by Jonathan McDowell

Created on: March 25, 2009   Last Updated: April 06, 2009

A case for direct response marketing and the Top 3 things you need to do to make it work

The world of marketing breaks down to two basic strategies. The first, branding, involves generating awareness of your business on a mass scale. The appropriate methods for this type of marketing are TV, radio, billboards, ads in nationally circulated publications, and more. While effective for companies with large marketing budgets, this strategy is not an attractive option for small businesses. It's expensive, risky, and time-consuming.

Direct response marketing, on the other hand, focuses on generating leads, prospects, and referrals by specifically targeting, in a measurable way, the type of client you want to do business with. Effective direct response marketing methods include newsletters and other direct mail, referral and customer loyalty programs, and putting imprinted promotional items into the hands of existing clients, among others. By targeting existing clients and others like them, a business is able to save money on advertising while continuing to see growth in their customer base.

I'm sure some of this direct response strategy sounds familiar; since you already do business with us, you obviously know its value. In an effort to help you improve your results (because there is always room for improvement), here are the Top 3 things you should do to make sure your direct response marketing strategy works:

1. Measure everything. John Wanamaker, the founder of Wanamaker's Department Store and a renowned marketing visionary, once said, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half." By measuring the results of every marketing piece, Wanamaker was able to target his efforts more effectively. You can do the same. How? Glad you asked...

2. Include a response piece on everything you send out. It can be a special offer or discount, a free gift, a white paper on a relevant topic, or anything else you can come up with. The important thing is to include something that motivates your audience to act. Then, you can measure that action to find out what works best.

3. Be consistent. When competing for a consumer's attention, you're not just up against those in your industry. The world today is flooded with marketing messages. You can never assume that your message will be received the first time. Sometimes it will take four, five, or six contacts before the message is noticed, understood, and acted upon. Repetition is the key to direct response marketing.

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