Target Marketing

You will be automatically redirected to targetmarketingmag in 20 seconds.
Skip this advertisement.

Advertisement
Advertisement
 
 

Message & Media : Mind Your Message

Beginning the journey to find the right mix of media, message and offer

January 2009 By Pat Friesen
Get the Flash Player to see this rotator.
 

As a direct marketer, what’s on your mind as the new year begins? Response rates? Rising costs? Customer reaction to changes ahead?

Most agree that 2009 is going to be a year of changing opportunities—personal and professional, political and economic. So buckle up for the adventure ahead.

For me, the start of 2009 is a time to rethink, regroup and refocus. And that includes this column. You’ve probably noticed it has a new title—Message & Media.

First, I want to thank the faithful readers of Direct Mail Strategy, the column I wrote for five years. Your e-mails, phone calls and letters have proven you are a very responsive group. And I promise I am not forsaking direct mail.

Instead, this new column will broaden our conversation of how to use direct response media to target and deliver your marketing messages. With more media options than ever, this column will provide tips, techniques and examples of how to maximize readership, relevancy and response.

How New Media Fit Into Direct Marketing
According to Direct Marketing Hall of Famers Martin Baier, Bob Stone and Pete Hoke, direct marketing is an interactive system of marketing that uses one or more types of media to generate a measurable transaction at any location, with this activity stored on a database. Their definition sums up what makes the discipline so attractive to marketers focused on ROI.

Keep in mind, some newly emerging media may not fit this definition because they currently lack a way to track individual transactions back to original media sources. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use nontrackable media. Think of it as another tool in your marketing toolbox similar to PR and special events. Just realize you won’t be able to analyze your ROI as you do in direct marketing.

Tracking Is Golden
The beauty of direct marketing is it’s trackable, measurable and accountable. Being able to analyze results allows marketers to identify successes and failures, making adjustments to test, retest and roll out.

Several months ago, I wrote a subscription renewal e-mail for the consumer magazine The Washingtonian. The goal was to test adding a lower cost, nonpaper renewal effort to precede its traditional direct mail renewal series. Sent four to five months prior to lapse, this e-mail currently has a 2 percent to 3 percent open rate with 1 percent to 2 percent of subscribers renewing. While these rates match or exceed industry standards, The Washingtonian continues to test subject lines, offers, timing and other key variables. As a direct marketer, the magazine’s goal is to beat the e-mail control by increasing both open and renewal rates.

 

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON DIRECT MAIL & POSTAL >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

Available as a PDF<BR><BR>A guide to the science of direct response testing today, including best practices, power tests, small vs. large test, analyzing results, testing mistakes, new tricks and more.<BR> <BR>Direct marketing — regardless of the channel — is that unique combination of art and science. Direct marketing strategists are constantly striving for better response rates, open rates, conversions, cost-per-order, and life-time value. <BR><BR>And what is the tool that these strategists turn to again and again? That’s right! It’s testing. <BR><BR>In direct marketing, there are plenty of elements to test — from subject lines, premiums, envelope sizes, list selects, pricing, the placement of the shopping cart on the web page ... the choices seem endless. <BR><I><BR>Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing </I>is your personal BRAIN TRUST of testing strategies that you can start to put to use today. <BR><BR>In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to learn — the why, what, when and how-to of testing. From testing structure to basic principles, and from test ideas to mistakes to avoid, you’ll get a crash course in coding, tracking, reading and applying test results. <BR><BR>You’ll learn about: <BR>• Simple copy tests that drive response <BR>• Fine-tuning your offer <BR>• Web and Email testing <BR>• Offer tests <BR>• How to make sure you’re getting reliable results <BR>• Retesting and rolling out your findings <BR>• Plus the Rules that you should test now — or ignore at your own peril! <BR><BR>Are you are searching for ways to raise response, save on your promotion costs, drive down your cost-per-order and extend the lifetime value of your customers? The DirectMarketingIQ and Target Marketing editorial teams have been researching, writing and collecting expert advice from industry leaders about the how-tos of testing for years. <BR><BR>We’ve compiled this information and made it easy for you to find all in one place with our easy-to-read report – <EM>Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing</EM>. Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing

Available as a PDF

A guide to the science of direct response testing today, including best practices, power tests, small vs. large test, analyzing results, testing mistakes, new tricks and more.

Direct marketing — regardless of the channel — is that unique combination of art and science. Direct marketing strategists are constantly striving



...

ORDER NOW

Available as a PDF<BR><BR>Your everything-you-need-to-know guide to personalized URLs, including: <B>Best Practices </B>on why they work, campaign strategy, multichannel creative, analytics, and <B>10 Case Studies.<BR></B><BR>A New Best Practices and Case Studies report from DirectMarketingIQ.<BR> <BR>Do you want a higher response rate? Do you want to make a bigger profit? Do you want to engage your customers and continue the conversation? Then ... you need to know about PURLs and how they can achieve all the above and more! <BR><BR>With <EM>PURLs for Profit </EM>you'll have your personal roadmap that will show you how to successfully implement and profit from PURLs. This definitive special report takes you step-by-step on how to integrate PURLs into your marketing mix — email, direct mail, landing pages and social media — for an enhanced user experience so that prospects can make more informed purchasing decisions faster. <BR><BR>Here are just a few of the important takeaways you'll learn:<BR> <UL> <LI>Why PURLs work <LI>How PURLs connect the dots between direct mail, email, social media and the web <LI>What you should test and why <LI>What campaigns benefit most from PURLs <LI>How to create a relevant campaign <LI>Privacy and PURLs <LI>What steps should you take <LI>How to measure your ROI <LI>Maintain the magic by maximizing the message, the creative and the list! <LI>The importance of tracking and continuing the conversation <LI>Where social media fits into the mix </LI></UL> <P>In addition, you'll see actual case studies where PURLs have made a big difference in a variety of marketing efforts. <BR><BR>Here's a list of the types of companies and organizations that are featured in this informative special report: </P> <UL> <LI>Financial Services <LI>Higher Education <LI>Publishing <LI>Nonprofit <LI>Retail <LI>Technology <LI>Seminar/Conference <LI>Quick-Service Restaurant</LI></UL> <P>Download your copy of <EM>PURLs for Profit</EM> today!</P> PURLs for Profit

Available as a PDF

Your everything-you-need-to-know guide to personalized URLs, including: Best Practices on why they work, campaign strategy, multichannel creative, analytics, and 10 Case Studies.

A New Best Practices and Case Studies report from DirectMarketingIQ.

Do you want a higher response rate? Do you want to make a bigger profit? Do you





...

ORDER NOW

 

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON ONLINE MARKETING >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<P>“Blanchard is demanding. He won’t allow you to flip through this book, nod your head, and leave. If you’re in, you’re going to have to invest to get your rewards.” <BR><STRONG>--Chris Brogan</STRONG>, president of Human Business Works <BR><BR>“Social media isn’t inexpensive; it’s different expensive. The human effort required to do it right is significant, and not knowing precisely how social media helps your business and how to gauge that progress is a dereliction of duty. In <EM>Social Media ROI</EM>, Blanchard provides the missing playbook for sensible, sustainable, profitable social communication. It’s about time.” <BR><STRONG>--Jay Baer</STRONG>, coauthor of <EM>The NOW Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social <BR></EM><BR>“<EM>Social Media ROI</EM> gets down to the heart of the matter: How will social communications positively impact my organizational goals? Olivier takes us through a journey starting from the start, creating a strategy to achieve objectives, and in turn, the means to measure return on investment. If you want to get serious about online communications, you can’t go wrong with <EM>Social Media ROI</EM>.” <BR><STRONG>--Geoff Livingston</STRONG>, author of <EM>Welcome to the Fifth Estate</EM> and <EM>Now Is Gone</EM> <BR><BR>“Olivier explains the intricacies of building a social media-influenced company for every layman to understand. It is important to understand reach, attention, and influence for social media ROI. This is the book to help with that understanding.” <BR><STRONG>--Kyle Lacy</STRONG>, principal at MindFrame (yourmindframe.com) and author of <EM>Branding Yourself <BR></EM><BR>“Ladies and gentlemen, the social media code has officially been cracked. In <EM>Social Media ROI</EM>, Blanchard reveals how companies can apply the massive power of social media to achieve equally massive results. Incredibly practical, yet supremely enjoyable, this book offers a clear roadmap to growing your revenue in the dizzying world of tweets and retweets, likes and shares, connections and comments.” <BR><STRONG>--Sally Hogshead</STRONG>, author of <EM>Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation</EM> <BR><BR>“If you know Olivier, you know he goes beyond the bullshit. He ‘gets it.’ This book will put you in the mindset to successfully plan and achieve real business objectives with social media. It’s a hard fact that good business decisions depend on real results. Olivier avoids the fluff with clear-cut ideas that will help you produce results.” <BR><STRONG>--Brandon Prebynski</STRONG>, social media strategist <BR><BR><STRONG>Use Social and Viral Technologies to Supercharge Your Customer Service! <BR></STRONG><BR>Use this book to bring true business discipline to your social media program and align with your organization’s goals. Top branding and marketing expert Olivier Blanchard brings together new best practices for strategy, planning, execution, measurement, analysis, and optimization. You will learn how to define the financial and nonfinancial business impacts you are aiming for--and achieve them. <EM>Social Media ROI</EM> delivers practical solutions for everything from structuring programs to attracting followers, defining metrics to managing crises. Whether you are in a startup or a global enterprise, this book will help you gain more value from every dime you invest in social media. </P> Social Media ROI

“Blanchard is demanding. He won’t allow you to flip through this book, nod your head, and leave. If you’re in, you’re going to have to invest to get your rewards.”
--Chris Brogan, president of Human Business Works

“Social media isn’t inexpensive; it’s different expensive. The human effort required to do


...

ORDER NOW

Available as a PDF.<BR> <BR>A guide to prospecting, lead generation, building an Opt-in database, tracking, social media integration, deliverability, mining content and balanced creative. While email marketing has reached maturity, there’s still plenty of life in this channel — if used wisely. <BR><BR>That’s the focus of this new guide to email marketing, with articles devoted to best practices for prospecting; continuing to build and refresh your opt-in file; how social and email work together; generating relevant content; keeping your messages safe from spam filters and junk-mail folders; and more. <BR><BR>Are you searching for ways to create stronger email marketing campaigns? <BR><BR>The DirectMarketingIQ and Target Marketing editorial teams have been researching, writing and collecting expert advice from industry leaders about how to create top-notch email marketing campaigns for years. <BR><BR>We’ve compiled this information and made it easy for you to find all in one place, with our easy-to-read report – <EM>Email Marketing That Works (2nd Edition)</EM>. Email Marketing that Works (2nd Edition)

Available as a PDF.

A guide to prospecting, lead generation, building an Opt-in database, tracking, social media integration, deliverability, mining content and balanced creative. While email marketing has reached maturity, there’s still plenty of life in this channel — if used wisely.

That’s the focus of this new guide to email



...

ORDER NOW

 

COMMENTS

Click here to leave a comment...
Comment *
Most Recent Comments: