Presentation by Legacy Foresight for IoF Legacy and In-memory special interest group meeting: In-Memory Insight, focusing on research into social and digital in in-memory conversations for UK charities and hospices.
3. • A rolling programme to map, measure and research the growing in-
memory ‘market’
– By ‘in-memory’ we mean any type of charitable giving or
fundraising commemorating the life of someone special
• Supported by a ‘Learning Circle’ of 60+ charities over the past 6
years
• We aim to collect evidence and insight in order to:
– Build the case for investment
– Inform In-Memory fundraising strategies
– Help manage relationships with donors
What is In-Memory Insight?
4. How our research has evolved
2011
Catalyst
donors
2011
Catalyst
donors
2012
Bereavement
2012
Bereavement
2014
Events
2014
Events
2015
Products
2015
Products
2016
Social &
digital media
2016
Social &
digital media
5. In-depth consumer research
Current S&DM
users in-mem
The status quo
Catalyst donors
Campaigners/
activists
Digital planners &
facilitators
Future influencers
Digital decision-
makers
Recipients of
Facebook in-mem
Digital
fundraisers
£ mobilisers
6. Told by his sister, Michele
Paul’s story (48)
Paul had a tumour on his brain from
childhood and after several operations, he
suffered from epilepsy for the rest of his life.
He lived with his parents and then his sister,
before living independently for the last 8
years of his life.
Whilst with his sister, she introduced him to
dancing and after that, he never looked
back. But he had an unexpected brain
haemorrhage and after a time in hospital,
his family decided to turn his life support off.
During his illness, his friends – aided by
Facebook - rallied round to support him and
his family. The memories and photos
collected on Facebook showed a happy side
of Paul’s life that his family had never
imagined.
7. The role of social media
Paul’s friends & family
Paul’s Page & Friends
Paul’s Sister
Paul’s Parents
8. Told by his son, Dave
Steve’s story (62)
Steve lived with prostate cancer for 10 years.
He was always very positive, and it was only
in the last two years of his life that it spread
and made him feel ill.
He was an England junior footballer, and a
good friend of Simon Grayson, Preston North
End manager. As an adult, he was involved in
local rugby & shared the same circle of friends
as Dave.
While he was being treated in hospital, Steve
admired a wealthy volunteer who had chosen
to help the hospital and he felt strongly about
PCUK.
When he died, his family chose PCUK as their
designated charity. Dave felt that by helping
PCUK, he would be fulfilling one of his dad’s
unspoken wishes. He started with a London to
Amsterdam bike ride & has now raised over
£60K
9. The role of social media
Dave’s fundraising
Dave’s Page & Friends
Team Garby
PCUK Tribute FundPCUK Website
& Other
Suffers
10. Told by her daughter, Lisa
Rita’s story (71)
“This year myself and six of our
neighbour's walked Hadrian's Wall and
last year we did Three Peaks. We did
it for a young girl called Jessica who
died of brain cancer last year when
she was only 16”.
Rita was Lisa’s ‘go to’ person whenever she
needed help and advice. An only child, her
mum helped her to bring up her triplets.
But Rita was diagnosed with an aggressive
cancer, sarcoma, and after treatment at the
Marsden, was discharged into St Catherine’s
care.
She started with day visits, but after collapsing
there, was admitted. Rita was cared for in a
homely environment for just under a week.
Lisa wanted to give back to St Catherine’s and
also to keep the connection with her mum. She
started with a Midnight Walk, got more
involved and then became an ambassador. She
set up a tribute fund with the hospice which
she loves.
11. The role of social media
Lisa’s fundraising
Lisa’s Page &
Friends
Rita's Ramblers Company Website
Rita’s Page &
Friends
12. • Creates more exposure to death in general …
• Both personal and celebrity
• Facilitates more openness and discussion of death
• For under 45s, FB is the way they expect to hear about a death
(unless very close family)
• Helps to bring people together, across all ages & locations
• Makes it easier to share and collect memories
• So makes it easier to remember (& harder to forget)
• Helps people to capture more, varied and richer memories
• Stores family history for future generations
SM is changing death and remembrance
13. Facebook the main SM for remembrance
Relatively private
An easy way to share news
Less emotionally distressing than f2f
For both posting and receiving tributes
Sharing of (crafted) memories and photos
A place of remembrance
Helps keep memories alive (& refreshed)
Too public
& blunt
Does not
enable enough
to be said
Support
group
sharing
14. Curated memories helped the grieving process
“I think part of the healing process is
looking back and finding good
memories that you can have a
conversation about”
“The quality of shared memories is
one of the most helpful things we
have in managing the pain of
bereavement”
15. There was comfort in mutual understanding
“I was very grateful for cards, those things do make a difference. You
know there are people out there, and people who have had a similar
experience have particular empathy. A kindness or the odd word goes a
long way”
• From family and friends who knew their loved one well
• Or who had been through a similar experience
• People sought connections with their loved one
• Very sensitive to small gestures and kindnesses
• Aware of what wasn’t said or done
16. What of the future?
• Jobs of the future:
Digital Death Manager
Personal Content Curator
• Digital planning not yet on the radar of our interviewees
• But S&DM undoubtedly changing the way people are remembered
• Charities have emotional capital in their relationships with
supporters
• Potential to capture and record for future in-memory use
17. Some thoughts to leave you with
• S&DM make it easier for people to have in-memory conversations
• Don’t be afraid to encourage these and make connections/create
emotional traction
• Charities have capital in their relationships and ‘spiritual’
positionings
• There are lessons to be learned from FB and JG
• The future may require more flexible tools and products to
maximise the in-mem journey
• Remembrance is changing (fast) – in the future our memories may
never die!
19. How our research has evolved
2011 Catalyst
donors
2011 Catalyst
donors
2012
Bereavement
2012
Bereavement
2014
Events
2014
Events
2015
Products
2015
Products
2016
Social & digital
media
2016
Social & digital
media
2017
Focus on Funeral
Directors
2017
Focus on Funeral
Directors
20. • Donating at a funeral is by far the most common way to give in
memory
• Average donation values are relatively low
• Funeral gifts are often a one-off: an accepted way of showing
support to the family
• BUT, may also be a donor’s first interaction with the charity and the
all-important first step on the in-memory giving journey
What we know about funeral donations
21. • Funeral directors are an important channel for funeral gifts
• The funeral direction industry is competitive, with national and
regional chains vying with long-standing local firms
• Mourners’ expectations are shifting
• Technology is having a rapid impact on the way we direct and
present funerals, and on the way that donations are collected
• New online collection platforms have been springing up
What we know about funeral directors
22. • How does organising charity collections fit into the overall service
that FDs offer?
• How much influence do FDs have?
• How do FDs relate to charity fundraisers? How could they relate?
• What’s driving the new collection platforms that are being
developed?
What more do we want to understand?
23. • Desk research into the size, shape and drivers of the funeral
industry
• Depth interviews with a cross-section of funeral directors and key
industry bodies/commentators/suppliers
• Online consumer survey to quantify the issues emerging
• Charity case studies of best practice relationship building
• Two project workshops: November ‘17 and April ‘18
• Ongoing charity benchmarking
Our planned approach
24. 1. Unsolicited in-memory donations
– All known funeral donations
• Split Funeral Directors vs next-of-kin vs Direct
– All other unsolicited in-memory donations
2. Funds raised through specific in-memory mailings
3. Tribute Funds
– Annual value of gifts received through TFs
• Split online vs offline
– The number of TFs operating at year end
• Split ‘active*’ vs other
– The number of new TFs opened during year
* Active means paid into in past 2 years
Key benchmarks tracked since 2013
25. • Existing members to confirm by 2nd June
• New members sign up by 19th June
• Project kicks off 3rd July
• Project workshops November 2017/April 2018
• Final reports May 2018
* New joiners receive past years’ executive summaries and an induction presentation (19th July 2017)
Brand new prospectus available: www.legacyforesight.co.uk/resources
Timings and costs
Existing members New joiners*
National charities £2,200+VAT £4,400+VAT
Local hospices £1,100+VAT £2,200+VAT
26. • Strategy development and business planning
• Donor motivation research
• Product development
• Stewardship/ donor journey planning
• In-house awareness-raising/coaching
Our new In-Memory consultancy offer
28. LegacyForesight
Legacy Foresight are Europe’s foremost analysts of the
legacy and in-memory giving sectors.
We appraise the state of the markets, produce income
forecasts and research into donor motivations.
With over twenty years experience, we work with over one
hundred leading charities across Europe.
Authoritative Benchmarking
Trusted Forecasts
Stimulating Research
Illuminating Consultancy
29. Legacy
Foresight
Ashingate
East Chiltington
East Sussex
BN7 3AU
020 3286 5275
How are we performing?
Legacy Monitor is our flagship benchmarking service, in operation since 1998. By drawing directly
on our clients’ databases, we present the very latest intelligence on legacy incomes, notifications
and values. Each client receives tailored reports, comparing their performance against their peers -
whether by cause area, age or size.
What’s in the pipeline?
Our forecasting team can project the number and value of gifts you receive over the next five years.
Alongside our central forecasts, we provide optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, to help with
financial planning and risk management. These are backed up by clear commentaries, aimed at
busy managers and trustees.
What’s on the horizon?
Our scenario-building service provides an objective view of your future direction and potential.
Drawing on our strategic planning skills and sector knowledge, we overlay your organisation's
positioning, performance and plans with deep-rooted market trends, to create a spectrum of
future possibilities.
What do our donors think?
We manage bespoke research projects to explore emerging issues. Some projects are
commissioned by specific charities, while others are funded by groups of clients, who share their
experience, insights and data. This collaborative approach not only cuts costs; it can also save time
and create opportunities for joint campaigning.
www.legacyforesight.co.uk
@talkinglegacies
@talkinginmemory