enabling you to supercharge growth, without needing a bigger budget.

Presenters: Marc Dallimore and Alex Holt (Salocin Group)

15.30-16.10

Generative AI is changing the game for charities and not-for-profits. It can help you get more done with fewer resources saving time, cutting costs, and opening up new possibilities that once felt out of reach.

We’ll show how AI can support your team in everything from writing supporter emails to creating campaign visuals or analysing data without needing a big budget or technical skills. You’ll hear real examples of how other organisations are already using these tools to make a bigger impact.

Presenters: Gary Arnold (Salocin Group), Graham Riddall (Dogs Trust), Sunil Mir (Action Aid) and Bo Ruan (Brooke)

16.10-16.50

CRM migrations can be challenging, but with a strategic approach they have the potential to drive significant transformation. We understand the pressures that come with a CRM migration and have seen many of our clients struggle. With the right approach – one that’s strategy-led and data-first – you can move beyond simply replacing a system and instead reimagine how your charity connects with supporters, measures impact and drives engagement. This panel session comprised of charity clients who have recently embarked on a CRM migration will discuss things that went well and the pitfalls to look out for.

Drop in to see our award-winning media agency, Join the Dots, and ask any questions you have about acquisition, such as…

• Which media channels still deliver first-time donors we can afford – and how should we split budget across channel? 
• What does an effective omnichannel donor journey look like in 2025?
• How do we attribute revenue when a prospect sees five ads, a postcard and a peer-to-peer link before giving?
• How often should we pilot shiny new channels?
• How big should a UK test be to get statistically solid learnings?
• How do I develop an acquisition strategy that delivers long term value?
• Costs are rising and recruitment volumes are decreasing each year, how can I make my donor recruitment channels more efficient?
• Who are my most valuable audiences and which products do they donate through? e.g. cash/legacy/raffle
• My data is a mess! How can we sort this so that I can understand results better to inform stronger recruitment strategies?
• It’s difficult to accurately track and report on all acquisition channel impact, how can I make this more effective and accurate?
• What’s a sensible donor-acquisition cost and pay-back window in financial terms?

Drop in to chat about any particular issues you’re facing when it comes to privacy, such as…

• What are the changes from the Data Use and Access Bill, and how could they impact our contact strategy as a UK charity?
• How do I use consent and preferences to increase audience size and engagement?
• Are we using AI and Analytics in a way that upholds trust and meets legal and ethical obligations?
• Have we been over-compliant? Can we mail more people that we hold data for than we currently are?
• How can we start to move towards a ‘next best ask’ supporter centric model?

Come and say hi to the Herdify team, and find out how they use the power of behavioural science to locate brand champions in real life.

Join the Apteco and Salocin teams to discover how Apteco Marketing Software can bring your data to life – from dashboards and data selections to supporter journey execution.