How do your campaigns perform against the rest of the industry? Laurence Kite from Dovetail gives you the benchmarks to compare just how you're doing. You'll find more data and a complete write-up of the presentation here: http://www.dovetailservices.com/guides/christmas-benchmarking-report-2014/

1. Dovetail Christmas performance
report pack

2. Christmas subscription performance
Objectives
 How are Christmas Sales performing Year on Year?
 Are customers starting to order for themselves?
 What channels perform the strongest over Christmas and
how has this changed?
 What impact does January Sales have?
 How are previous Christmas subs renewing?
 Develop a Dovetail benchmark report to track your own
performance

3. Methodology
Criteria
Analyse the last 3 year’s worth of data
Dovetail clients for at least 3 years
All acquisitions – all promotions
Paid for subscriptions only
Christmas period classified as Sept through to Dec

4. Christmas Acquisitions
 2014 saw a decrease of 6% in total acquisitions YOY, compared to an increase
in 2013
 In 2013, a range of early bird pricing was introduced
 The introduction of ‘black’ Friday and cyber Monday affecting November orders
 Reinforces that in fact Christmas is getting later – ‘Indian summer’, or are
subscribers waiting for the best offers?
 Is January sale readdressing the balance of the loss of acquisitions YOY?
TOTAL XMAS Dovetail Universe Dovetail Universe
ACQUISTIONS Total Acqusitions % Difference
2012 412,671
2013 419,659 1.69%
2014 394,881 -5.90%
Month 2012 2013 2014 2014 v 2013
Sep 71886 83232 79651 -4.30%
Oct 89507 87273 80046 -8.28%
Nov 109135 102607 89123 -13.14%
Dec 142143 146547 146061 -0.33%

5. Total Acquisitions Month by Month, YOY

6. Christmas Order Response
 Online orders are declining YOY, but as a percentage split, up YOY to 52%.
 Telephone orders have decreased YOY, but have maintained the level as 2012.
 Coupon continues to decline, down a further 4%
 Imported load, a large decrease by 18% - are clients utilising the catalogue platform to
drive subscriptions?
 With these declines, it is important to remember that all orders are down 6% YOY
Channel 2012 2013 2014 2014 vs 2013
Coupon 57633 46827 44858 -4%
Telephone 55841 65012 55861 -14%
Online 208012 201246 196759 -2%
Imported Load 75998 97864 80644 -18%
Dovetail Universe
Channel % 2012 2013 2014
% Coupon 14.5% 11.4% 11.9%
% Telephone 14.0% 15.8% 14.8%
% Online 52.3% 49.0% 52.0%
% Imported Load 19.1% 23.8% 21.3%
Dovetail Universe

7. Christmas Order Response – Month by Month
 Importance of timing the type of offer – Last minute offers drive online traffic – e
cards, extending Christmas
 Coupon still plays a significant part – up 30% in October. Offline DMs still play a
part in traditional response if used at the right time.
2012 2013 2014 Variance Gross Variance Actual
Telephone Sep 10066 15027 12729 -2298 -15.3%
Oct 13991 16482 11617 -4865 -29.5%
Nov 16432 16802 14509 -2293 -13.6%
Dec 15352 16701 17006 305 1.8%
Online Sep 30899 35999 36619 620 1.7%
Oct 41150 35556 30595 -4961 -14.0%
Nov 50791 48507 45667 -2840 -5.9%
Dec 85172 81184 83878 2694 3.3%
Coupon Sep 10064 9037 9163 126 1.4%
Oct 13514 9912 12975 3063 30.9%
Nov 15829 10293 9820 -473 -4.6%
Dec 18226 17585 12900 -4685 -26.6%
Imported Load Sep 19841 22510 19208 -3302 -14.7%
Oct 18485 24481 18834 -5647 -23.1%
Nov 17498 22013 16529 -5484 -24.9%
Dec 20174 28860 26073 -2787 -9.7%
Metrics Month
Dovetail Universe
Top Line

8. Christmas Subscription
Type
 Importance of identifying when to change wording of the offer – when in November does the
differential change?
 When in December should it be changed back?
 Given the decrease of direct subscribers, clients should be reviewing their activity for this
customer group. Although direct sales are bigger than gift purchases for each month until
December, the trend is downwards; does the work that is being done on gifting in the run-up to
Christmas mean that new purchasers are being ignored?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Sept Oct Nov Dec
% Donated 2012
% Donated 2013
% Donated 2014

9. Christmas Payment Method
 In line with the increase in volume of gifted subs in Nov/Dec, the
proportion of Non DD orders increases in the same months
 Gifted subs, for both DD and Non DD increased compared to
2012, by 10%, compared to a fall of 3% for direct
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Sept Oct Nov Dec
% Non DD 2012
% Non DD 2013
% Non DD 2014

10. Christmas Payment Method - DD
2012 2013 2014
Sept 40158 50889 50013
Oct 49656 52630 44156
Nov 40521 45668 38525
Dec 48358 55846 48870
All Direct Debit Acqusitions
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Sept Oct Nov Dec
% Donor DD 2012
% Donor DD 2013
% Donor DD 2014
 DD order volumes consistent
month by month
 As a percentage of all DDs,
donated increase to 45% in
December.
 Are donors being lured into
cheaper pricing, but potential
more aware of cancellation
policies?

11. Christmas Renewal Rates
 Xmas renewal rates continue to fall, up to 3% when compared to the
DT universe yearly average of 50%.
 Given that DT process 200,000 subs, 1% increase means 2,000
renewals
 What are the prices for these renewals – is the drop in percentage
profitable given the proposed increase on renewal strategies
34.0%
35.0%
36.0%
37.0%
38.0%
39.0%
40.0%
41.0%
42.0%
43.0%
44.0%
45.0%
Sep Oct Nov Dec
Xmas Renewal Rates 2012
Xmas Renewal Rates 2013
Xmas Renewal Rates 2014

12. Dovetail Christmas
Benchmarking Report
PublisherVsUniverse
2012 2013 2014 VarianceGross VarianceActual 2012 2013 2014 VarianceGross VarianceActual VarianceActual Channel% 2012 2013 2014 2012 2013 2014
%Coupon 33.5% 31.5% 26.3% 14.5% 11.4% 11.9%
TotalAcquistions Sep 832 484 667 183 37.8% 71886 83232 79651 -3,581 -4.3% 42.1% %Telephone 8.8% 9.0% 12.0% 14.0% 15.8% 14.8%
Oct 1026 690 939 249 36.1% 89507 87273 80046 -7227 -8.3% 44.4% %Online 46.9% 46.7% 49.6% 52.3% 49.0% 52.0%
Nov 1085 757 936 179 23.6% 109135 102607 89123 -13484 -13.1% 36.8% %ImportedLoad 10.7% 12.8% 12.0% 19.1% 23.8% 21.3%
Dec 1538 1271 1421 150 11.8% 142143 146547 146061 -486 -0.3% 12.1%
RenewalRates(CWO) Sep 23.5% 29.54% 34.82% 5.3% 17.9% 42.4% 39.5% 37.6% -1.8% -4.6% 22.5%
Oct 29.2% 30.53% 23.12% -7.4% -24.3% 41.9% 40.0% 38.5% -1.5% -3.8% -20.5% TOTALXMAS DovetailUniverse DovetailUniverse Publisher1 Publisher1
Nov 42.3% 45.36% 27.03% -18.3% -40.4% 42.3% 40.8% 43.7% 2.9% 7.1% -47.5% ACQUISTIONS TotalAcqusitions %Difference TotalAcqusitions %Difference
Dec 25.6% 27.87% 28.21% 0.3% 1.2% 41.2% 41.2% 39.5% -1.6% -4.0% 5.2% 2012 412,671 4,481
2013 419,659 1.69% 3,202 -28.54%
DirectCWO Sep 480 213 215 2 0.9% 23956 25106 22155 -2951 -13.3% 14.3% 2014 394,881 -5.90% 3,963 23.77%
Oct 437 277 257 -20 -7.2% 27323 24453 24404 -49 -0.2% -7.0%
Nov 428 240 256 16 6.7% 33939 28752 20949 -7803 -37.2% 43.9%
Dec 473 311 353 42 13.5% 27823 27934 25418 -2516 -9.9% 23.4%
DonorCWO Sep 64 56 62 6 10.7% 9662 9581 10154 573 6.0% 4.7%
Oct 88 66 82 16 24.2% 15010 12545 13553 1008 8.0% 16.2%
Nov 214 203 152 -51 -25.1% 33840 27513 28668 1155 4.2% -29.3%
Dec 525 477 553 76 15.9% 61054 58091 63787 5696 9.8% 6.1%
DirectDD Sep 253 179 347 168 93.9% 35334 42366 41205 -1161 -2.7% 96.6%
Oct 457 279 525 246 88.2% 43209 43112 36140 -6972 -16.2% 104.3%
Nov 391 226 389 163 72.1% 31092 33967 28341 -5626 -16.6% 88.7%
Dec 397 188 190 2 1.1% 27691 33953 27021 -6932 -20.4% 21.5%
DonorDD Sep 34 34 40 6 17.6% 4824 8523 8808 285 3.3% 14.3%
Oct 40 66 72 6 9.1% 6447 9518 8016 -1502 -15.8% 24.9%
Nov 49 82 136 54 65.9% 9429 11701 10184 -1517 -13.0% 78.8%
Dec 137 288 318 30 10.4% 20667 21893 21849 -44 -0.2% 10.6%
Telephone Sep 53 46 55 9 16.4% 10066 15027 12729 -2298 -15.3% 31.7%
Oct 70 84 155 71 45.8% 13991 16482 11617 -4865 -29.5% 75.3%
Nov 59 68 162 94 58.0% 16432 16802 14509 -2293 -13.6% 71.7%
Dec 81 89 102 13 12.7% 15352 16701 17006 305 1.8% 10.9%
Online Sep 231 248 341 93 37.5% 30899 35999 36619 620 1.7% 35.8%
Oct 301 315 524 209 66.3% 41150 35556 30595 -4961 -14.0% 80.3%
Nov 355 365 442 77 21.1% 50791 48507 45667 -2840 -5.9% 27.0%
Dec 512 561 650 89 15.9% 85172 81184 83878 2694 3.3% 12.5%
Coupon Sep 110 149 215 66 44.3% 10064 9037 9163 126 1.4% 42.9%
Oct 250 231 205 -26 -11.3% 13514 9912 12975 3063 30.9% -42.2%
Nov 260 248 244 -4 -1.6% 15829 10293 9820 -473 -4.6% 3.0%
Dec 380 374 375 1 0.3% 18226 17585 12900 -4685 -26.6% 26.9%
ImportedLoad Sep 30 36 53 17 47.2% 19841 22510 19208 -3302 -14.7% 61.9%
Oct 40 57 48 -9 -15.8% 18485 24481 18834 -5647 -23.1% 7.3%
Nov 50 69 82 13 18.8% 17498 22013 16529 -5484 -24.9% 43.8%
Dec 199 246 291 45 18.3% 20174 28860 26073 -2787 -9.7% 27.9%
PublisherName: Sample1 DovetailUniverse
TopLine
KeyAreas
Metrics Month
PublisherName: Sample1
DovetailChristmasbenchmarkingreport
DovetailUniverse

13. Summary
 Christmas orders are down YOY by 6%
 Christmas is getting later – subscribers are trained to
receive the best offers – cyber Monday
 December performance is on par with last year and up on
2012 – early January sale offers could have a positive
effect on this
 Time the switch to donated offers – but don’t forget your
directs
 Postal orders still are integral to your campaign, especially
through DM – but at the right time
 Although Direct Debit volumes are consistent – percentage
of total orders increases – be wary of renewals

14. Summary (cont)
 Renewal rates are in decline, and continue to
perform below the average CWO rates
 It’s not all negative – analyse your CPA –
increase in subs may not be your objective
 Analyse your own data – trends for others may
not suit your demographic

15. Questions?
Laurence.kite@dovetailservices.com