Direct Marketing Links

Saying No to the Boss
So happy to find Susan Willett Bird's blog about interesting conversations. This post gives some good advice, especially if you are a Type A overachiever who can't turn down a project. You know the type--the one who thinks that the only way something will get done correctly is if she does it herself (yikes--I resemble that remark!). Interesting read.

A Freelancer's Survival Guide
From Forbes, check out this freelancers guide. In this economy, more and more people are becoming entrepreneurs (at least temporarily). The article provides some great and quite practical tips on how to be a successful freelancer.

Corporate blogging's mixed bag
If you're considering starting a blog or if you're simply interested in what a blog may be worth to a corporation, this Viral Garden post is a must-read. Is it any surprise that many large companies don't understand that a blog is NOT simply an extension of their website--that it's not simply an arena to advertise their stuff?

Direct Marketing in India
I'm kinda proud of the small conversation we started in our very own Ask Direct Marketers blog about the state of Direct Marketing in India. The contribution by one of the leading marketers from India, Nishad Ramachandran, really is what makes this post worth reading. I just love how the internet and blogging in particular has shrunk this world. Who knew that I would be having discussions with thought leaders from India. How cool is that???

The direct mail envelope quandary: plain or bold?
Sticking with the direct marketing theme, I enjoyed this article from the Direct Creative Blog. It helps answer the question of what type of envelope direct mailers should use. (The answer in a nutshell--test both plain or bold, but plain typically outperforms bold.) Good stuff!


Have wonderful weekends, all!

Zappos does it again!

I continue to wonder why Google ranks our blog #1 when you search for direct marketing blogs...We tend to veer off the topic of DM quite a bit. Yet, in order to make any direct marketing project successful, so many other pieces of the puzzle need to be in place.

For example, if, say, you have horrible customer service, then no matter how awesome your direct marketing campaign may be--no matter how many calls you generate--your sale will never happen if the prospect is treated poorly when they call you. Hence today's focus on customer service.

Some months ago, we wrote about the corporate culture at Zappos. In a nutshell, they make doing business fun! They also empower their employees to keep their customers happy. Zappos has taken customer service to a level that most firms can only dream of.

Well, I continue to be amazed and impressed by this online shoe retailer. I found this article from Harvard Business that explores one extremely innovative reason why Zappos is able to maintain and cultivate their culture of excellence.

They are so committed to retaining committed and dedicated employees that they are willing to bet $1,000 on each new hire. From the article:

"After a week or so in this immersive (training) experience, though, it’s time for what Zappos calls “The Offer.” The fast-growing company, which works hard to recruit people to join, says to its newest employees: “If you quit today, we will pay you for the amount of time you’ve worked, plus we will offer you a $1,000 bonus.” Zappos actually bribes its new employees to quit!

Why? Because if you’re willing to take the company up on the offer, you obviously don’t have the sense of commitment they are looking for. It’s hard to describe the level of energy in the Zappos culture—which means, by definition, it’s not for everybody. Zappos wants to learn if there’s a bad fit between what makes the organization tick and what makes individual employees tick—and it’s willing to pay to learn sooner rather than later. (About ten percent of new call-center employees take the money and run.)"

What a novel and smart idea. I'd be willing to bet that the $1,000 is a drop in the bucket if you consider money, sales and time lost if a non-engaged employee is working with your clients. And, remember that we're talking about customer service/call center jobs here. That $1,000 is a lot of money to all of us and a big chunk of change to these employees.

I think the challenge here is to think about new ways that we can change our business. How can we go outside of what others are doing to reach new levels of excellence?

Mobile CRM Tips

Mobile CRM is becoming a necessity for field sales and companies with service personnel. Companies know that they need to enable their employees who are out in the field servicing customers to access company information in real-time--place orders, ask questions, report results, etc. However, as is usually the case with CRM systems, there is a lot of technology out there... How does a company know which mobile CRM solution will suit their specific needs?

This article, Six tips for mobile CRM success, helps narrow the playing field. It provides some very practical tips on what you should be considering as you shop for mobile CRM technology. I've summarized (with many quotes from the author) each of the six tips.

1. Plan ahead. Consider today's requirements and try to anticipate tomorrow's needs. The author suggests not locking yourself into proprietary software or hardware operating platforms. "As systems such as BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Apple iPhone and Google Android develop, you can be sure your remote users will be asking you to provide support for their devices."
2. Focus on the real world requirements. "Avoid getting caught up in fancy features and applications that will not be used in a mobile environment. Be realistic and understand what information and transactions your users will actually need to access in their mobile CRM system."
3. Does the mobile CRM application meet your security requirements? "The system should meet the “Ooops - I left my mobile device in the taxi” test."
4. Ease of navigation. "Mobile CRM operates on small devices with small screens and small keyboards. It is crucial to ensure that the system is easy to navigate in order to encourage a high adoption rate"
5. Speed of implementation. This is a big one. Make sure that you know exactly what your vendor has committed to in the way of implementation timelines before you commit to their solution.
6. Is it scalable? Make sure that the system can grow as your business grows. Also make sure that it can handle the amounts of customer data that your firm collects and stores.

Kudos to author Christian Wettre of W-Systems for these practical tips.

Case Study Monday: Direct Mail and a Database

It warms my heart to read a case study that relies on very traditional direct marketing tactics such as a marketing database coupled with relevant direct mail. Plus, it's kinda fun to start off a Monday with a cute baby pic!

I've provided the key points, but you can check out the full case study from Harte-Hanks, a leading database services provider.

Situation Analysis
A premiere infant formula manufacturer was concerned about eroding market share. Harte-Hanks was selected to design and construct a sophisticated database marketing program to communicate directly with their target market - expectant and new parents.

Business Objectives
Because of this infant formula producer's sensitivity to the importance of breastfeeding and the recommendations of physicians, the company needed a way to speak to their audience while maintaining the involvement of the patients' doctors. Their goal was to initially stop erosion and ultimately grow market share in the midst of heavy competitor advertising, whose TV and mass media strategy ignored the doctor/patient relationship.

Marketing Solution
In conjunction with the manufacturer and its ad agency, Harte-Hanks developed a club for expectant/new parents. Parents can obtain enrollment forms at their doctor's office and receive a series of mailings with important information on pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. Mailings included educational newsletters, tie-in partner offers and live checks for product purchase.

Communications are varied based on individual responses to surveys mailed to them. A sophisticated variable survey logic program created mailing packages based on individual respondents' needs and a variable letter library ensures that letters were relevant to specific consumers' situations and timelines.

Results
The club achieved the goal of stopping share declines and ultimately growing the company's market share. An additional benefit is the loyal consumer database available for communications. New product introductions, company news or critical product information can be disseminated quickly.

The club has evolved over the years and continues to speak to members based on individual needs. It truly allows for a one-to-one dialogue.


Ah, the perfect direct marketing program. A targeted, niche audience. Relevant offers. Timely communication. It's no wonder that the club was a success. And, I just think about the value of that customer relationship, over time. Good stuff and kudos to Harte-Hanks.

4th of July Hot Links!

And, yes, I do mean hot links--the kind you put on the grill! In the spirit of this holiday, I thought I would veer away from direct marketing links today and focus on what's important--this holiday!

Grillin' and Chillin' for the 4th of July
First up is this post from ask.com. In addition to listing America's top 10 favorite pies (Apple is #1), the post relates other interesting food facts for the 4th. No surprise--hamburgers are preferred over hot-dogs.

Disney Family
Found this great 4th of July resource that provides all kinds of July 4 info. From barbeque recipes, to fun and patriotic cup-cake ideas to crafts that the whole family can do. Neat resource for today's festivities!

Fireworks Photos
To get you ready for tonight's festivities, take a look at this collection of awesome fireworks photos. Amazing!

Another Collection of July 4th Links
Finally, if my small (but mighty) collection of July 4th info just isn't enough for you, Wordpress has kindly also collected July 4 blog posts. There are pages and pages of blogs (I love the fact that there is so much great info out there, don't you?) focusing on today, the 4th of July.

Happy 4th! Enjoy your barbeque. And, know that I, unlike most Americans, personally prefer hot-dogs to hamburgers... Just have to be different, I guess :)

Targeted Social Marketing

This article's title really intrigued me: Trust-Based Targeting.

Hmmm. Now, as a direct marketing specialist, I'm an expert in targeting. I'm aware of the wide array of data that is available to target both customers and prospects, B2B and B2C. So, what the heck does Trust-Based Targeting refer to? Clearly, I had to read more!

It's an intriguing concept, and one that might actually help with the eventual measurement and better targeting of social media. The article outlines mEgo's approach that allows consumers to choose the kinds of messaging and targeting behaviors that fit their own needs and interests, all in the area of social marketing.

The premise behind mEgo's offering is that their users self-create some pretty elaborate and detailed profiles. Then, users decide which parts of their profiles can be shared to advertisers. Finally, users are paid (I believe through donations to their chosen charity) when advertisers use their data for targeting.

"Going back to how mEgo intends to roll out our advertising strategy: We will provide a transparent description of how users’ data is used and, most importantly, allow users to filter which information is publicly available and used for targeting. MEgo members will have complete control of what portions of their profile they’ll permit us to use to target ads. For example, a mEgo user interested in music may choose to view only ads for indie bands generated from a list of their favorite musicians. As an extra step in transparency, we also literally show users the keywords our platform generates for serving the ads they see."

The article contained an excellent case study for an Adidas social media campaign. It illustrated the viral nature of m'Ego's offering and is probably the best illustration of this new targeting concept.

I can't wait to see how (if) other marketers adopt this model. I salivate over the rich data that I may be analyzing in the near future!

But I think that the key things to remember here are trust and transparency--two essentials to this new offering.

"The lesson learned: It is essential that brands earn and keep consumer’s trust in order to be able to effectively market to them. Without trust, the greatest marketing system in the world can’t work. Set the expectation of complete transparency between marketer and consumer, and you convert your consumer from being fearful into being an advocate."

Generosity Wins in Advertising

This post by Lewis Green on his Lead with Your Heart Blog really got me thinking: Putting People First is Good Business.

In the article, Lewis talks about how important it is to give, both in life and in business. He says: "Sharing ourselves and what we know is the best way to build a trusting relationship, and it doesn't hurt profits."

That's a philosophy I think most bloggers and others who dabble in social marketing believe in. We understand the importance of contributing to the community, and we enjoy the benefits (new friends, great information, business contacts) we reap as a result of that contribution. Well, I was interested to see that this 'Give and You Shall Receive' mentality is also working in advertising and business in general.

Check out this article from USA Today: Winning ads really work for consumers.

The article provides a review of winning advertising campaigns from the ad industry's annual competition, the Cannes Lions festival in France. Interestingly, the winning campaigns all shared a common theme. They offer a real, tangible benefit to the consumer, with absolutely no strings attached. From the article:

"Now some advertisers are trying to create ads that offer consumers something useful with the brand message — something they'll seek out — instead of trying to bombard them with ads they can't escape."

This is a concept that certainly isn't new (although it kinda feels that way). Let's review a few of the winners as the best illustration of this concept.

Uniqlo's "Uniqlock": Japan's Uniqlo, a global retailer with a flagship store in New York, won the top award for new idea with a downloadable digital clock with video of dancers in Uniqlo clothes. It can be used as a PC screensaver or a mobile screen, or embedded in a Facebook page. The clock, which has sleep and alarm modes, has been downloaded by 32,000 people in 85 countries.

Reebok: The social-networking site goruneasy.com lets runners log their runs, chat, post pictures and find running routes in new cities.

Axe: The men's personal care brand offers a mobile application on its Japanese website to put on phones sexy images, ring tones and an "alarm girl" who messages at times set by the user. The messages get racier with each use.

All of these winners understand that if they provide their customers with something that the customer finds valuable, they'll win, too. In these examples, the company had to go on a limb and invest in development of some pretty cool giveaways, on the simple hope that by bringing value to their customers, they'd benefit in the end. Their gamble is that they'd gain new customers and increase loyalty from existing customers. Clearly the gamble paid off.

This concept is something that all businesses can apply. Think about what you can offer to your customers and prospects that will be valuable to them. Make it good. Make the giveaway fun, and interactive if you can. The better it is, the more your customers (and prospects) will talk about you. Heck, they may even share it with their boss, or even better, with their spouse!

In a nutshell, be generous. Just think about all of the good karma you'll build up!