"The Whole World Is Going Online" Does Not Mean "The Whole Is Going Online Exclusively"

Written By Ted Grigg

In the February 28, 2008 issue of DMNews, the "Gloves Off" section entitled  "Could agency pitching move online?"  featured opposing points of view on the topic. Joy Schwartz states her primary point with this comment.

One word sums up why online pitching by ad agencies will never replace in-person pitching: chemistry.

Bear in mind that Ms Schwartz does not say that Online sales activity will not be a part of the agency pitch process. Only that online will not replace the need for personal face to face interaction to close the business.

Opposing this perspective is Pierre Bancale's article in this same section. "Yes, online pitching will dominate, because the whole world is going online."

Mr. Bancale even criticizes those who prefer personal contact when making working relationship decisions with this statement. "...the number of those who prefer living in a limited environment becomes smaller every day." So I guess Mr. Bancale thinks that those corporate decision makers wanting face time combined with phone conversations somehow live in a "limited environment." Give me a break!

His statement implies that salespeople who build relationships between companies are doomed to extinction. One could draw the conclusion from his statement that this need for human contact, that has existed for millennia, will somehow disappear in the face of the almighty Internet.

To be fair, Mr. Bancale does not say flat out that the online agency pitch will replace the need for face to face interaction, only that it will dominate. And that the old process "...must change." He further emphasizes this with his closing remark, "The world has changed, indeed."

It is just this type of hype that makes online worshipers fail miserably when it comes to earning the respect of CMOs and their bosses.

We do indeed need online expertise. But most of all, we need wise marketers who have the experience and understanding of how people process purchase decisions.

When you look at the information in these articles, how do you react to it? What is your perspective on these authors' statements? Is the Internet replacing the need for human contact? Or is the precipitous growth of social media a reflection of the symptom that many people are starving for human interaction and see the Internet as the second best way to get it?

Your ideas?


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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