1. Numbers: Crunching and Comparing
Avalon Consulting Group
October 2011
www.avalonconsulting.net
Produced for the 2011 AMMMC Conference by Avalon Analytics, a division of Avalon Consulting
Group, Inc.
For more information, contact Avalon Executive Vice President Allison Porter at
1
allisonporter@avalconsulting.net or 202.429.6080 x102.

2. Benchmarking Tools for
Your Membership Program
Understanding Statistical Definitions
Evaluating Your Statistics
Compare to Environmental Indicators and Benchmarks
2

3. Understanding Statistical Definitions
Quantity Total number of members/prospects mailed
Number of Gifts Number of contributions received
Response Rate Number of Gifts / Quantity Mailed
Renewal Rate Total number of renewal gifts in year (all channels)/ number of current members
eligible for renewal in year
Average Gift Gross Revenue / Number of Gifts
Gross Revenue Total income received
Gross/M (“gross per Compare performance across multiple mailings with different quantities – compares
thousand pieces mailed”) apples to apples
(Gross Revenue / Quantity) * 1,000
Cost Total cost of a mailing (includes copy, art, print, laser shop, mail shop, postage, list
costs, miscellaneous)
Net Revenue Gross Revenue – Cost
Net/M (“net per thousand Compare performance across multiple mailings with different mail quantities and
pieces mailed”) different costs
(Net Revenue / Quantity) * 1,000
Net/Donor (“net revenue Used mostly in acquisition to evaluate the quality of donors across different lists
per donation”) – collapses response rate, average gift, and costs
Net Revenue / Number of Gifts
Cost/$ Raised (“cost per What is spent to bring in a dollar
dollar raised”) Cost / Gross Revenue
3

4. Evaluating Your Statistics
Monitor the number of days for returns.
Do not make conclusions too early. Most mailings require at least 90 days
before they should be considered final and conclusive. As a general rule, expect
to receive 50% of your total returns in the first 20 days.
Look out for large gifts.
A large gift can throw off the average gift and other statistics for determining
testing results. These gifts should be subtracted out before results are
evaluated.
Confirm accuracy of costs.
Ensure that all costs are included and that costs are accurately broken- out by
package.
Verify adequate sample sizes.
If evaluating segments against each other, make sure that each segment has at
least 300 returns. This ensures that the results are statistically significant. If
sample sizes are not large enough, consider testing over multiple months before
making a decision.
4

5. Compare to Environmental Indicators
and Benchmarks
In the fundraising industry, results often follow consumer confidence trends. Consult
the Consumer Confidence Index as an Environmental Indicator if a sudden increase or
decrease in results is realized but not explained by obvious trends.
www.conference-board.org
Source: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®
5

6. Acquisition Benchmarking Across Industries
Acquisition Response Rates Acquisition Average Gift
1.2% 1.1%
1.0% 0.9% 1.0% 0.9% $42 $49
0.6% 0.5% $24 $22 $25 $26
$22 $23
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation Conservation
2009 2010
2009 2010
Acquisition Net/Donor
-$10 -$13 -$13
-$17 -$14
-$17
-$42 -$44
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation
2009 2010
6

7. Appeal Benchmarking Across Industries
Appeal Response Rates Appeal Average Gift
4.3% 4.4%
3.6% 3.8% 3.4% $66 $73
3.2% 2.9% 3.1%
$39 $41 $48 $48 $44 $46
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation Conservation
2009 2010 2009 2010
Appeal Net/Donor
$39 $41
$26 $28 $31 $33 $29 $31
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation
2009 2010
7

8. Renewal Benchmarking Across Industries
Renewal Rates Renewal Average Gift
$76 $75
63.9% 62.7%
47.4% 48.4% 44.8% 45.0% $52 $54 $51 $53
$42 $44
28.6% 29.0%
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation Conservation
2009 2010 2009 2010
Renewal Net/Donor
$68 $67
$40 $42 $44 $45
$36 $37
Arts & Culture Environment & Advocacy All
Conservation
2009 2010
8

9. Analyze and Benchmark Results
Visitation, Performing Arts, All Sectors
& Libraries sectors
Total Email file size: 38,736 39,100
Usable email file size: 24,625 25,572
Online revenue: $221, 964 $349,967
Online revenue growth: 19% 20%
Online avg. gift: $106.19 $91.94
Fundraising open%: 21% 18%
Fundraising click%: 1.96% 1.76%
Fundraising response%: .10% .16%
eNewsletter open% 27% 19%
eNewsletter click% 3.44% 3.06%
*All stats from Visitation, Performing Arts & Libraries sector of 2011 Convio Online Marketing
Nonprofit Benchmark™ Index Study published in March 2011. This sector includes zoos, museums,
and aquariums that rely on members and guest visiting their facilities, and comprised 30 of the 589
groups in this study.
9

10. Dara Rosenberg Igersheim Kristen Shank Finn
Senior Program Manager Senior Program Manager
Avalon Consulting, Inc. Avalon Consulting, Inc.
1150 17th Street, NW, Suite 200 1150 17th Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 Washington, DC 20036
202.429.6080 ext. 118 202.429.6080 ext. 117
darar@avalonconsulting.net kristens@avalonconsulting.net
10