So, Uh, Are We Doing This Right?

For example, if you experience an increase in direct-mail response rate when you mail package A (compared to package B), how do you know that the increased performance of the package wasn’t a result of the DRTV messaging, the e-mail messaging or the telemarketing messaging as opposed to what you would have concluded from a pure A vs. B split test? Or, for that matter, how do you know if some donors gave via Internet because of your direct-mail letter, which contained the organization’s URL?

As you can see, in a multichannel world, the process of designing and executing tests and reading results becomes more complicated. What are some things you can do to more accurately measure test results under these circumstances?

1. Develop precise solicitation and donor coding and transaction measures for each single channel, and maintain those data in your integrated database. For example:

• You should know if Mrs. Smith received a direct-mail solicitation from you. You also should know when she was solicited; if she replied or not; and if she did, when and in what amount.
• You should know whether the same Mrs. Smith received an e-mail solicitation from you. You also should know when she was solicited; if the e-mail bounced; if it was opened; if there were any clickthroughs; if she donated; and if so, when and in what amount.
• You should know whether the same Mrs. Smith was solicited by telephone. You also should know when she was solicited; if the call was completed; if there was a pledge or a donation by credit card; and if so, when and in what amount.
• You should know whether the same Mrs. Smith responded to a DRTV advertisement by calling your inbound call center. You also should know which ad she responded to (i.e., which toll-free number or in what time frame); if there was a pledge or donation made by credit card; and if so, when and in what amount. Or, did Mrs. Smith go to a special website landing page and donate in response to a DRTV advertisement — if so, when and in what amount?

Or, did Mrs. Smith go to the charity’s general donation page and donate within a few minutes of the running of a DRTV advertisement that was seen in the geographic area in which she lives — if so, when and in what amount?