Lead generation campaigns that get tails wagging
Earlier this month we were in Dublin for Charities Institute Ireland’s Fundraising Labs where we spoke alongside Claire Carr from Dog’s Trust Ireland on a subject we’re all big fans of here at Hynt: Lead Generation.
We don’t want you to miss out on becoming lead generation champs too so here’s a rundown of what we covered (as well the campaign worksheet and freebies we gave to the participants, score!)
In this blog you’ll learn:
What lead generation is and why it matters
How Dogs Trust Ireland is using digital lead generation to grow its share of voice and engage new donors for a relatively low cost
The types of generation tactics you can use in your own campaigns
How to use the lead generation campaign planning tool
So, why lead generation?
Traditional digital fundraising often jumps straight to the cash or regular giving ask. But in a distracted online environment, asking for money right away from a cold audience can lead to high acquisition costs and low conversion rates. If you are a charity, it should be a priority to build your own first-party data so you can develop relationships and turn those people into supporters.
You do this through lead generation. Lead generation is where you attract people who share your values to take a small action and give you their email address. Once there, you can stay in touch through tailored email or phone journeys that inspire them to deepen their support over time.
How Dogs Trust Ireland scaled share of voice and donor acquisition
For years, Dogs Trust Ireland (DTI) ran a successful value exchange (val-ex) telemarketing programme using physical items and phone calls to secure direct debit supporters. However, as digital channels matured, DTI set out to expand their strategy into digital lead generation to accomplish three goals:
Grow share of voice and impact: Dogs Trust Ireland is well known for rehoming, but also provides impactful community-based preventative services including training for dogs, training for humans to improve life with their dogs, training people in dog welfare and vouchers for neutering. Email gives the organisation the space to talk to supporters on these broader mission pillars.
Feed a warm email funnel: In addition to phone leads, DTI built an always-on email lead generation campaign. Leads enter a 7-email warming journey (automated via tools like Zapier) featuring engagement quizzes, cash asks, regular gift prompts, and retail offers. Supporters embrace their identity as dog lovers, resulting in predictable, growing email revenue month-on-month.
Drive policy and action: Lead generation enabled DTI to rally over 10,000 actions against puppy farming. This scale of engagement provided a powerful platform for policy change and advocacy that a standalone cash appeal file couldn't match.
By combining email warming journeys with targeted conversion campaigns (like their Sponsor a Dog monthly giving product or legacy brochure requests), DTI built a multi-channel pipeline that yields lower costs per acquisition (CPA) and stronger long-term supporter retention.
The three main types of lead magnets (plus a bonus)
Not all lead magnets serve the same purpose. Depending on your budget, team capacity, and target conversion channel, you can test several formats:
Hand-raisers (Pledges & petitions)
What it is: A simple declaration where supporters add their name to stand for a cause or policy change (e.g., Crohn's & Colitis asking people to stand with those affected, or Dogs Trust campaigning against puppy farms).
Why it works: Quick and inexpensive to produce, values-led, and requires zero physical fulfilment. It screens for highly passionate supporters.
Physical value-exchange (val-ex)
What it is: Offering a physical item in exchange for contact details - things like branded dog tags, pin badges, or informational booklets.
Why it works: Physical items carry higher perceived value, leading to higher phone call conversion rates because you have a clear, legitimate reason to follow up with the supporter.
Digital value exchange
What it is: A downloadable PDF guide, toolkit, or resource delivered directly to the user's inbox.
Examples: Liberty’s Practical Protest Guide, Greenpeace’s Green Clean Guide, or St Martin’s Home Décor Guide.
Why it works: Fully digital with zero post/fulfilment costs. Delivered seamlessly via email welcome journeys and tailored for mobile users.
Bonus: Quizzes & educational series
What it is: Interactive quizzes (e.g. WWF’s "How David Attenborough Are You?") or timed multi-day email educational courses.
Why it works: Highly engaging, sharable, and creates an instant feedback loop that makes supporters feel good while learning about your cause.
How to plan your lead generation campaign - a five step framework
Before you start grab our FREE Creating a charity lead magnet worksheet Step 1: Define your objective and target leads
Start by identifying who you want to acquire and what you need to support them:
Target contact: Are you looking for general supporters, immediate cash donors, or recurring regular donors?
Lead type: Do you need email leads for digital stewardship, or telephone leads for direct call conversions?
Step 2: Establish your brand story and scale
Next, define the narrative backbone of your campaign:
Core themes: List the primary stories your charity tells (such as tackling loneliness, providing healthcare, or environmental action).
Balance scale: Plot your magnet on a spectrum to decide if it is cause-led, audience-led, or a balanced combination of both.
Step 3: Find your audience hook
Determine how to make your story genuinely engaging for supporters:
Accessible angles: Identify which parts of your cause are easiest for your audience to connect with (such as safe protest actions, sustainability tips, or exercising with limited mobility).
Value proposition: Design an offer that celebrates your brand values while offering a practical benefit that excites, delights, or informs your supporters.
Step 4: Bring it to life (select your tools, formats, and system needs)
Once your strategy and audience angle are set, choose the product formats and technical requirements needed to execute.
Confirm your system needs:
Will you need an email welcome journey?
Do you need an API (such as Zapier) to automate data flow?
Will you produce and fulfil a physical item? (Note: Physical items often boost regular giver phone conversions because you have a legitimate reason to collect a postal address).
Step 5: Sketch your feed ad creative
Finally, draft creative designed to catch eyes in a busy social feed:
"Flash" your item: Clearly show supporters what they are getting. Place digital guides on a phone or tablet screen, or showcase physical items clearly.
Draft key components: Outline your primary copy, bold headline, destination link, and visual notes to prepare for ad production.
Final takeaway: Start small, test, and scale
The best lead generation campaigns are relevant, rewarding, and make the supporter feel great about taking action.
You don't need a huge budget to get started. Pick one high-value concept, whether that's an helpful digital download or a purposeful hand-raiser petition, test it with a modest Meta ad budget, and measure your cost-per-lead (CPL) and follow-up conversion rates.
Once your digital engine room is in place, you’ll have a reliable, owned channel to drive real action, income, and impact for years to come. We’ve popped some more freebies for you in this folder - if you need a quick run-through of anything or have any questions just message hello@hynt.studio and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
