The Great Mentors (4,982 words)
October 1998
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Back In the earlier part of this century, direct marketing didn't even have a name. Over the years, more and more disciples became devoted to this super-focused method of reaching and selling customers; eventually direct marketing drew enough of a following to earn its own professional association and a trade journal. However, only in the past five years has direct marketing fanned out to touch nearly every company across this country—and even the world.
For those who started out in this "industry," there weren't any college classes, associations or experts to learn from. No companies ran workshops, seminars or full-blown conferences on creating effective direct mail, setting up a fulfillment system or finding new prospects. The early adopters were entrepreneurs and prophets—professionals who ran into problems and developed revolutionary solutions based on what worked and what didn't.
It is this group of people who laid the groundwork for the rest of us. They provided the history and expertise that guided not only today's gurus but their protégés, as well. For example, where would we be today without M.P. and Belle Brown, creators of the Dun & Bradstreet business list, or Lloyd Conant, one of the first marketers to use personalization in direct mail letters? These pioneers, and others just like them, carved their names into direct marketing history when they forged a new path in selling products and services direct.
As the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." What didn't already exist, needed to be invented.
In looking at the industry's current rule-makers and rule-breakers, we can catch faint glimpses of the professionals that helped them achieve this top status. We've assembled some of the best and brightest in the field to share stories of who their mentors were (and are) and how they have helped them develop their personal style of direct marketing.
If you were lucky enough to have a mentor come your way, you will likely savor the following vignettes and reminisce about your own experiences.
And for those of you who learned the ropes on your own, we've added a story on an individual who made a go of it without a mentor, and how he made it work. Either way, you can find something of value from all your colleagues' time spent on the frontlines.
From Denny Hatch:
I detest the concept of mentors and mentoring. The whole idea of sucking up to someone in power—or conversely, having some clingy, clutchy protégé hanging on my every word—makes my skin crawl. Most people are as dumb as they are brilliant; the trick is to take in and remember everything you can, but be able to distinguish good from bad.
For those who started out in this "industry," there weren't any college classes, associations or experts to learn from. No companies ran workshops, seminars or full-blown conferences on creating effective direct mail, setting up a fulfillment system or finding new prospects. The early adopters were entrepreneurs and prophets—professionals who ran into problems and developed revolutionary solutions based on what worked and what didn't.
It is this group of people who laid the groundwork for the rest of us. They provided the history and expertise that guided not only today's gurus but their protégés, as well. For example, where would we be today without M.P. and Belle Brown, creators of the Dun & Bradstreet business list, or Lloyd Conant, one of the first marketers to use personalization in direct mail letters? These pioneers, and others just like them, carved their names into direct marketing history when they forged a new path in selling products and services direct.
As the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." What didn't already exist, needed to be invented.
In looking at the industry's current rule-makers and rule-breakers, we can catch faint glimpses of the professionals that helped them achieve this top status. We've assembled some of the best and brightest in the field to share stories of who their mentors were (and are) and how they have helped them develop their personal style of direct marketing.
If you were lucky enough to have a mentor come your way, you will likely savor the following vignettes and reminisce about your own experiences.
And for those of you who learned the ropes on your own, we've added a story on an individual who made a go of it without a mentor, and how he made it work. Either way, you can find something of value from all your colleagues' time spent on the frontlines.
From Denny Hatch:
I detest the concept of mentors and mentoring. The whole idea of sucking up to someone in power—or conversely, having some clingy, clutchy protégé hanging on my every word—makes my skin crawl. Most people are as dumb as they are brilliant; the trick is to take in and remember everything you can, but be able to distinguish good from bad.
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