Marketing Research

Results Report
MT. RUMPKE HOSPITAL RESEARCH & MARKETING ANALYTICS

Velez, Chris
Research & Marketing Analytics | MSC 3900
 Velez 1

Marketing Research Results Report

services to children. This marketing research report aims to provide actionable information to aid

the efforts of Mt. Rumpke Children’s Hospital towards an increase in charity funding. The

overall goal of this report is to inform decision-making and optimize fundraising efforts.

Business Goals (Marketing Goals)

Mt. Rumpke Children's Hospital’s main business/marketing goal is to increase the overall

amount of money raised on a yearly basis. It is also imperative to note that, whilst the main goal

is to increase the overall amount of money raised, there are 4 distinct supporting goals meant to

result in the increase of money raised rather than function as separate standalone goals. More

specifically, Mt. Rumpke’s is seeking to improve communication with potential donors, create a

strategic approach to fundraising, fulfill their overall strategic goals and improve the

effectiveness of the donor program.

Increase money
raised
Main goal

Improve Improve
Create a strategic Fulfill overall
communication with effectivness of
approach to strategic goals
prospect donors donor program
fundraising
Supporting goal Supporting goal Supporting goal
Supporting goal
 Velez 2

Importance of Use of Research

Research is important to use mainly because it gives decision makers accurate and

insightful information regarding a problem being faced. Research can be used to shed light onto

the context of an issue or challenge. Notably, research can aid organizations in understanding

their consumers or stakeholders, but also understand the market they operate under. Furthermore,

research decision makers critical information to solve problems. In the context of Mt. Rumpke

Children’s Hospital, two research studies were conducted, an online quantitative study and a

qualitative research study. The findings from this research are important to use as it can provide

the leadership and marketing departments of Mt. Rumpke’s with a deeper understanding of their

donors’ attitudes towards giving and their donors’ expectations.

Methods & Sample

Mt. Rumpke Children’s Hospital conducted an online quantitative study. The

methodology used for this study consisted of online surveys with a sample of 876 participants of

at least 21 years of age and reported as the head of household. The surveys were conducted in 4

states (Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan) over the course of 3 days. The online quantitative

method was used to quantify patterns and attitudes regarding charity giving. This methodology

was also used as it allows for larger scale findings allowing it to examine data from not only

Nice City but from surrounding states. Lastly, the quantitative study also allowed for the analysis

of donors’ attitudes in the following areas: Attitudes & perceptions of Mt. Rumpke’s, Connection

to Mt. Rumpke, Mt. Rumpke in comparison to similar hospitals, current charity giving, attitudes

towards charity giving, how charity request is communicated, and the role of demographics into

charitable giving.
 Velez 3

The second study used qualitative methodology, more specifically, it conducted a focus

group study. In the study, there were 4 groups, making a total of 27 participants. Group 1

consisted of 5 mid-level donors between the ages of 30 and 55. Group 2 consisted of 6 Mt.

Rumpke employees. Group 3 consisted of 10 mid-level donor participants ages 55+. And group 4

consisted of 6 non-donor women ages 40+ who worked outside their home and had an income of

$75k+. The study was conducted to understand the current and ongoing “giving” environment as

well as to gain insight into the message that resonated the most with the target audience of both

consumers and employees. The study focused on aspects such as charitable giving philosophies

of the participants, the likes and dislikes of the donor process, the need vs worthy attitudes of

donors. The study also presented participants with six statements that Mt. Rumpke could show to

solicit donations. One of the main reasons for the use of qualitative methodology was the desire

to understand the “why” behind donors and non-donors. In other words, the qualitative study was

looking to understand which messages participants had the most positive reactions to.

Findings

One of the first and most prominent findings of the study was the concept of “personal

experience or connection” as the primary motivator for those donating to the hospital, this

sentiment was consistent in both the qualitative and quantitative study. 51% of parents donated to

the hospital due to experiences with the hospital and 1 in 5 people donated due to also having a

personal connection. Both workers and consumers stating their motivation for donating are based

on experiences with patients. Most of the donations came from people located in Nice City and

parts of Kentucky. Another finding of both studies was that one of the biggest concerns that

affected donating to Mt. Rumpke, or any charity, was concerns over how the donations will be

used and concerns over how much of the donations will be going towards charity. This idea was
 Velez 4

found in both quantitative and qualitative studies. With participants in the focus groups wanting

to know how their donations were used and some wanting to see a “pie chart” of the money

spent. This notion was consistent with another finding in both studies regarding the idea of

“making a difference.” Regarding the philosophy of charitable giving in the quantitative study,

people donated to make a difference, a sentiment consistent with the participants in the focus

group. The qualitative study also found that regarding marketing efforts, messages containing a

personalized or emotional aspect were vastly preferred. The added personalization creates a

connection between a potential donor and someone who has benefited from giving to charity.

The research found that when a message was personalized, people felt as if they were “making a

difference.” Mail solicitations were also the most effective form of solicitations in both studies

with Tv appeals following closely behind, with participants referencing St. Jude’s Tv appeals.

Recommended action.

Based on the research findings, there are multiple recommended actions to be taken by

marketing and fund development offices at the hospital. One of the first recommendations for

Mt. Rumpke Children’s Hospital is to personalize their communication strategy. This

recommendation can be implemented for marketing plans, communication with donors, and even

with fundraising. One of the most prominent findings from the research was the importance of

connection and the feelings of “making a difference.” By personalizing communication between

the hospital and major stakeholders to include personal stories and emphasize the emotional

appeal behind donating and the impact that donations have, Mt. Rumpke can meet their goals.

Another recommendation for Mt. Rumpke Children’s Hospital is to begin transparency

initiatives. One of the biggest barriers surrounding donations is feelings of concern regarding the

use of money donated. By providing donors with a clear insight into how the money is used,
 Velez 5

prospective donors can be encouraged to donate money. In addition, this action of increasing the

transparency of funds can dispel some of the misconceptions that people have about the needs of

charities. In a similar manner, another recommendation for Mt. Rumpke Children’s Hospital is to

build partnerships with local companies to strengthen their visibility, this can be further

strengthened by engaging in similar practices to a Telethon or other community practices. One of

the last recommendations based on the findings of the research would be for Mt. Rumpke to

specifically target parents, mainly mothers or woman, with experience with the hospital by mail

as they are more likely to donate. As a result of these recommendations, Mt. Rumpke can expect

to see an increase in donations, an increase in their donor database for potential donors, and a

reduction in conversion times from prospect to donor.

Tactics and strategies to include in the annual plan

One tactic that can be added to the annual plan is an impactful storytelling campaign. The

campaign would feature individual stories of patients from the hospital and the impact that

donations have made on their treatment. The stories can be dispersed once a year to donors and

non-donors through the mail or social media. Another strategy to include would be annual or

quarterly donor transparency reports. These reports would include information on how donations

are utilized, they will also include easy to read visual representation of the fund allocation and

the impact on patients’ lives. Lastly, to track the success of these strategies and tactics, donation

metrics will need to be tracked to analyze any changes in annual donations. Engagement metrics

will also need to be tracked to analyze growth of donor database or media engagement levels.

These metrics will also allow for analysis of the timeline that people have from prospect to

donor.
 Velez 6

Video Presentation Link:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAF29CtDsNg/3XWJ3SFHowNxKA7wMeUcxQ/view?utm_co

ntent=DAF29CtDsNg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=recording

_view