Customers … why don’t they just do what we want? That would make direct marketing so much easier, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. In today’s marketing climate—with so many choices, technological devices and brand messages bombarding the senses—it’s more difficult than ever to get customers to do anything, let alone what you want […]
“Big Data” is a buzzword these days. More importantly, under the hood there have been new data emerging from so many sources, we are all scrambling to keep up. As new media channels have been born during the past decade, so have new databases that serve as repositories for all the new data. In some […]
For most merchants, online marketing offers a more favorable return on investment than offline marketing. In addition, it is much easier to track, analyze and plan for. If that is not enough, online marketing also happens in real time or close to it. On the other hand, offline marketing feels like watching grass grow in […]
We all know that consumer behavior is changing rapidly. Yet, when reviewing their prior season, many merchants continue to look at the same metrics year after year. In addition, merchants look at these metrics the exact same way every year. Merchants may be missing opportunities as customers have definitely changed their way of interacting with […]
As we all know, it is imperative to stop consumers and get their attention before we can influence their behavior patterns. The good news is that for customer retention, you have a real advantage with your customers. Your brand itself gives you a head start over the competition. As long as you nurture this critical […]
In the multichannel world, we like to measure things. Every marketing dollar spent is, ideally, associated with a return on investment, though it is getting harder to track and measure. There is one metric that does not lie that you don’t have to chase: your average order value. And it’s an important one. If you’ve […]
Mailing a catalog is a considerable investment, so every single book, every page, every photograph must work hard to maintain the catalog’s goal: tapping customers on the shoulder and driving a sale no matter the channel. Has your team lost sight on how important this format is? Are you taking advantage of every square inch […]
If you want your business to survive in the coming months, focus is the name of the game. Consider conducting a multichannel audit, an in-depth review of your business that will allow for the creation of a blueprint you can act on with focus rather than fear. A focused audit does not have to cost […]
Any seasoned direct marketer the importance of understanding the numbers side of the business. You have to know both the left-brain (analytic) and right-brain (creative) rules for maximum success. My philosophy is “know the rules before you break them.” People often ask me for the most important direct marketing metrics. As we have evolved to […]