data geeks rejoice: luminate online benchmark study 2014

Data Geeks Rejoice 2014 Luminate Online Benchmark Report PRESENTED BY LAUREN FIRESTONE & RACHEL SIMON

First Dibs! 2014 Luminate Online

Benchmark Report: www.blackbaud.com/LuminateBenchmark

#bbcon

2 #bbcon

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Download it here:

www.blackbaud.com/luminatebenchmark

We ♥ Luminate Online Benchmarks!

• 8th annual report

• Largest of its kind: ~800 nonprofits

• Mature Luminate Online Users (minimum of 36

months)

$1.27 Billion Raised

18 Million Transactions

7.6 Billion Email Messages

New this year

• Fiscal Year: Covers July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014

• The most up-to-date metrics this time of year

• Use as planning tool for next year

• Launch @ bbcon

Methodology

• All Values are Medians:

• Numerical mid-point of any data set, meaning 50% of all the

values lie above that number and 50% are below

• Helps normalize outliers

• Avoid Referral Bias & Measurement Bias

Who’s Who?

• 20 Cohorts:

• 17 verticals based on NTEE Code

• National Nonprofit Mailer – Email housefiles larger than 1 Million

• Team Event – over 80% of revenue comes from events

• Canada – consolidated for improved sample size

Metrics, anyone?

The Housefile Story

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Usable Housefile Growth

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12.36% 2.51%

6.07% 6.92%

3.88% 8.75%

7.04% 16.65% 16.48%

7.55% 11.91%

17.43% 9.69%

0.84% 10.31%

3.81% 2.77%

6.32% 10.70%

12.96% 7.97%

Animal Welfare

Association & Membership

Canadian Organization

Christian Ministries

Disaster & International Relief

Disease & Health Services

Environment & Wildlife

Food Bank

Health - Medical Research

Higher Ed

Hospital Foundation

Hospitals

Human & Social Services

Jewish

National Nonprofit Mailer

Performing Arts & Libraries

Public Affairs

Public Broadcasting Stations

Team Event

Visitation

TOTAL

8% usable Housefile Growth

Year Over Year Change: Percent of

Housefile that Donates

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17.65% 3.15%

20.28% 15.93%

10.60% 12.36%

16.81% 21.18%

25.28% 13.14%

17.32% 24.04%

18.13% 14.95%

17.02% 12.19%

10.98% 12.17%

13.39% 23.46%

15.08%

Animal Welfare

Association & Membership

Canadian Organization

Christian Ministries

Disaster & International Relief

Disease & Health Services

Environment & Wildlife

Food Bank

Health - Medical Research

Higher Ed

Hospital Foundation

Hospitals

Human & Social Services

Jewish

National Nonprofit Mailer

Performing Arts & Libraries

Public Affairs

Public Broadcasting Stations

Team Event

Visitation

TOTAL

Percent of housefile that

donates increased 15 % YOY

Buzzworthy Trends

• Direct relationship: Housefile Growth $$ Raised

Online

• No signs of slowing in attracting new supporters

• Constituents WANT to be communicated with via email!

• Supporters who believe in your mission are best!

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Lauren’s Take: Applying the Data

• A robust email file is critical to organizational growth:

• Make email acquisition a priority

• Nurture & cultivate

• Proceed with Caution: List fatigue

• Attract high-quality constituents

• Put the relationship first

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The Email Story

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Volume is Up…Email Messages Sent YOY

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0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

120.00%

-

50

100

150

200

250

300

Email Messages Sent

YOY % Change

Median Messages Sent = 144

60% overall increase in Messages Sent YOY

…Way Up. Email Recipients YOY

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72.30%

58.35%

77.38%

59.27%

Donation eNews Other Advocacy

72% increase in # of Email Recipients YOY

Open Rates: Holding Steady

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15.36% 16.26%

17.60% 16.89%

0.82% 1.76% 0.94% 0.42%

Donation eNews Other Advocacy

Total YOY Change

Click-Through Rates: Declining

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0.61% 1.61% 1.39%

2.05%

-6.40%

-10.85% -12.02%

-5.75%

Donation eNews Other Advocacy

Total YOY Change

Email Conversion Rate: Declining

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-0.16%

-0.11%

-0.06%

-0.01%

0.04%

0.09%

0.14%

-30.00%

-20.00%

-10.00%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

Yoy % Change Median Conversion Rates

25% Year over Year Decrease in Appeal Email

Conversion Rate

Buzzworthy Trends

• 60% increase in distinct email messages sent!

• Open rates holding steady

• Constituents are engaged and still consuming

information via email

• However, Click through rates continue to decline

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Lauren’s Take: Applying the Data

• Maximize constituent engagement

• Send differentiated messages

• Be responsive

• Bottom Line: With more eyes on your email, you better

make sure it is timely, relevant, and personal

• Understand the communication pathway

• Where are they going?

• How are they getting there?

• What are they doing?

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The Giving Story

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Value of Usable Email Addresses

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$13.68

$3.67

$8.69

$17.75

$24.76

$15.46

$6.01

$38.89

$20.18

$8.27

$17.72

$19.25

$14.44

$13.69

$2.24

$10.98

$3.12

$12.73

$25.41

$6.55

$12.46

Animal Welfare

Association &…

Canadian…

Christian Ministries

Disaster &…

Disease & Health…

Environment &…

Food Bank

Health - Medical…

Higher Ed

Hospital Foundation

Hospitals

Human & Social…

Jewish

National Nonprofit…

Performing Arts &…

Public Affairs

Public…

Team Event

Visitation

Total

Each Usable Email Address has $12.46 Median

Annual Online Revenue

Overall Online Revenue: YOY Change

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Online Giving by Vertical: YOY Change

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13.64%

-4.57%

21.34%

11.34%

8.39%

2.50%

15.39%

14.84%

-4.14%

18.37%

16.79%

8.24%

13.57%

-2.39%

5.83%

2.98%

1.15%

11.07%

-3.32%

16.64%

8.07%

Animal Welfare

Association & Membership

Canadian Organization

Christian Ministries

Disaster & International Relief

Disease & Health Services

Environment & Wildlife

Food Bank

Health - Medical Research

Higher Ed

Hospital Foundation

Hospitals

Human & Social Services

Jewish

National Nonprofit Mailer

Performing Arts & Libraries

Public Affairs

Public Broadcasting Stations

Team Event

Visitation

Total

Online Giving by Housefile: YOY Change

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14.84%

9.08% 9.48%

9.06%

12.05%

6.89%

5.93%

2.90%

4.40%

0.93%

5.79%

8.07%

Median

Buzzworthy Trends

• Donors are online, they are giving, and they are

giving more

• Increases:

• Number of gifts

• Total revenue

• Average gift amount

26 #bbcon

Lauren’s Take: Applying the Data

• Have a multi-channel, multi-response fundraising

strategy

• Ditch the silos

• Monitor the landscape

• Give your strategy time to drive results

27 #bbcon

The most important metric is

an organization’s own

historical performance.

28 #bbcon

www.blackbaud.com/luminatebenchmark

30 #bbcon

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