Identifying Talented Direct Marketers – The Art Director

Written By Ted Grigg

Finding and properly identifying DM talent remains a critical issue for organizations seeking people who have the necessary skill set to take their programs to the next level.

I will not attempt to list all of the general qualifications all employees should possess and strive to develop such as interpersonal skills, integrity, strong work ethic, character and so forth. But rather, these comments relate to the down and dirty skills I look for in these job functions.

The first of several job functions I would like to talk with you about is the art director. Listed below are the essential qualities I seek in this field.

-Specialized training in design and art direction
-Experience with on-line produced and classic direct mail formats
-Not only computer literate but deep capability with Adobe’s design suite as well as Quark
-Concepting skills in all media channels. For collateral, it helps if the artist has a good knowledge of paper stocks and postal regulations as it relates to direct mail
-Attention to detail such as tracking codes, permit numbers and high quality presentation materials that are free of obvious errors
-Portfolio demonstrating multi-channel exposure, creative layouts and font expertise as well as the ability to change styles based on the brand requirements   
-Art direction skills demonstrating the ability to bring out the power of the copy and product benefits in ways that do not draw undo attention to the graphics

On that last point, I have seen beautiful layouts that made it hard to read the copy. Putting excessive amount of body copy in reverse type, for example, is a no-no. This type of layout actually depresses response.

Copy is still king in direct marketing. But in my view, great graphics reinforce the copy and prompts the target audience to read the message.

What other skills would you add to this role? What is the toughest to find?

 

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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