# Merlin have their best retention after introducing new acquisition stream

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/03/26/merlin-have-their-best-retention-after-introducing-new-acquisition-stream/
- Published: 2013-03-26T11:33:27+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Merlin are getting their best retention to date due to excellent fundraising and
supporter care on all their income streams. One of the newer income streams and 
donor recruitment campaigns that has been tested has shown over 90% retention in
the first year.**

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/newswire/Hero mid of HMB.jpg)

The donor investment programme focuses on the Merlin hero, the health worker in 
the world’s toughest places who are saving people everyday in emergency situations.
The campaign asks supporters to become Merlin heroes too, giving the supporter a
real connection with the work in country and showing how their money is having a
real impact. This works along side their other recruitment such as online, on street,
where they are also asked to be a Merlin ‘hero’.

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Danielle Atkinson, Head of Digital & Individual Giving said: “The donor investment
programme, is a two-stage recruitment programme that uses a home money collection
box. It has now been through two tests, and consistently in both, we have seen the
retention much higher than in any other activity. We have worked hard to make sure
all the supporters we bring on board through this method hear from us regularly 
through mail and phone, and this is what has made it so successful. Sounds simple
but it really works.”

The money they have raised from this campaign means that Merlin can continue to 
send medical experts to the frontline of emergencies like the crisis in Syria.

The campaign was run and managed by R Fundraising and the individual giving team
at Merlin.

ENDS