In search of PMF • Part 3
From B2C to B2B in 2 design sprints
COMPANY
PERIOD
ABOUT RIBON
10 months
jan/24- oct/24
jan/24- oct/24
Ribon is a social impact startup that facilitates donations to nonprofits through an innovative and accessible model. On the platform, users can donate to social causes at no cost to themselves, using "tickets"- a virtual currency earned by engaging with content.
These tickets are sponsored by philanthropists and companies committed to expanding collective social impact. Ribon generates revenue when users choose to make donations with their own funds after experiencing donations with the virtual currency. In this case, a fee is applied to the additional donation amount, enhancing the platform's potential for contribution and sustainability.
These tickets are sponsored by philanthropists and companies committed to expanding collective social impact. Ribon generates revenue when users choose to make donations with their own funds after experiencing donations with the virtual currency. In this case, a fee is applied to the additional donation amount, enhancing the platform's potential for contribution and sustainability.
SKILLS
Design sprint
Discovery
Interviews
Discovery
Interviews
CONTEXT
With a new round of funding approaching, we were looking for metrics to prove Product-Market Fit (PMF).
In part 1, we discussed conversion, while part 2 focused on the strategic shift to prioritize our native app environment over the web.
This strategic shift led to the organization of our first design sprint, aimed at strengthening the experience and structure of our app.
In part 1, we discussed conversion, while part 2 focused on the strategic shift to prioritize our native app environment over the web.
This strategic shift led to the organization of our first design sprint, aimed at strengthening the experience and structure of our app.
In the first semester, while working on conversion and acquisition in the app, we identified two key points that led us to organize the design sprint:
Our challenge during the design sprint was:
- Users valued the tickets associated with donations more than the donations themselves.
- Emotional connection was crucial to driving conversions and engagement.
Our challenge during the design sprint was:
- Increase the perceived value of the tickets
- Highlight the well-being associated with the act of donating
Design Sprint 1: Emotion and connection tied to a subscription model.
"
User Quotes
I am a consumer. I wanted to collect the tickets, like a little game in my head, collecting tickets
"
(Earning tickets) feels like a treasure hunt, collecting pokemons
"
I lived in japan, so I donate a lot to natural disasters. When I see something abroad I want to do something
"
I adopted 4 stray dogs, so I always liked to help animal protection nonprofits
Design Sprint team
Rafael - CEO (founder)
João - Product Designer (founder)
Juju - Tech Lead (founder)
Bruna - Growth Manager
Murilo - Product Designer
Gustavo - Product Designer
Valdir - Facilitator (external consultant)
João - Product Designer (founder)
Juju - Tech Lead (founder)
Bruna - Growth Manager
Murilo - Product Designer
Gustavo - Product Designer
Valdir - Facilitator (external consultant)
Date
08/01/24 - 12/01/24 (1 week)
Proccess
Definying the challenge
Benchmarking
Creating solutions (low fidelity)
Choosing a solution (dot voting)
Storyboard
High-fidelity prototype
Presentation
Benchmarking
Creating solutions (low fidelity)
Choosing a solution (dot voting)
Storyboard
High-fidelity prototype
Presentation
We left the design sprint with a prototype that included:
- Longer donation flows, encouraging connection with nonprofits.
- Gamification with collectible cards about nonprofits and well-being.
- Ribon Club: a subscription model offering more tickets to users.
Sprint deliverables
What actually went to production
We maintained a collaborative discovery routine with weekly meetings to share learnings, prioritize tasks, and conduct critiques, refining the work from the design sprint.
Making user manually collect ticket to compare the experience with the premium subscription version
Ribon Club
Instead of donating money directly, the user subscribes to the club to get more tickets and donate more
Benefits of Ribon Club
Different plans with different tickets rewards
Highlighting the tickets in our UI
Final screen bringing well-being to donations.
We made the nonprofit listing vertical and added of content for each one
The design sprint expanded our vision, positioning Ribon as a well-being experience, beyond just a donation app.
Ribon Club, launched in March, allowed users to "buy" more tickets through a subscription, increasing their donations. We saw a positive impact on metrics in the first half of the year.
The conversion rate of 1% remained stable, with a slight improvement, even with the growth in our user acquisition rate.
Weekly ticket usage, one of our main engagement metrics, also grew from 4.6 to 10.
Ribon Club, launched in March, allowed users to "buy" more tickets through a subscription, increasing their donations. We saw a positive impact on metrics in the first half of the year.
The conversion rate of 1% remained stable, with a slight improvement, even with the growth in our user acquisition rate.
Weekly ticket usage, one of our main engagement metrics, also grew from 4.6 to 10.
Results & outcomes
Conversion rate
Weekly ticket usage
In the second half of the year, a bank showed interest in the Ribon app and proposed a partnership: to use the app for its corporate donation campaign, offering Ribon Club subscriptions to employees.
Our focus on well-being was a key differentiator. While traditional campaigns generate about two donations per year, the Ribon app achieved this frequency weekly — 20 times more.
Given the high projected revenue margin, we began adapting our app as an MVP to support the partnership and planned another design sprint for this challenge.
Our focus on well-being was a key differentiator. While traditional campaigns generate about two donations per year, the Ribon app achieved this frequency weekly — 20 times more.
Given the high projected revenue margin, we began adapting our app as an MVP to support the partnership and planned another design sprint for this challenge.
Ribon Club for corporate campaigns
STRATEGY SHIFT
We conducted benchmarking rounds to identify how to stand out from competitors like Benevity, Blackbaud, and Cauze.
Our main advantage in attracting the bank was being a product focused on the well-being of the end user (B2C).
We conducted a discovery phase by interviewing employees from companies already participating in corporate social programs, using the Jobs to be Done methodology.
In the interviews, we identified two key jobs:
Visibility: being recognized and admired by leaders, peers, and subordinates.
Purpose: identification with a cause for personal reasons.
Our main advantage in attracting the bank was being a product focused on the well-being of the end user (B2C).
We conducted a discovery phase by interviewing employees from companies already participating in corporate social programs, using the Jobs to be Done methodology.
In the interviews, we identified two key jobs:
Visibility: being recognized and admired by leaders, peers, and subordinates.
Purpose: identification with a cause for personal reasons.
Design Sprint 2: visibility and purpose
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User Quotes
There were many people who joined (the social action) just to promote themselves and didn’t contribute at all.
"
I didn’t usually participate, but there it's necessary to get promoted. It gives a lot of visibility, and as a director, it’s mandatory.
"
Since I am also a person with a disability, I thought it was important to participate in the discussions and express my opinion.
Design Sprint team
Rafael - CEO (founder)
João - Product Designer (founder)
Bruno - Controller
Julia - Sales
Pedro - Sales
Moriah - Marketing
Thais - Developer
Bruna - Growth Manager
Murilo - Product Designer
Gustavo - Product Designer
Waldir - Facilitator (external consultant)
João - Product Designer (founder)
Bruno - Controller
Julia - Sales
Pedro - Sales
Moriah - Marketing
Thais - Developer
Bruna - Growth Manager
Murilo - Product Designer
Gustavo - Product Designer
Waldir - Facilitator (external consultant)
Date
08/07/24 - 12/07/24 (1 week)
Proccess
Definying the challenge
Benchmarking
Creating solutions (low fidelity)
Choosing a solution (dot voting)
Storyboard
High-fidelity prototype
Presentation
Benchmarking
Creating solutions (low fidelity)
Choosing a solution (dot voting)
Storyboard
High-fidelity prototype
Presentation
We left the design sprint with a prototype that included:
- A customized profile for the corporate environment, with affinity group tags
- A donor ranking to highlight the most engaged users
- Collective missions with rewards for the company to activate its employees
- Interaction between employees with the sending of variable ticket rewards (gifts)
- Wrapped of impact for each quarter as a social feature
Sprint deliverables
The first business POC
Before starting the project with the bank, we tested it on a smaller scale with a lab that used Ribon in its annual social team competition. Without the developed features, we made only flow adjustments to create an MVP.
First screen as onboarding for the business plan
Earning tickets from the company
White labeling: Displaying the company’s logo in all touchpoints.
With these subtle changes, the lab's adoption of the app was a success.
About 400 employees engaged in donations, showing much higher engagement and retention levels compared to our average user base, from 15% to 64% by the 6th week
About 400 employees engaged in donations, showing much higher engagement and retention levels compared to our average user base, from 15% to 64% by the 6th week
Results & outcomes
Retention rate comparison
A more specific use case
Finding the balance between broad and specific use case is a challenge. Broad use cases can be imprecise, while specific use cases can overly limit the audience.
The success of our POC may be linked to finding this balance, addressing a more specific pain point.
It’s still early to validate Ribon for Business, but this result was a good indicator to continue our discovery and refine the paths explored in the design sprint.
The success of our POC may be linked to finding this balance, addressing a more specific pain point.
It’s still early to validate Ribon for Business, but this result was a good indicator to continue our discovery and refine the paths explored in the design sprint.
business
regular user base
Did we achieve PMF? What happens next?
I’m not sure – you’d have to ask Ribon! I was recently laid off as the company didn’t secure funding quickly enough, leading to team reductions.
That said, I’m grateful for my time at Ribon and optimistic about its future. I genuinely believe we were on the right track to find the ideal business model.
That said, I’m grateful for my time at Ribon and optimistic about its future. I genuinely believe we were on the right track to find the ideal business model.
