How should I handle content variables / different packs in my direct mail appeal?

In most appeals you will want to send different content variables to different audiences. For example, you might have a different pack for new donors, lapsed donors, higher-value donors, and regular givers. In most mail plans, each donor’s segment determines which pack they receive.

To handle content variables in Dataro, you should:

1. Decide up which variables / packs you want to include:
2. Use ‘Columns’ to select the data points you will need to create your groups
   1. To create a group of recurring givers - use ‘Recurring status’ = ‘Active’
   2. To create groups based on recency - use ‘last single gift date’
   3. To create a group based on higher giving levels - use ‘Mail Appeal ($500) Rank’, ‘Total Giving’, ‘Largest gift’ or similar
3. Export your list
4. Use filters in Excel / Google sheets to finalize your different groups

Alternatively, you could create different groups by building multiple audiences. For example:

1. Create an audience for your most valuable group first (i.e. the group expected to give the largest gifts). In an appeal, this might be the Mail Appeal ($500) group where you want to send them a higher value pack.
2. Save this audience with a memorable name (e.g. “Spring Appeal Dataro >$500”) and export it as Group 1.
3. Create a second audience for your next most valuable group. In an appeal, this might be the standard Mail Appeal group that will receive your standard pack. 
4. Use ‘Filters’ to remove donors who are also in your first audience
   1. Click ‘Filter’
   2. Use the ‘In Audience’ filter to select donors who are ‘Not in’ your previous audience (e.g. Donors are not in “Spring Appeal Dataro >$500”.
5. Save and export this list as Group 2
6. Continue as you add additional groups / content variables