New Direct Marketing Resource

We've long used NextMark as part of our tool-kit. NextMark offers a service to search for mailing or e-mail lists. They compile a directory of just about any database that's out there and up for sale. You can get datacards with pricing and universe counts right off their service. The tool has saved us countless phone calls and really makes our (sometimes) job of being list brokers so much easier.

Well, today DM News published an article about NextMark's expansion of their directory. NextMark unveils directory of marketing service providers

"Users can search for marketing service providers by name, by services provided or by market specialty.

Service categories cover list/media procurement, creative, data enrichment, list preparation, direct mail production, delivery, response handling and response analysis. Vendors matching the user’s criteria are displayed on a Google map and also in an alphabetical listing."

A while ago, I posted about some other useful (and free) resources that make my day-to-day job as a direct marketer easier. Check this post out for good demographic look-up tools, ZIP code finders and other helpful tools.

In any event, this new NextMark service promises to be super useful, and best of all: "Use of the directory is free."

Driving Direct Marketing Success Through Data

It's been a while since we did a "soapbox" post . . . so here we go!

It occurred to us as we were recently finalizing a client proposal that it's been too long since we have discussed the importance of the annual look at your data assets. It's true for most companies. In fact, the client that we're currently assisting has been purchasing data from one of the large compilers for many years, and called us in because his sales team was not getting the information that they needed to effectively sell to their prospects. Does this sound familiar? While the data that they are currently buying is updated frequently, there are "holes" in it. And those "holes" make the difference between either getting the appointment and making the sale or not getting through to talk to anyone at all.

After doing some research, we were able to find some excellent data that not only augments what the company is currently using, but also finally gives the sales force what they need to be successful. With the consistent flow of data compilers, specialty lists and modelers into the marketplace, we found some "aha's" as we were conducting our research. And we do this sort of research all of the time! There are some excellent options out there, no matter what industry you are in, that can really drive marketing and sales success for your company. And if you don't stay on top of it, you can easily trap yourself in using what is familiar and not as effective because it takes some time to do the research.

We argue that the time spent here is well worth it! With a little research, you can determine the right sources of data that will identify exactly the prospect that you are trying to bring on, what they're spending, who they're spending it with, what their propensity is to buy from you and what their exact needs are today. If you don't want to do the research yourself, call a consultant in (like RRW) to do it for you. It just doesn't make financial sense not to do it. In addition, you can become an instant hero to your sales team, your finance team and your leadership team.

It really is this simple to direct market more intelligently -- and the rewards that you will reap will prove it. If you're interested in how to get started in looking at your data assets, you'll be happy to know that we've written a Data Check List on this very subject. Take a look at it -- then get out there and find the data that will make you a Direct Marketing Superhero! You deserve it!

Intelligent Direct Marketing with Effective Use of Data

I'll bet you're all familiar with those cute little robot vacuums -- the Roomba -- right? Well, not only are they cool machines, but iRobot is using all of the right direct marketing techniques to understand and build their customer relationships. By using RightNow Technologies, iRobot has managed to use data to "get into their customer's head."

RightNow's approach is very intelligent. The AdWeek article reports on their novel approach. "To stay in synch with individual customers, the company also tracks every interaction with each consumer, so past interactions can be used to improve subsequent interactions. That data is fed back into e-mail marketing campaigns that produce more consumer data and generate sales of the circular $300 vacuuming robots. In all, hundreds of thousands of customer interactions across multiple channels are tracked and managed each month, and the data is used to constantly refine its communications. To prospective iRobot consumers, it can seem that the company is reading their minds."

RightNow accomplishes this by tracking iRobot's self-service web site and its phone and email interactions with customers. This is effective customer data integration and management at its best. They then utilize all of this customer intelligence in their direct marketing campaigns.

In our opinion, utilizing data intelligence with analytical tools allows for the most efficient direct marketing campaigns. Not only are you effectively communicating with your customer base, you are consistently utilizing customer feedback to hone your campaigns for the greatest response and conversion rates. This leads to campaigns that become better over time and helps your company to become proactive in terms of product/service development. This approach assists in the creation of marketing campaigns that can be measured and reported on to the leadership team for the ever-important profitability metrics.

If your company has had success using intelligent direct marketing, let us know so that we can share your success in an upcoming post. We love acknowledging savvy direct marketers and reporting on DM successes. It makes us all better at what we do every day!

Direct Marketing Toolbox

I'm feeling generous today!

Today I'll share three resources that I go to on a weekly basis for data and information. These places make my life (and job) easier. Hope you, too, can use these resources to help streamline your direct marketing project.

1. Melissa Data's Look-Up tools. Melissa DATA provides a variety of easy-to-use, data quality solutions to help boost response rates, increase revenue, streamline CRM, data quality management and direct mail operations. Their website includes a series of look-up tools. For example, you can look up phone numbers, or income statistics, or demos within a zip code. Further, you can define a radius around a location or even produce a map with their tools. I go here to help define a target market, or to perform basic phone and reverse phone look-ups.

2. Direct Magazine's List Finder. This is a no-charge service where you can find virtually any mailing list (or e-mail list) that exists out there. List owners post information/datacards on their files and "Direct" has offered a nifty search engine tool to let you find the right list, just by typing in keywords. A great service!

3. US Census Bureau. Oftentimes, I question the quantities or counts from any given data provider and go to this site to validate commercially-available data. For example, I had a client who wanted to market to every homeowner in the country (oh, those good old days of heavy mortgage marketing....). When we ran counts of this broad select from the leading compilers, we felt that we were missing millions of homeowners--the counts just seemed too low. So, I went to the US Census bureau site to see how many homeowners there actually are in the country. Sure enough, the compiler was off by several million records and we figured out a work-around to identify more prospects (probable homeowners).

Hopefully, you'll make good use of these resources. And, if you have any more that help YOU in your day-to-day work, please share!

How to Mitigate Postal -- and other DM Costs

There has been a lot of talk recently about the new postal increase, and those increases planned for the future. Many direct marketers are talking about how they may have to decrease their direct mailing campaigns -- particularly to their prospect universes -- so that they do not blow their DM budgets. We reply to that logic with a heart-felt, "No Way, People!"

The key to dealing with these types of increases is by marketing smarter. Utilizing intelligent direct marketing tools such as analytics and database tools, you can market to those prospects most likely to respond to your offers, and weed out those who likely will not. As Direct Marketers, we have a plethora of tools available at our fingertips. While most do require some upfront costs, they will definitely save you money upon implementation. Mailing costs are just one of the costs that will be postively impacted. When you start to factor in costs of printing, piece-development, etc., you can quickly see how the utilization of these tools can help you meet -- and exceed-- your budgetary objectives.

Just a little food for thought as you are planning your direct marketing strategy.