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edition 53 june 16, 2006 |    |
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dm downfall - part 1
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Direct marketing, in all its forms, is expanding. Yet the promised results are rarely realised, despite the huge investment in technology and execution. Why? This is a huge topic and one of concern to all marketers, so for the first time we are tackling this in two parts. In this edition of P3-news we look at the real or often hidden costs of your customer focused marketing strategy. In this P3 e-news... |
what is the real cost of your customer focused marketing strategy? A client recently reported to us that their direct mail response rate in cross-selling activities to existing customers was 3%, which they suggested was "a little under the
industry average of 5%". We looked at the client a little shocked - in their belief that there was "an industry average" and that it was 5%, and that to meet that "average" would be something to draw great satisfaction
from. EVERY CAMPAIGN GENERATES A 100% RESPONSE AND DESERVES 100% ASSESSMENT! Just because generally marketers have no means of knowing who did or didn't read their newspaper advertisements, (apart from direct response executions), they tend not to realise that this does not apply to direct communications sent to known individuals.
"WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 95% OF TARGETTED PROSPECTS WE ASKED?"
Our concern was, if they accept that a 5% response rate is all they can hope for, this suggests that they would be happy to accept a 95% non-response rate.
If you're looking hard enough at what actually drives your direct marketing campaign ROI (which should in turn be the primary driver for all your future direct marketing activities targeting similar audiences), you'll quickly
recognise that every direct marketing communication you send to any data base creates a completely measurable response across the entire target audience.
The fact is, every campaign that targets known individuals, by name, or even just by location, generates a 100% response rate! The challenge for the customer centric marketer is to interpret why 95% of
the targeted prospects were silent and what their silence means to future initiatives. Call it "the cost of silence".
WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN IT'S TIME TO MEASURE AND ASSESS?
Typically, personalised communications directly targeting individuals in a "narrowcast" database of prospects tends to be conceived to appeal to prospects on a mass scale, in the same way as brand marketing and sales
propositions are developed for "broadcast" media.
More specifically, the common approach to direct communication tends to be executed "en masse". Here the concept of in-depth measurement of the attributes and actions of all those targeted, not just simply those who physically responded
in some way, is overlooked.
BUT HOW IS THE EFFECTIVENESS BEING MEASURED?
On the basis of what it cost to deliver each out going message (as in mass media), or as a cost for the volume and the value of each of the responses coming back?
Measuring the former is easy, just as it is in mass media, but measuring in this way is a trap for the inexperienced. Measuring the latter is where the real effectiveness metrics lie, but even in today's world of
increased customer centricity these values are still often undiscovered and almost always unexplored in a post campaign sense (as they are when mass media is used).
If your organisation is struggling with interpreting the "cost of silence" generated by your direct marketing communications, contact Les Woolridge at les@p3.com.au or call Sydney 02 9279 4997 or Melbourne 03 9682 6800 to organise a P3DMi Database Marketing Heath Check.
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advertising summit 2006 | ||
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Advertising, Marketing & Media Summit 2006 Darren Woolley will be a speaker on: Others on the discussion panel include Russel Howcroft, Marty O'Halloran, For bookings call Elite Media Group on | |
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Connect Debate - MC: Simon Canning, The Australian For bookings contact info@connectnetwork.com.au |
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tutorial on sponsorship | ||
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IQPC Sponsorship Summit 2006 Darren Woolley will be holding a post summit tutorial on 'How to Determine the Best Fit Sponsorship Deal for Your Organisation'. Executive Tutorial A | |
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