Reviewing M+R's 2022 Benchmarks, Ep #45

Episode 45

With Benjamin Johnson and Matt Hussey

Live from Las Vegas, it’s Frontier FM! Matt and Ben sit down for their first-ever in-person episode to discuss the findings of the M+R 2022 Benchmarks, their implications, and ways that you can use the data to grow your organization.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • An update from AFP ICON 2022 and conference highlights [0:10]

  • Looking at the data in M+R’s 2021 Benchmarks [4:52]

  • Frontier Marketing Co. by the numbers in 2021 [16:27]

  • Increasing your revenue per mille [18:17]

  • Is major giving heading online? [21:58] 

  • Junk mail and final thoughts [25:31]

Diving into the data

The M+R Benchmarks Study is a wide-ranging exploration of digital fundraising, advocacy, and marketing data across multiple channels and platforms. As Ben said, the upside to benchmarks is that they give a pretty good snapshot of digital trends, what’s working, and what’s not. The downside is that for some organizations, comparing themselves to hundreds of others can distract them from their overall goals. It’s important to know which stats to pay attention to and which to take with a grain of salt. Listen to this episode for Matt and Ben’s in-depth commentary.

Double-down on digital

2020 was a massive year for digital. The pandemic forced many businesses and organizations to re-evaluate what was possible through digital platforms. In the charity world, online giving saw a 21% increase, and many organizations experienced massive growth. But with only a 3% growth in 2021, Ben reminds listeners not to take the digital boom for granted. Digital businesses SHOULD expect to grow in the 2020s and charities are no exception. Developing digital strategies that are tailored to your donor audience is critical to staying ahead of the curve.

Rev up your revenue

One key metric for charities to keep an eye on is their revenue per mille (RPM). An RPM is the estimated revenue that accrues for every 1000 impressions received. For example, every 1,000 fundraising messages sent in 2021 earned nonprofits an average of $78, marking a 3% decrease from 2020. If your RPMs are low, Matt provided some great insight for revving up your revenue in this episode. One key takeaway was the need for separate landing pages and higher ask amounts for high-value donors. Doing so creates a more personalized experience for donors and doesn’t undercut their potential generosity.

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