The Challenge

Tax appeals are a unique fundraising moment. Donors are motivated by urgency and tax deductibility… but they’re also receiving multiple asks at once.

RFDS WA knew that a one-size-fits-all approach would limit results. While they had segmented in previous years, 2026 was about taking that further:

• More intentional segmentation across donor types
• More tailored on-page experiences
• Smarter use of PURLs to streamline the journey

The Segmentation Strategy

RFDS WA structured their campaign around three core audience groups:

• Donors (recent supporters)
• Lapsed donors
• Non-donors

Each group received:

• Targeted email communications (eDMs)
• A personalised journey via PURLs
• Iteratively improved landing page experiences across sends

Campaign Execution & Results

First eDM: Establishing a Baseline

All recipients were segmented in email, but directed to a single landing page.

Results:

• Donors: 2.51% conversion | 77% click-to-donate (CTD)
• Lapsed: 0.03% conversion | 10% CTD
• Non-donors: 0.05% conversion | 12% CTD

Insight:
While donor performance was strong, there was a clear drop-off for lapsed and non-donors; highlighting that the landing page experience wasn’t resonating equally across segments.

Second eDM: Tailoring the Experience

RFDS WA kept the same segmentation but introduced new landing pages for lapsed and non-donors.

Rather than a full redesign, the team focused on targeted, intentional changes to better match the mindset of these audiences.

Key changes:

• Deeper personalisation in page copy
  Added more references to the donor’s first name, and for lapsed donors, their previous gift amount. Copy was also shifted to feel more human and appreciative, for example:
  “Thanks to your previous gift of [gift amount], patients like Milano and Steve received the urgent medical care they needed.”
  “[First name], be a part of something special.”
• Reprioritised content hierarchy
  Moved the Milano and Steve impact stories higher up the page, with more prominent imagery to immediately draw attention and create emotional connection. Impact statistics were still included, but intentionally pushed further down the page.
• Simplified, more human-led visuals
  Updated the banner image to remove statistics and instead focus purely on people and positive outcomes, reinforcing the emotional connection from the outset.

Results:

• Donors: 2.10% conversion | 76% CTD
• Lapsed: 0.18% conversion | 42% CTD (+436% uplift)
• Non-donors: 0.05% conversion | 12% CTD

Insight:

A relatively simple shift in content hierarchy of prioritising people over stats, dramatically improved engagement from lapsed donors.

Third eDM: Sustained Gains

With further refinement and exclusion of prior converters, RFDS WA maintained their segmented approach.

Results:

• Donors: 1.77% conversion | 72% CTD
• Lapsed: 0.19% conversion | 44% CTD (+467% vs first eDM)
• Non-donors: 0.05% conversion | 14% CTD

Insight:

The improvements for lapsed donors weren’t a one-off, they held steady across subsequent sends. This reinforced the effectiveness of the segmentation and landing page changes.

Year-on-Year Impact

While segmentation differed slightly between years, the overall uplift is clear:

Conversion Rate:

• 2026: 2.51%
• 2025: 1.58%
• +59% increase

Click-to-Donate Rate:

• 2026: 66%
• 2025: 42%
• +57% increase (by including PURLs)

The Role of PURLs

A key driver behind improved performance between RFDS WA’s 2025 and 2026 Tax Appeal was use of Personalised URLs (PURLs).

By removing friction between click and donation:

• Donors landed on a recognisable, personalised experience
• Key details were pre-filled or contextualised
• The journey from email to donation was significantly shortened

This contributed to a major uplift in click-to-donate rates.

“PURLs made it easier for our supporters to go from our appeal to making a donation. The 57% increase in click-to-donate showed us that a more personal, seamless journey can make a real difference to appeal results.” - Michelle Barber | Fundraising Campaigns Lead

Key Takeaways

1. Segmentation Doesn’t Stop at the Email

Segmenting your audience is only the first step, the real impact comes from carrying that segmentation through to the landing page experience.

2. Small Changes Can Drive Big Uplifts

RFDS WA didn’t completely rebuild their campaign; they refined it:

• Adjusting content hierarchy
• Aligning messaging with audience mindset

This led to a 400%+ uplift in lapsed donor performance.

3. PURLs Reduce Friction (and Lift Results)

By streamlining the path from click to donation, PURLs played a key role in:

• Increasing conversion efficiency
• Improving donor experience
• Driving higher CTD rates

4. Continuous Improvement Compounds Results

Perhaps the most important takeaway: RFDS WA didn’t treat segmentation as a one-off tactic. They tested, learned, refined, and saw the payoff. Not just within the campaign, but year-on-year.

Final Thought