What data do you use in your models?

There are literally hundreds of potentially relevant factors that may be taken into account. But the starting point is always the data in your CRM! Here is a small sample of data that may be useful: 

• Number of transactions; 
• Last transaction date; 
• Transaction regularity; 
• Days since sign-up; 
• Regular giving status; 
• Recent card declines; 
• Missed payments; 
• Petitions signed; 
• Email clicks; 
• Phone call history; 
• Website logins; 
• Onboarding channel; 
• Age; 
• Gender; 
• Postcode; 
• Time of year (e.g school holidays or tax time); 
• Days until Christmas; 
• Consumer confidence; 
• House or apartment; 
• Charitable giving amount*; 
• Marital status*; 
• Renting or Home owner*; 
• Profession*

Critically we do not take any more personal information from your system than is  absolutely necessary. For example, we do not required details such as donors’ full names, full addresses, email addresses or other identifying details. It's just not necessary for the modelling.

We also do not use data from any other charities when we’re creating models for your organisation. There are two reasons for this: i) we have serious privacy concerns about such activities; and ii) we’ve found that every organisation has different relationships with their donors which means that the donors behave differently. It's far more effective to model on your charity’s own history of donations and donor relations than it is to make assumptions based on behaviours of other charities’ donors.