1. Recipes, Groups and Gifts: The Lessons of Multivariable Testing (MVT)
at Lincoln Memorial University
March 18, 2016
Lincoln Memorial University
Division of University Advancement
Harrogate, Tennessee

2. QualPro’s MVT® Approach
Use multivariate analysis to test many ideas simultaneously
Involve the organization to identify ideas
Test 20 to 30 “Practical, Fast and Cost-Free” Ideas
Implement helpful combination of ideas
Avoid ideas that hurt
Reduce costs if factors make no difference
200,000+ Improvement Ideas
Tested in 15,000+ MVTs
22%
Hurt
53% Make
No Difference
25%
Help

3. “Silo” versus Interaction Insights
Traditional evaluation based only on gift output or donor conversion tends to be a “silo” approach
Multivariable testing yields information about the success of interactions among factors

4. What do we measure? Gift dollars (overall) Gift count (overall)
Gift dollars (per non-donor)
Gift count (per non-donor)
12-week test period

5. What have we tested? Phonathon scripts Estate Planning Mailings
Alumnus Magazine formatting
Honor Roll of Donors
Class Recognition versioning
“Never given” strategies
Enrollment strategies
Marketing initiatives
Estate Planning Mailings
New Donor Welcome Packets
LYBUNT/SYBUNT Letters
Class sponsor signatures in mailings
Annual Fund Mailings
Faculty/Staff Payroll Mailings
New Alumni Packets

6. Example of Test Design 23 Direct Mail and Publications Factors
Factors based on “status quo” and “change” conditions

7. Factor Examples: Direct Mail Inserts
Annual Fund Mailing: Mailing Insert Factors
(Testing increased gifts from survey presence/seeking opinion)
Status Quo: No Insert
Change: Insert versions
(Helpful factor)

8. Factor Examples: Direct Mail Inserts Scholarship Appeal Version 1

9. Factor Examples: Direct Mail Inserts Scholarship Appeal Version 2

10. Example of a 2-Factor MVT Design
Brochure
Insert
Recipe 1
Full color
No Insert
Recipe 2
Recipe 3
Single color
Recipe 4

11. Example of a 3-Factor MVT Design
Brochure
Insert
Follow up
Recipe 1
Full color
No Insert
1 week later
Recipe 2
2 weeks later
Recipe 3
Recipe 4
Recipe 5
Single color
Recipe 6
Recipe 7
Recipe 8

12. Combinations of Individual Factors Yield the Test Recipes
Example:
ID # is a member of Recipe 14:
Annual Fund version 4 (no insert; full-color reply card)
Alumnus Mailing version 8 (large envelope insert; residence hall page; half-page scholarship appeal)
Phonathon script version 2 (student caller; focus on Homecoming events)

13. Tracking and Reporting
Designing and implementing the test factors is only part of the equation!
How will we track and report the performance of each group and factor?
Since analysis is conducted outside of the Colleague Advancement (CA) environment, I found that we didn’t need to code recipes in CA – only MVT groups and factors
The other significant factors such as gift date, of course, are already tracked

14. Coding Test Factor Membership
in Ellucian® Colleague Advancement using Communication Codes
Saved lists created for each test group (1-60), and Communication Codes created for each test factor (e.g., UAMVTQF). Intersection of gift date, test group, and communication code yields weekly factor-specific results

15. Assumptions in Evaluating the Results
Evaluation is largely quantitative – does this apply to your fundraising operation? Could qualitative factors be tested?
Test factors must be relevant to your primary fundraising
Division must be willing to act on the results – this is an important assumption!

16. Successes with MVT Implementation and Analysis
LMU has found an overall sustained increase in average monthly fundraising revenue (comparing pre-MVT and post-MVT periods)
Process analysis yields greater attention given to quality, deadlines, and ROI in direct mail, phonathons and other fundraising initiatives
Greater willingness to preserve what is found to work, and to change what is not working

17. Successes with MVT Implementation and Analysis
Partnering with QualPro MVT has made a sustained improvement in the quality and fundraising output of our division
Continued refinement of the process, and tighter integration of the analysis with our workflow will continue to improve this process

18. Ongoing Challenge: How to Close the Loop?
Initiative
Cultivate
Motivate
Activate

19. MVT analysis has helped LMU evaluate at every point
Initiative
Evaluate
Cultivate
Motivate
Activate