metrics monday

If you have dipped into this blog before, you know that one of my biggest bugaboos is bad use of data by non-profits.  In my experience, use of metrics to analyze Internet campaigns seems to fall into two categories: bad use or no use at all.

This white paper from Email Labs is an excellent (re)introduction to using data to get the job done.

The paper makes a useful distinction between process metrics, such as open and click-through rates, and output metrics, such as response rate, total income generated, leads acquired, etc.  One of the common tendencies in the non-profit sector is over-reliance on process metrics, frankly, because they are generally easier to get.

Anyway, it’s a quick read and you’ll be glad you took the time!