Overview
In this article, we’ll review the core steps to testing how a campaign performed by only sending to a percentage of eligible recipients.
What is a Target and Control campaign?
Did the campaign work? This is what almost every marketer wants to know after running a campaign. You saw a boost in sales after a campaign, or a drop. Was it the campaign? Something else? How can you be sure? Target and Control campaigns remove some of the variables to help you have a clearer idea of how your campaign performed.
When you run a standard campaign, all guests who meet the parameters of your Account Filter are included in your campaign. In a Target and Control campaign, a certain percentage of guests (you can pick how many) are selected to *not* receive any emails, or be a part of the campaign. These guests are eligible, they meet the criteria in your Account Filter but they aren't included in the campaign activities (emails, texts, rewards, etc.). They're the Control group.
Not including them allows you to analyze how guests who weren't part of the campaign behaved with no extra incentives or communication, as compared to the guests who were included in the campaign (Target group).
How do I set up a Target and Control campaign?
Before you begin, you should have an idea of how many guests are in registered in your loyalty program. You should also have a good idea of how many (count, or percentage) guests you want in the Control group. Generally, we recommend the control group size = 200/estimated visit rate. To learn more about estimated visit rate, check out What is Estimated Visit Rate?
Begin by building an account filter for the segment you wish to target with your campaign. See What are Account Filters? for more information on creating filters.
Once your filter is created, navigate to Marketing Tools> Campaign Center> Create New Campaign. See the Campaign Builder Guide for more info on creating a campaign.
When you click on the Segment tab, choose the account filter you just built or you can use an existing filter.
Once you’ve added the segment, a toggle will appear labeled: Set a Control Group.
After toggling on this button, specify a certain percent of guests to place into the control group. These control group guests will be selected at random from the original account filter audience and left off of this campaign.
Save and send your campaign.
Note:
You can use a Target and Control Campaign with or without an offer/reward.
The Control group is randomized each time you run a Target and Control Campaign; the same guests won't always be included/excluded.
Remember that the Control group is saved; after the conclusion of a Target and Control Campaign, you can give guests in the Control group the same offer you had given to guests in the Target group.
If sending a reminder message to the audience of a Target/Control campaign, make sure to use the Explicit Campaign filter and reference guests in the initial campaign to avoid accidentally sending a reminder to the members of the control group.
In some cases, we actively advise against using a Target and Control Campaign. Why would we ever advise against using this feature? Some campaigns have a proven track record of success. You won't want to exclude guests; excluding them will definitely lessen your impact. For example, if you offer a registration reward as part of your program, you won't want to hold out a Control group. Not only are these campaigns usually very successful, guests who have been told they'll be receiving a reward for registering their cards will be expecting an email and offer. Additionally, if you have a publicized campaign through social media or in-store, you should make sure your guests are given every opportunity to take part in the offer.
Additional Resources
What are Account Filters?
Campaign Builder Guide
What is Estimated Visit Rate?