Room 1: Strategy

Telephone fundraising best practice: trends and insights for the future of phone calls
Speaker: Bethan Francis, Stratcom UK

Telephone fundraising is more relevant than ever. In this session, Bethan will share the direction of travel for the channel and explore the role it has to play in a future where acquisition is becoming tougher, lifetime value matters more than ever and where AI is increasingly replacing human interaction. This opening session is designed to offer key insights to frame the conversations and sessions to follow.

Key learnings from this session:

• key trends
• areas to test
• areas to invest
• best practice considerations

Keeping Donors for the Long Haul: How Great Supporter Experiences Reduce Attrition
Speaker: Louise Wells, MAG (Mines Advisory Group)

In this session, we’ll explore how the telephone can be a powerful tool in enhancing the supporter experience and improving retention. Discover how even small teams can leverage this personal communication channel to build deeper connections with supporters. We’ll dive into real-world examples of how thanking supporters—whether it’s through a quick call or a more structured thanking day—has had a direct impact on donor retention.

We’ll also share actionable tips on running a successful thanking day, including the do’s and don’ts to ensure it’s an effective and positive experience for both your team and your supporters. By the end of the session, you’ll have practical ideas for integrating telephone calls into your supporter engagement strategy, and insights into how a personal touch can make a lasting impact on long-term relationships. There will be time for Q&A, so come prepared with your questions and ideas!

Key learnings from this session:

1. Using the Telephone for Engagement: Discover how to leverage the telephone to create personal connections and enhance supporter experience, even for small teams.
2. Impact of Thanking on Retention: Learn how personalized thanking calls can improve donor retention and build long-term loyalty.
3. Practical Tips for Thanking Days: Gain actionable insights on running a successful thanking day, with key do’s and don’ts for maximum impact.

These takeaways will equip you with the strategies to improve supporter relationships and boost retention.

From attraction to conversion – how continuity drives success
Speakers: Karen Gay, StratcomUK, Jade Deeley, Samaritans & Dave Ramsey, Save the Children

In this session we will explore why continuity between recruitment and conversion is key, not only in delivering strong initial conversion rates, but also in connecting you with supporters who have the propensity to become loyal, enagaged long term donors.

Key learnings from this session:

• Why continuity is important
• What continuity looks like – and what it doesnt
• How to work across teams to ensure continuity

The Digital Decrease: Where to find new leads
Speaker: Joshua Leigh, Hynt

Telephone fundraising lead generation has changed—so where should charities be looking now?

Join us for a panel discussion with digital and marketing leads from UK charities as they share their real-life experiences navigating the shifting digital landscape. From finding quality leads to adapting strategies on different budgets, we’ll explore what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest opportunities lie.

This isn’t just another conversation where everyone agrees. We’re bringing together different perspectives to have a real, honest discussion about the challenges and the solutions that charity acquisition teams are using right now. You’ll walk away with practical steps you can take—no matter your budget or team size—to make the most of digital for Telephone Fundraising lead generation.

Expect an engaging, interactive session with clear takeaways and visual examples to keep things practical.

Key learnings from this panel discussion:

1. A BROAD, TOP-LEVEL understanding of the changing digital and telemarkeitng landscape, including benchmarks and strategic direction for management level
2. A DETAILED understanding of the TACTICS and STRATEGIES being employed to make the most of the opportunities in this new landscape, for those delivering campaigns
3. A clear sense of HOW how charities and their agency partners can make digital lead for telemarketing a viable, and hugely fruitful channel compared to more traditional channels

Maximising Telemarketing ROI – Infinity Loop
Speaker: Jack Boardman, Angel

We work with 50 UK charities and we make millions of calls on their behalf each year, giving us a unique perspective on what makes for an optimal telemarketing strategy/campaign.

Our session will explore how to work in a collaborative cross-departmental way to unlock the full potential of your audience to create an infinity loop of value, breaking away from linear siloed campaign models.

We’ll share a case study on a highly successful Gift Aid campaign we ran and how the infinity loop mindset was applied

We’ll also share a case study of how a joined up agency-client relationship led to a large scale, successful telemarketing program with cross-selling as a focal point.

Key learnings from this session:

• Benefits of breaking down departmental/product silo’s to optimise your telemarketing strategy and the Supporter journey.
• Case studies of successful campaigns to help inspire your next successful telemarketing initiative.

Working in partnership with your Telemarketing agencies
Speaker: Alex Mackain-Bremner, Oxfam International

Oxfam’s global approach is to seek strategic long terms partnerships with our Telemarketing agencies. We do this by developing close working relationships and by spending time understanding each other’s business needs so that this can be reflected in a sharing of objectives. This session will outline a process for you to engage with your Telemarketing agencies in this way. Having worked both agency and charity side in Telefundraising for almost 30 years I will provide you with insights that will help you establish meaningful dialogue and a successful way of working with your agency partners

Key learnings from this session:

1. A process to follow when planning with your agency partners
2. A roadmap to use when managing campaigns together
3. A shared method of assessing performance and taking learning forward

Room 2: Skills

Let’s replace agents with robots
Speaker: Amy-Jane Meerman, The Crew

I love people, which is why I’m in this field. We are people, projects are led by people, agents are people, and let’s not forget donors are people. Technology has come a long way, but what do you truly need?

Additionally, I’d like to introduce a new tool in our calling interface: AI emotion detection. I’ll explain why it can be useful, but also why we shouldn’t over-rely on it and how having the right resources is essential to actually make use of it effectively.

Key learning from this session:

• Stay grounded, focus on being efficient first before assuming that new gadgets are the solution.

Case study: behind the scenes of Greenpeace’s telephone fundraising
Speaker: Grainne Callan, Greenpeace UK

This session provides an in-depth look at Greenpeace UK’s lead generation funnel, detailing how it integrates with our telephone fundraising. Attendees will learn about what’s working well, the hurdles we’ve encountered, and the strategies we’re employing to improve and optimise performance across these channels.

Key learnings from this session:

Attendees will learn about what’s working well, the hurdles we’ve encountered, and the strategies we’re employing to improve and optimise performance across these channels.

Building Your In-house Telephone Team: How to Get Started and What calls to prioritise
Speaker: Oliver Pancoust, Oxfam GB

During the pandemic, Oxfam GB made a bold move — building an in-house telephone fundraising team from the ground up. It proved to be a huge success. In this session, we’ll share how we did it: the thinking behind the shift, what we got right (and what we learned along the way), and what’s worked best when it comes to the types of calls that truly strengthen supporter relationships.

This isn’t about prescribing one perfect model — it’s a behind-the-scenes look at a real success story, full of practical tips and inspiration to help you shape your own approach, whatever size or stage you’re at.

The session is led by Oliver, a seasoned fundraising professional with 14 years’ experience, including 9 with Oxfam GB. After starting in face-to-face fundraising, Oliver pivoted into telephone engagement during the pandemic, leading both internal teams and strategic agency partnerships. His passion for people-first conversations and mission-driven fundraising continues to deliver real impact.

Key learnings from this session:

• How to confidently set up an in-house telephone fundraising team — including practical steps, resource planning, and key considerations when bringing your calling programme in-house.
• Which types of supporter calls to prioritise — and how to strategically segment your audience for maximum impact, from reactivation to regular giving conversion.
• Lessons learned from a real-world success story — what worked (and what didn’t) when Oxfam GB built its in-house team, and how you can adapt those insights to your own organisation’s needs.