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DM Basics:
List Research Strategies
Part 1
by Stacy Berver, an independent direct
marketing consultant, specializing in international
expansion
Because direct
marketing is
cyclical we often get caught
up in the cycle, like a mouse in an exercise wheel. We
keep running, frantically trying to get where we're going,
but there is no end.
This issue of GZ News brings you Part 1 in a three part
series aimed at reminding you about the DM basics. We
begin with List Research Strategies and
continue next issue with Preparing to Plan Your
Next
Campaign. The final part of the series will delve
into Accurate Reporting and Detailed
Analysis.
By the time we reach Part 3, we're hoping our back to
basics approach will have helped you clear your head
and gain additional strategies for fighting fatigue in your
program.
Part I - List Research Strategies
Every direct marketing business is driven by offer and
audience. If your offer isn't reaching the right audience
the effect can be devastating. The question is, how do
you find the right audience?
The answer isn't as simple as mailers wish it would be.
It's typically a combination of hard work mixed with trial &
error, and a bit of instinct for good measure. Most early
list successes come from targeting lists with similar
offers, product and price point. Make sure to pay close
attention to the recency of the names you're
renting.
As you find a few lists that work your comfort level with
branching out should increase. Even if you're lucky and
you have a huge budget for list testing, you should still
move forward cautiously. For example, if I'm selling
Widget A for $39, cash up-front, I might begin by testing
Widget B buyers who spent $36 in the past twelve
months. If my initial test of Widget B buyers works, I
wouldn't roll out to a universe of Widget B buyers who
bought through installment billing and are three to five
years old, but I would consider testing them.
Just like testing new creative, changing only one variable
at a time with list tests is essential to understanding the
results.
There are lots of ways to find new lists. However, in my
opinion there are three ways where you should focus the
majority of your time. |
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Greetings!
It's Spring time in Vermont! The birds are flying north
and the snow plows are still out? Our official "mud
season" is soon to end and the beautiful weather is just
around the corner.
Thanks for your continued
interest in GZ News. We're interested not only in your
feedback related to our GZ News content, we also
welcome your suggestions and proposed contributions to
GZ News. In this quarter's issue we're pleased to feature
the first in a three part series of articles by Stacy Berver.
Photo contest
update... unfortunately, we've
had no
qualifying entries with just a few days left...get your
entries in before April 30th. ( Hint: See you in London...
bring your camera if you get there a few days early for
the IDMF)
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| London Bound: IDMF 2007 ~ May 1-3 ~ |
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Last year there were close to 7,300
attendees at the International Direct Marketing Fair at
Earls
Court 2 in London. Fun was had by all, with information-
packed educational seminars, with more than 60% of
those in attendance at the managerial level of their
organizations. It has historically been the show
to attend,
and this year is shaping up to be another great
one for attendees and exhibitors alike.
We
hope you will stop by and see us: May
1st through
3rd at stand E829.
Please set time aside while your at the
IDMF to:
- Attend our noon seminar on Thursday,
May 3rd conducted
by Dimitri Garder &
Marty Shaw entitled "10 Ways to Increase Revenue:
Global Marketing Data Management Strategies and
Tactics". You will leave the seminar with great ideas
to
put into action immediately.
- Complete our Annual International Direct
Marketing
Survey. Stop by stand E829, fill out our brief annual
survey and we'll be certain to include you in our list of
those that receive the trend data we will compile from all
those that respond, before it is published.
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To learn more, or to register, click here... |
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| GZ Responds to Poste Italiane's Postal Recoding |
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Recently we announced a postcode update in response
to Poste Italiane's postal recoding of many geographical
areas.
The enhancement of our Italy data processing service
designed to help mailers update their Italian address files
to comply with Italy's recent postcode change, including
the most current Italian postal codes was initiated in
response to the Italian postal authority, Poste Italiane,
changing their postal code system.
As many global postal authorities have done, and
continue to do, Poste Italiane is enhancing its old postal
code system in pursuit of efficiency improvements. With
this enhancement, continuing through 2007, the old Italy
postal codes will not be available on Poste Italiane's
legacy processing, necessitating the manual processing
of this mail.
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Read more about it... |
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| Introduction to Search Engine Marketing: Intriguing to Kids of All Ages |
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by Marty Shaw
Global-Z Sales & Web Marketing
Last year my family and I went to the Boston Museum of
Science. It was a spectacular time of wonder and
exploration. I highly recommend it! The picture, above, is
my then-ten-year-old son absolutely transfixed by the
audiokinetic sculpture-- an intriguing machine with balls
that move around metal tracks and make noises as they
go -- that he happened upon shortly after we entered the
museum. If you've ever seen it or one like it at your local
shopping mall you will appreciate the curiosity and
interest it brings out in children of all ages (I think my son
could have spent the majority of the day observing and
mentally dissecting the sculpture). This picture of my
son came to mind as the 2007 Search Engine Strategies
(SES) conference was wrapping up at the Hilton New
York in Manhattan, April 10-13; my third SES conference
in recent years. While I consider myself relatively well
versed in search engine marketing, during SES NYC this
year there were a number of times I felt what I'm sure my
son felt at the Boston Museum of Science. Approximately
6,000 SES NYC attendees chose 15 informative and
enlightening sessions, out of 75 available-- intriguing
seminar sessions that moved us around search engine
marketing tracks, with most attendees making noises as
they go, no doubt consciously or subconsciously asking
themselves "How does this search engine marketing
stuff work? I'm intrigued!".
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Read the full article... |
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| Meet Leigh Anne Parks |
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Global-Z Customer Service Team Account
Manager
Leigh Anne Parks of Customer Service joined the Global-
Z family in 2002 after graduating from Southern Vermont
College with her Bachelors degree in business. She
continues to provide support to Global-Z's clients along
with her colleagues Penny Galusha and Stephen
Aalderink.
After starting at Global-Z, Leigh Anne married her
husband in June of 2005.
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Learn more and find out who the cutie with the shades is... |
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