Can’t See the Forest for the Trees? Start with a Picture

Gordon H. Bell

We’re awash in data – much of it bad, maybe some of it good – flowing continually into our database. We can look at Internet results moment-by-moment, direct mail response day-by-day, and overall performance, well, whenever we dare. But individual data points may confuse the big picture. Like examining the pixels of a photograph, focusing too closely on specific numbers may lead you to overlook how they fit together.

Analyzing one campaign or modeling a list of prospects, you need to dig into the details. Specific response rates, pay-up, net profit, confidence limits, or demographic variables provide valuable information. Following these in-depth analytics, a step back away from the numbers can help.  At times you need to examine the “trees,” but the most valuable insights often come from a view of the whole forest.

Draw a Picture

Look at the table of monthly subscriptions, below (with equal monthly mail volume, instead of showing response rate, the number of new subscribers from each monthly campaign are listed in total, from the house list, and from outside prospect lists).

Gordon H. Bell
Gordon H. Bell is president of LucidView, a consulting firm helping industry leaders increase marketing ROI through scientific testing. He can be reached at www.lucidview.com or 888-582-4384, ext. 707.