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Testing: Who Among Us Has A Crystal Ball?

August 05, 2021
by Andrea Schwartz, CEO
results, save cost, testing

1. Set your goal: Boost response? Reduce costs? Increase net revenue?

 

2. Test ONLY one element at a time

  • Creative
  • 4-pg. vs. 2-pg.
  • Lift note
  • Premiums (higher resp. rate, lower average gift, less loyalty)
  • Personalization
  • BRE vs. CRE
  • Lists (if acquisition)
  • Ask strings: most recent vs. largest gift; ascending vs. descending; number of asks
  • Live stamp vs. indicia

 

3. Test to save costs:

  • 4/color vs. 2/color
  • Offset vs. coated stock

 

4. Nth the file for split tests (a necessary expense)

 

5. Should be meaningful: NOT the tilt of a stamp.

 

6. Results must be statistically significant: file must be large enough to be worth the test.

 

7. None of us has a crystal ball and results can differ from one organization to the next—this is why we test!

About the Author
ADS President and CEO Andrea Schwartz, offers the unique perspective that comes from her extensive experience both as a fundraiser and a direct marketer. For 20 years, she was a fundraiser for organizations such as National UJA, State of Israel Bonds, Friends of the IDF, and the Beer-Sheva Foundation. For the last 20 years, she has drawn from this experience to help ADS’ clients develop fundraising strategies and create successful direct mail campaigns.
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