In the so called "good old days", the big communication challenge for direct marketers was to translate marketing objectives to database mainframe programmers.

Note the terrible letter below I just received from a local car dealer. (If you are a car dealer or car salesman, please stop abusing direct response advertising polluting direct mail with double meanings and outright lies.)

o let's agree up front that a "lead" is not a suspect, a telephone list of companies in a certain industry or any person who has not raised his hand and said: "I'm interested, tell me more.”

There are essentially three ways marketers will respond to today's quickly evolving marketing environment. The first type responds quickly on impulse,

You would think that marketers and advertisers would understand the breadth and depth of the direct marketing strategy after about 50 years of steady progress. Sadly, they do not.

If there is one sales issue that stumps most individuals responsible for new business, it is the prospect who presents an ill defined problem and has little or no budget.

The basic question you and the CFO must agree to is how much the average sale is worth to you and how much the company is willing to pay for a new contract or sale.

I thought I would share some great websites that offer up-to-date online demographic data. Much of this information was compiled by Steven Fox, a member of MENG that caters to high level marketers from all industries.

The heavy hitter's primary toolMy network friend and I were discussing the status of advertising agency hiring in the US these days and how things have changed for both the good and the bad. We think this problem applies to any B-to-B sales involving high level corporate services.