March is a great time of year. The season starts to change for the better and so do your customers. If you are into sports this is one of the best months. You may have never thought of it this way, but Direct Marketing is very much a contact sport! If you just sit around […]
March is always exciting for this marketing consultant. It reminds me how far enthusiasm, hard work and belief in yourself can take you, whether in life, sports or marketing. March hosts the college basketball championships. Each March it reminds me what sports can teach all of us, especially those of us in marketing: be quick, […]
We have all heard the United States Postal Service will be dropping Saturday mail delivery in August of 2013. They are doing this to lower their costs as more and more consumers and businesses are turning to online mail and advertising. Email Marketing provides you the most direct line of communication for conversion to sales, […]
Telemarketing lists….A good Telemarketing list is priceless. So many times a business will try and skimp on good telephone marketing list and end up losing more money in the end. If your business is predicated on doing outbound marketing then wouldn’t you want the best possible list there is?? I was talking to a client […]
Happy February, I don’t know about you but I am trying to figure out what happened to January! It seemed to go by so fast! Did you tune into the Super Bowl and watch all those exciting Super Bowl commercials, aren’t they the best part of the whole game? Companies spend top dollar to get […]
Happy February!!! Hope you all are having a Most Wonderful Start to the New Year! Are you ready for the Super Bowl? Two Brothers facing off in coaching the opposing teams. How Phenomenal is that?? Speaking of Phenomenal, I hope you all are off to having a Phenomenal February!!…. Last Month I discussed putting your […]
According to BtoB Magazine…. Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Postal Service has decided it will pull the plug on its Mail Works Guarantee test. Mail Works Guarantee, launched in 2011, suffered from high barriers to entry: To participate, advertisers were required to have ad budgets of at least $250 million but little previous involvement in direct mail. If participants […]
The New Year is always a great time of the year. Even if you had a good or bad year in the direct marketing industry you have a chance for a clean slate. I believe Direct Mail is going to be making a comeback in 2013. I do consistently try and look for the positives, […]
Happy New Year! It is the time of year when companies get their new budgets and start planning their campaigns for the quarter or maybe the whole year. Now is the time to reach out to existing clients as well as making new contacts. A New Year with new beginnings and relationships! It is very […]
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! CHEERS TO A POWERFUL AND PROSPEROUS 2013 Hope every one of you Blog readers had a Most amazing Holiday Season!! Maybe it’s me but doesn’t it seem like from the End of November until the End of December, just flies by. So Many things to do, in so many Arenas; Family Functions, […]
The phone hardly rings anymore, your web traffic counter stays unchanged unless “you” visit your own site, and that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach doesn’t go away when you shut down the computer for the night. If these symptoms sound familiar, take solace in knowing you’re not alone: Operating in lean times […]
Ok here we go….Round One: fingers on the buzzers……20/20, 48Hours, Rock Center, they’ve all got something in common? And it’s not just the fact they’re on the TV! They expose the truth – often the hidden or unwanted truth. Granted, these guys can deal a little bit too much in sensationalism, but it comes down […]
People think this is the time of year when work and marketing campaigns grind to a halt. When in reality, this is the time of year when companies are looking to spend the rest of their 2012 budgets and start planning for their 2013 budgets. Just because it is the end of the year doesn’t […]
Let’s talk about your own customer list or database. So many times we try and go after new customer/prospects. We are always on the hunt for the fruit that’s way up in the trees. Maybe we should start to go after the low hanging fruit because we have a gold mine already waiting for us. […]
As Most of you know I am in Nebraska, otherwise known as Husker Nation!! And boy we have had some nail biting 4th Quarters this year. And like all Fourth Quarters I know how important they are, regardless if it is a Husker Game, or Marketing and Sales. Fourth Quarters are important to win the […]
We are fast approaching the Holiday Season with wish lists being handed to us from all directions. Everyday we open our email or mail box to find new holiday ads from our local retailers marketing the latest and greatest products for this year. Even turning on the TV in my household gets the occasional “I […]
~B to B Magazine – Christopher Hosford – 10/15/12 Las Vegas—The Direct Marketing Association has introduced the Data-Driven Marketing Institute, an initiative designed “to set the record straight” about marketers’ collection and use of data. The announcement was made today at the DMA’s annual conference and expo here. The initiative will focus on advancing the […]
~Posted by Christopher Hosford – BtoB Magazine – October 1, 2012 The essence of direct marketing these days isn’t necessarily a personalized mail piece or timely offer (although it can include those). What’s happening more and more are subtle but persistent efforts to understand each customer as an individual and leverage data so that each […]
In an election season, one cannot turn on any sort of media outlet without hearing about the candidates that are running. Recently, when listening to one after another, it made me think of a few things; first, I am very happy that I am able to assist my clients with their data and marketing needs […]
Direct marketing is always changing. Direct mail is always evolving. New mailing lists are popping up everywhere. But do you know what will never change? Helping your customers grow their business no matter what the product is. If you can convey that you have a true vested interest in your customer, they can tell. We […]
Have you ever been working on a project and you give a company a chance to present what they have to offer, only because they have fervently emailed or telephoned your company at nauseum to tell you how “good” they are and how much they have to offer? Only to find out it was a […]
Direct marketing is always changing and you need to stay up with technology. Dundee Data wants to talk about something relatively new. Most of us have heard of “Affiliate marketing.” Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought about by […]
~BtoB Magazine – Christopher Hosford – August 20, 2012 The clamor over companies tracking users’ online activity reached a crescendo last week with the Direct Marketing Association blasting a congressional investigation of companies that collect and sell marketing databases and sales contact lists. In seeking details into these companies’ operations, Congress “appears to question legitimate […]
~BtoB Magazine 8/16/12 Increasing your conversions is easier than you might think, but you have to consider the customer experience first. Here are some tips to boost your numbers: – Present your message effectively. You’ve spent considerable time crafting your email’s content and presenting your product/service. Pay mind to these aspects, too: 1. Optimize the […]
July 6th, 2012 – B to B Magazine – Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Postal Service has opened online registration for its Picture Permit option, allowing commercial mailers to include logos, trademarks, brand images and other kinds of marketing designs in the postage information area on mail pieces. For an extra penny for first-class letters and cards, […]