Publications

DM Direct Special Report, December 7, 2004 Issue, Norbert Schumacher, Ph.D.

... How do you estimate counts of separate butterfly species that you don't yet know exist?

As we'll show, with the help of some brain-numbing formulas that will make all but the most hardened statisticians lightheaded, it is possible to do so. More importantly, you can use the same math to estimate new customers becoming visible through your loyalty or database marketing program - customers who we like to call "faux-new" customers.

[Editor: the answer is surprisingly simple under some reasonable assumptions]

Here is the rest of the story.