Articles of Interest to Direct Marketers

✓ 1.      It Works Compared to what?
             Written by Ted Grigg

You would think that in today’s sophisticated marketing environment and strong need to make each advertising dollar count, that companies would have mastered the ability to evaluate the success of their lead generation, store traffic building efforts or other direct marketing programs. But the sad truth is that in the last 20 years of my direct marketing experience, clients still struggle with the basics.

… When I ask some of my clients or company prospects how their program is doing or whether a given direct mail, email, Direct Response Television Advertisement (DRTV) or other effort worked, they often say yes or no. Then I ask, “How did you structure your tests to determine what worked or failed?” Their response is that they have not tested the advertisement or direct mail package to compare response factors.

✓ 2.      Direct Marketers Evaluate the Opportunity for Rollout Potential First
       Written by Ted Grigg

Direct marketers evaluate the opportunity for rollout potential first to create a pro forma for any direct marketing campaign before allocating resources to it. 

...For example, if the product in question will generate $500 annually per customer sold with a cost of $400 to provide the product and there are only 100,000 such prospects in the entire US, then you might want to apply the brakes and select another effort.  In one company where I had P&L responsibility, we were directed not to pursue any opportunity that did not have at least a $1,000,000 per year net pretax profit rollout opportunity.

✓ 3.      11 Steps to Direct Mail Success
       Written by Ted Grigg

1. Is the mailing competitively priced and within budget?

 The direct marketing creative director recognizes that his job is not only to create attractive work that brands a product, but just as importantly, he must sell the client’s products or services at an acceptable cost per sale.

 5. Is the offer easy to understand?

This is not the time to try and sell everything you have by offering multiple options. Talk about the benefits the respondent will enjoy by responding immediately to your offer.

✓ 4.    Anatomy of a Control
   Written by Denny Hatch

Sometimes, direct mail controls last for years. The control created by Ted Grigg for AARP and featured in this insidedirectmail newsletter article continues to beat multiple during mail tests even after nine years! This package has won in multiple industries and may have direct implications for your direct mail business profitability.