The One-Page Board Subscription Renewal Report
If your organization sells subscriptions, renewal is the number your board should watch. It tells you early whether next season is on track. It deserves its own subscriber renewal report, on one page, separate from fundraising.
This page is for executive directors, marketing and audience leads, and board members at ballet, opera, theater, and orchestra companies. The table below uses example numbers only. Put in your own.
What should a subscriber renewal report include?
Seven numbers: renewal rate by household, early-renewal pace, lapsed subscribers won back, new subscribers, renewal revenue against goal, value per renewing subscriber, and subscriptions from board referrals. Each one is compared to the same date last season, because a season total tells you too late.
Net subscribers vs. same date last season: +130 households (example data).
| Measure | This season | Same date last season | Target at this date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example data | ||||
| 1. Renewal rate (renewing households / eligible households) | 61% | 58% | 63% | Watch |
| Example data | ||||
| 2. Early-renewal pace (households renewed by the early deadline, share of eligible households) | 34% | 29% | 33% | On track |
| Example data | ||||
| 3. Lapsed won back (lapsed households who returned, of 1,200 contacted each season) | 185 households | 150 households | 200 households | Behind |
| If behind: Board members who know lapsed subscribers take a short list. | ||||
| Example data | ||||
| 4. New subscribers (households converted from multi-ticket and single-ticket buyers) | 420: 260 from multi-ticket, 160 from single-ticket | 465: 280 from multi-ticket, 185 from single-ticket | 450 | Behind |
| If behind: Ask staff for the plan to convert frequent ticket buyers before the season opens. | ||||
| Example data | ||||
| 5. Renewal revenue against goal (% of target) | 72% of target | 68% of target | 70% of target | On track |
| Example data | ||||
| 6. Value per renewing subscriber. Average package value per renewing subscriber this season, as an index where the same date last season = 100. Signals upgrades and downgrades. | 103 | 100 | 100 | On track |
| Example data | ||||
| 7. Board referrals (new subscriptions from board referrals) | 24 | 15 | 30 | Behind |
| If behind: Each board member names two people to invite before the next meeting. | ||||
Example data only. Replace with your own figures from your ticketing system.
Renewals by channel (example data): 52% online, 18% phone, 10% mail, 20% auto-renew. Same date last season: 47 / 22 / 14 / 17. Online and auto-renew are up, so spending should follow.
Renewal timing (example data): renewal launched 6 weeks before the season announcement. Last season: same day as the announcement.
Not yet renewed (example data): 1,370 eligible households, no response. Same date last season: 1,450 households.
Download the one-page template (protected XLSX and PDF).
Free. No email required. Download it, put in your own numbers, and send it before the next meeting.
What the board should ask:
- Are we ahead of last year at this date?
- Which households have not renewed yet, and what is the plan?
- Is renewal revenue on pace against goal, and is the value index holding at 100 or better?
How to read it
- Start with renewal rate and pace against the same date last season, not the season total. Timing tells you early whether you are on track.
- Lapsed won back and new subscribers are separate campaigns. Report them separately so a strong new-sales year does not hide a renewal problem.
- Value per renewing subscriber is the row that catches downgrades. A good renewal rate can hide households that renewed for fewer seats or a smaller package. Above 100 means renewers are upgrading. Below 100 means they are trading down.
- Renewal revenue against goal tells you whether the budget line is on pace.
- Board referrals show whether the board is bringing people in, not just watching the numbers.
- The headline line above the table, net subscribers, is the bottom line: renewing, won back and new added together. Read it first, then use the rows to see what is driving it.
- Channel mix tells staff and the board where renewals actually come from, so spending follows results.
Which subscriber retention KPIs does the board need?
The seven on this page. Staff track the rest. If a number does not fit on one page, it belongs in the staff report.
Count renewal by household, not by seat. A household that drops from four seats to two is still a renewal. The seat change shows up in the value index, where it belongs.
Define each number once, write the definition in the staff notes, and keep it the same all season. A KPI that changes its definition mid-season is a story, not a measure.
What to leave off
- Campaign creative details
- Email open and click rates
- Single-ticket sales
- Every package type
Those belong in staff reports. Tell the board where they live.
How often to report renewal to the board
Monthly during the renewal window, then one season wrap-up. Always compare to the same date last season. If renewal is slipping, the board should hear it before the season announcement, while there is still time to make calls.
For the reasoning behind this report, read why subscription renewal is its own campaign. If you report donations too, use The One-Page Board Fundraising Report.
If you want this report built for your board, work with Scott on your renewal reporting. Or book 20 free minutes and I'll show you how I'd set it up. No pitch.
FAQ
What is a good subscription renewal rate for an arts organization?
It varies by art form, market, and season, so the most useful benchmark is your own prior season at the same date. Track the trend over three seasons. A rising rate with value per renewing subscriber holding is healthy. A falling rate means renewal needs its own campaign, separate from new sales.
What should a subscription renewal report to the board include?
Keep it to one page: household renewal rate, early-renewal pace, lapsed subscribers won back, renewal revenue as a percent of goal, value per renewing subscriber as an index, new subscribers, and board referrals. Add the count of households that have not renewed yet so the board can see the follow-up list.
How often should the board see renewal numbers?
Monthly during the renewal window is enough for most boards, with one season-end summary. Every report should compare to the same calendar date last season, not to last season's final total. That shows early whether renewal is ahead or behind while there is still time to act on it.
Should subscription renewals be reported with fundraising?
Report them side by side, not mixed together. Subscription revenue is earned income and behaves differently from donations. Use one page for renewal and a separate page for fundraising so the board sees both clearly. Our companion board fundraising report template uses the same simple one-page format.