Increasing Donations via Gamification Tactics: MS-forbundet Story

Helene Skilbred, Senior Fundraiser at MS-forbundet, led the innovative use of gamification to overcome challenges in expanding the donor base and engaging the audience for the organisation, which supports individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and their families.

About MS-forbundet

This NGO is dedicated to supporting and advocating for the interests of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The MS association serves everyone affected by MS, including those living with the condition, their families, healthcare professionals, and others who are interested in the cause.

MS-forbundet relies heavily on membership fees, state subsidies, and private donations to fund its activities. With a desire to grow its donor base and increase recurring donations, the NGO sought innovative ways to engage potential donors and convert them into long-term supporters. By implementing gamification campaigns, MS-forbundet successfully boosted lead generation, increased donor conversion rates, and enhanced overall engagement.

Engage, educate and fundraise: MS-forbundet's success with gamification

MS-forbundet faced several challenges in their fundraising efforts. Traditional donor acquisition methods were becoming increasingly ineffective, with cold-calling yielding limited results and incurring high costs. Engaging potential donors in a meaningful way proved to be difficult, particularly when it came to establishing lasting connections that could lead to recurring donations. Additionally, raising awareness about MS and the organisation’s mission required more dynamic and impactful approaches, as conventional methods like blog posts and static advertisements were not delivering the desired level of engagement.

To overcome these challenges, MS-forbundet partnered with Scratcher to incorporate gamification into their fundraising and engagement campaigns. The initial strategy involved using quizzes as a means to interact and educate participants about the cause, attract their interest, and secure their consent for further engagement.

These quizzes allowed participants to test their knowledge about the cause, with the added incentive of winning prizes. This strategy was designed not only to educate participants about MS but also to obtain their consent for future contact, making subsequent outreach efforts more effective.

“The feedback we’re getting internally is great. Our telemarketing team finds it easier to connect with these leads. Starting a conversation from a point of shared curiosity makes the process smoother and more effective,” says Helene.

Another important strategy involved integrating the leads generated from these quizzes into targeted telemarketing campaigns. Since these leads had already demonstrated an interest in MS-forbundet’s activities, they were more receptive to donation requests, leading to a higher conversion rate.

To drive traffic to the quiz, the NGO used video ads on Meta featuring messages from their general secretary, a well-known figure within the MS community in Norway. This approach was much more effective than static ads, making the campaigns more relatable and appealing, significantly increasing engagement rates among the target audience.

“One of the key insights is how this approach impacts our cost efficiency. Measuring cost per new donor, we’ve seen that these pre-engaged leads significantly reduce acquisition costs compared to other channels.” — Helene Skilbred, Organisational Advisor in the MS Association

Result: warmer leads and better conversations

As a result of implementing the quiz campaign, MS-forbundet more than doubled its base of individuals who consented to be contacted. Of these, MS-forbundet successfully reached 50% through their telemarketing efforts, which is considered an excellent outcome in telemarketing campaigns. This engagement led to a conversion rate of 9%, a significant achievement, particularly given that the quizzes were marketed to a cold audience with no prior connection to the organisation.

This effort resulted in 105 new recurring donors, each expected to support the organisation for an average of five years. This influx of long-term supporters is a significant boost for MS-forbundet and provides essential support for their mission to help those living with MS.

“You show that you’re interested in the cause and want to learn more, which makes you a warmer crowd. It creates a better opening for our telemarketing department to engage in meaningful conversations," Helene explains.

The effectiveness of the gamified quiz campaign is evident when compared to another fundraising effort, the walking challenge. The quiz campaign targeted a broad audience, including many who had no prior connection to the organisation—a "cold" audience.

In contrast, the walking challenge, which targeted a warmer audience already familiar with the organisation, provided 50 new recurring donors with a 13% conversion rate. Typically, with a warm audience, the organisation expects at least a 10% conversion rate. The fact that the quiz campaign, despite targeting a colder audience, achieved a conversion rate close to the walking challenge’s rate is remarkable.

This comparison highlights the quiz campaign’s success not just in numbers but in exceeding expectations for a cold audience, demonstrating how a well-executed strategy can effectively convert a broad and less engaged audience into long-term supporters.

Additionally, the integration of participant data from the quizzes into MS-forbundet’s CRM system facilitated more effective follow-up and donor management. This streamlined data handling process contributed to the overall success of the campaigns and ensured that the organisation could efficiently nurture relationships with potential donors.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, MS-forbundet plans to continue using Scratcher to further expand its fundraising base and explore new engagement strategies. Upcoming initiatives include the incorporation of a “Wheel of Fortune” activity into their campaigns, aimed at diversifying their gamification approaches and increasing participant interaction.

As it tries new approaches, MS-forbundet remains committed to supporting those affected by MS.

Advice for other NGOs

For other NGOs considering the adoption of gamification strategies:

• Begin with simple campaigns, such as quizzes, to gauge audience response and fine-tune the approach.
• Ensure that participant data can be easily integrated into your existing CRM system for efficient follow-up and data management.
• Collaborate with influencers and personalised messages to make the campaign activation more relatable and engaging.
• Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your campaigns and be willing to make adjustments based on participant feedback and results.