Category Archives: direct marketing

Why Direct Mail & Focus Groups Don’t Mix

Recently, a client sent us results of a focus group they had conducted, results that included an evaluation of direct mail concepts we’re developing for one of their products. As part of the research, the client interviewed a number of small business decision-makers and asked for their opinions of the… Read More

Calculating Statistical Significance: A Tool for Marketers

A client asks: “For our next email campaign, we have 6,000 names available. Should we test 3,000 names first with two subject lines and then roll out the remaining 3,000 using the winning message? Or just send out all 6,000 and do an A/B test on the entire list?” My… Read More

What Response Rate Should I Expect From My Campaign?

On Focus.com, Adam asks: ““What percentage success rate do people (expect from) direct mail campaigns? We (get) 7% response rate when marketing to existing customers and 2% to new customers.” My response: It’s a cop out, I know, but there is no right answer to this question or to its… Read More

Does Renting Email Lists Make Sense Any More?

I wrote recently in this space about the resurgence of direct mail as a viable outbound component to an integrated demand generation strategy. Most of that resurgence is due to the benefits of using direct mail on its own merits, but there’s another factor: the greatly diminished effectiveness of rented… Read More

5 Ways To Incorporate Direct Mail Into Your Marketing Mix

Pop Quiz! Direct Mail is: a) more expensive than email b) quaintly old-fashioned c) regaining popularity in B2B circles d) often overlooked as an effective way to reach customers and prospects. Answer: (e) all of the above. Yet many B2B marketers continue to be allergic to the idea of using… Read More

Are Webinars too Popular?

Last week I was interviewed by BtoB Magazine for an article, “Webinars: Are They Worth It?” that appeared online today. The article contains some valuable insights on where Webinars fit in today’s B2B demand generation mix, and is definitely worth a read. As always, however, only a fraction of my… Read More

The First (Almost) Clickable Direct Mail

Marketing pundits have been proclaiming that direct mail is making a comeback ever since I first cut my teeth in direct marketing back in the late 80s. I can only report that whereas the heady days of mail are long gone, far more B2B clients are utilizing direct mail today… Read More