14 Statements that Raise Expert Direct Marketers' Blood Pressure

Written By Ted Grigg

Some readers will take issue with my list arguing that it contains
elements of truth. But in my view, these comments generally reflect a
misdirected strategic sense or preconceived ideas about the role of
advertising and direct marketing that are based on poorly founded
assumptions. At their best, some of these statements reflect ignorance and
at their worst, closed mindedness. But you be the judge. Perhaps you could
add to this list or elaborate on those listed.

1. Any marketing experience you have that is over 10 years old is
useless.
2. Any strategy that has an ROI attached to it is no longer a strategy,
but a tactic.
3. Direct marketing operates below the line because it supports
awareness advertising.
4. We tried direct mail (or any other medium named that was used a
couple of times) and it doesn't work.
5. Traditional media is dead because every one now uses and buys
products exclusively as a result of the overwhelming influence of the
Internet.
6. We want a CMO with hands on expertise in online technology, not
someone who has just led such programs.
7. Don't worry about the strategy. Just do it.
8. When we are spending on advertising to build the brand, we don't
worry about trying to calculate ROI because nothing is more important
than our brand.
9. We know that successful BtoB lead generation used to rely heavily on
traditional media like outbound telemarketing. But today, business people
use the Internet. So we have to dump the old, proven approaches for pure,
Internet lead generation.
10. We don't want to put a coupon in our print advertisements because
the design does not fit our brand image.
11. We don't want to make an offer or other call to action because that
gets in the way of our image.
12. That direct mail package is ugly and doesn't retain the look and
feel of all of our advertising.
13. We can handle any volume of leads you generate. So don't worry about
limiting weekly lead flow volumes.
14. We want only tight leads where the prospect is ready to buy today.
Otherwise we just waste our sales people's time.

What other statements tend to get you going?

Ted Grigg

Ted Grigg is a direct response strategist who helps growth-focused companies reduce risk by identifying weak assumptions before they become costly mistakes.

Over the course of his career, Ted has evaluated several hundred million dollars in direct response testing across direct mail, digital, print, television, telephone, and other channels. His work combines direct response strategy, acquisition economics, customer analysis, creative evaluation, offer development, and disciplined testing.

Ted has worked on both the client and agency sides of the business. That experience gives him a practical understanding of the pressures facing executives, marketing teams, agencies, and service providers—and of the problems that arise when activity, media volume, or creative preference replaces a clear economic objective.

His consulting work helps organizations examine such questions as:

  • Are acquisition goals economically realistic?

  • Is the allowable Cost Per Sale supported by customer value?

  • Are targeting, offers, creative, media, and response paths working together?

  • Are tests structured to produce reliable business decisions?

  • Are unproven assumptions being treated as facts?

  • Is the organization measuring sales outcomes rather than convenient proxies?

Ted’s experience includes the development of direct mail and multichannel acquisition programs for insurance, healthcare, financial services, technology, nonprofit, manufacturing, retail, transportation, communications, government, and business-to-business organizations.

For a national direct-to-consumer insurance company, he developed a direct mail format that defeated established controls and helped expand the productive use of compiled prospect lists from less than 10 percent to more than 30 percent of total direct mail circulation within one year. He also planned Medicare lead-generation programs for more than 60 regional and national HMO and PPO organizations, with some programs exceeding sales projections by as much as 60 percent.

Ted founded Wyse Direct, a direct marketing division of Wyse Advertising in Cleveland, where he developed acquisition programs and helped launch a new technology product for Seiko Instruments by generating a predictable flow of qualified sales leads for its national sales organization. As vice president of new business development for the Grizzard Agency, he helped broaden the agency’s strategic capabilities and pursue new commercial and fundraising opportunities.

He is the author of The HMO/PPO Marketing Plan—A Step-by-Step Guide, published by Executive Enterprises, and has written numerous articles and conducted webinars on direct response strategy, testing, creative development, and marketing economics.

Ted earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Abilene Christian University and completed two years of graduate study at Texas Tech University. He is the founder of DMCG, LLC.

http://www.dmcgresults.com
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