Virtuous Insights is a comprehensive donor and prospect research tool in Virtuous CRM+ that provides predictive insights, scoring, and recommendations. Insights combines 1st party data from your database and 3rd party data with machine learning, so you can see what matters most. This article outlines two tools for transforming Insights data into actionable steps. Then, it will walk through an example leveraging Insights data for a recurring donor campaign and more.
To learn more about what Virtuous Insights is, check out this Support Article.
Bulk Actions within Insights
While Insights provides the data, the Bulk Actions tool may help you get started using the data. Select into any of the Predictive Insights or Donors by Lifecycle Category lists to view the Contacts in each category, alongside the amount of days in this list, their Composite Giving Score, and some Giving and Wealth stats. With these lists, you’re able to perform bulk actions by selecting the checkbox to the right of the ID header. Then, select the Bulk Actions button in the top right to Add Tag, Add to Email List, Assign to Organization Group, Create Task, or Add to Contact Queue.
Insights Values in CRM+ Contact Queries
Outside of the Insights Aggregate and Contact pages, Contact Queries in CRM+ include Scores, Score Categories, wealth data, and more from Insights. The Query tool will be particularly helpful in using your Insights because it allows you to combine multiple Insights data points in addition to standard CRM+ fields to create highly specific donor journeys. This information can then be downloaded or used to create Segmentation, power Automation Workflows, target with an Email Campaign, and more.
Click here to learn more about how to use Insights data in Queries. Or click here to learn more about the different Insights Scores and values.
With These Tools, How Can I Actually Use Insights Data?
Insights gives you a clearer picture of who to reach out to, when to do it, and how to tailor your message. With Contact Queries and the various options from Bulk Actions within Insights, you can then create triggers for Automation, identify high-potential donors, prioritize outreach, and personalize Campaigns based on real-time insights.
Recurring Giving Campaign Example
One way Virtuous Insights can help your organization is by providing actionable data to grow a monthly giving program. The goal is moving from broad, generic outreach to targeted, data-driven engagement and fundraising–which is possible with Virtuous Insights and CRM+. Here's a comprehensive approach to using Insights data with other tools in CRM+ to acquire new monthly donors:
Step 1: Recurring Candidate Identification
Start by using a Contact Query to target records with the Insights Score Category "Recurring Giving Candidate is High.” This identifies donors whose giving patterns, engagement history, and financial indicators suggest they're good candidates for conversion to recurring giving.
Step 2: Wealth-based Segmentation
You may choose to further segment your prospective recurring donors further by Wealth Capacity into three segments to create different cultivation approaches:
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Small Gift Recurring Candidate: Query "Recurring Giving Candidate is High" and “Wealth Capacity Category is Low”
- Suggested ask: $15-50/month
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Medium Gift Recurring Candidate: Query "Recurring Giving Candidate is High" and “Wealth Capacity Category is Medium”
- Suggested ask: $75-200/month
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Large Gift Recurring Candidate: Query "Recurring Giving Candidate is High" and “Wealth Capacity Category is High”
- Suggested ask: $250+/month
In addition to Wealth Capacity, you may choose to incorporate additional Insights Scores to further customize your donor journeys. For example:
- Lapse Risk Score: Prioritize high-value recurring candidates who also show lapse risk
- Connection Score: Donors with high connection scores are more likely to say yes to recurring asks
- Volunteer Score: Active volunteers often make excellent recurring donors as they're already deeply engaged
Keep in mind that these are simply baseline suggestions. You may need to consider additional parameters around communication preferences and anything else that is unique to your organization’s audiences.
Step 3: Automated Workflows
Use these three Queries with Insights data (Small Gift Recurring Candidate, Medium Gift Recurring Candidate, and Large Gift Recurring Candidate) to power each step in a custom Automated Workflow with journeys tailored to each audience.
Small Gift Workflow Step:
*use Small Gift Recurring Candidate Query
- Welcome email with simple recurring giving options and information
- Email with an impact story video (2 days later)
- Email with current recurring giver testimonial email (5 days later)
- Email with final ask with multiple giving levels (3 days later)
Overall, the goal for this audience is to focus on how small, consistent gifts create meaningful change. This donor segment receives a digital journey with gift options consistent with their capacity.
Medium Gift Workflow Step:
*use Medium Gift Recurring Candidate Query
- Welcome email with simple recurring giving options and information
- Task assigned to staff to call (3 days later)
- Email with an impact story video (2 days later)
- Final email with premium donor benefits information
The goal for this audience is to combine personal touch points with some digital outreach, highlighting program impact and donor recognition opportunities.
Large Gift Workflow Step:
*use Large Gift Recurring Candidate Query
- Task assigned to research candidates
- Task assigned to fundraiser with personalized email (3 days later)
- Task assigned to call or scheduled meeting with candidate (5 days later)
- Task assigned to complete proposal development and finalize commitment (10 days later)
The goal for this audience is to create customized recurring gift proposals through personalized cultivation by fundraising staff. The timeframe should be longer to allow opportunity to build relationships.
Thank You Step:
- Thank you email OR task assigned for handwritten note
- Add to email list designated for monthly givers with program updates
Once any of the donor segments begin a recurring gift commitment, it’s crucial to acknowledge them. You may choose to customize the “Thank You" message based on their gift size or donor segment. And for large recurring gifts, you may want to also include an impact update in 3-6 months.
Additional Examples of Insights Applications
- Use a Contact Query to filter "Connection Category is High" and "Social Score is Greater than 60" to identify engaged donors who have potential to become ambassadors for your organization. Use this list to research and schedule meetings with these Contacts to discuss opportunities to promote your organization. Beyond financial contributions, offer avenues to engage their network, such as Peer-to-Peer fundraising, hosting small events, or sharing the organization's social media posts.
- Use a Contact Query to search "Composite Giving Category is High" and "Estimated Donation Capacity Range is $25k - $50K" (or more) to focus on cultivating relationships with high-value prospects. This audience could launch the moves management cycle for these Donors and route them to an Automated Workflow used to cultivate the relationship and eventually solicit a Major Gift. Learn more about moves management in Virtuous CRM+ here.
- Use the Potential Planned Givers list to add a Tag of Planned Giver Prospect. This Tag can be the target of a Planned Giving Campaign where engaged prospects within the appropriate age range are educated about Planned Gift types, assets, and benefits and eventually invite them to make a lasting impact through an estate gift.