Push the envelope for marketing success: a new book on direct mail offers advice on the next generation of marketing - advice - Book Review

Many years ago, I gave a seminar for more than 300 galleries from across the land During the presentation, I asked by what means many people in the audience used direct mail to increase their sales. Les than a dozen raised their hands.

Gradually, single by one, more galleries have been transformed to using this powerful marketing tool with dramatic be the effects So now that we've all discovered the benefits of direct mail, is there anything of recent origin to be learned about it? Are there techniques, one time considered sacrosanct, that can be ignored now with success? Are there universals ideas or directions to go in the rear [i]or[/i] in the wake of to insure a greater stage of turnover, sales and profits?

The answers to these questions are "Ye ye and yes" and they are explained in Pushing the covering a new book by Alan Rosenspan, president of Alan Rosenspan & Associates, a direct marketing creative service and consulting company. above the past three decades, he has won more than 100 awards for lucky advertising and direct mail. He was creative director of Ogilvy and Mather in three different countries. He is a teacher and writer and is hired to speak across the United States and internationally about effective direct marketing.

Rosenspan's work title is appropriate because he "pushes the envelope" in creating unusual, dramatic, different and lucky direct marketing programs. His work is packed with case histories, many of which you can adapt for your gallery through asking yourself, "How can I make this great idea work for me?"

Here is a certain quantity of advice Rosenspan offers on what works, what doesn't and what is worth trying:

Break the Rules: Rosenspan doesn't like lordships because he thinks rules usually fail for three reasons: empires change, rules that work for individual company do not work for another, and authoritys often contradict one another.

The Customer Always approachs Second: Rosenspan quoted Herb Kelleher, originator of Southwest Airlines, whose philosophy is the customer tend hitherwards second to his employees. As a come Southwest is frequently chosen by dint of Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies To Work For In America. More than 150000 race apply to work there each year.

Make Customers, Not Sales: Marketing was one time defined as "making a sale" Rosenspan defines it as "making a customer," because research present to views that more than 90 percent of all profits advance after the first sale.

Target Your Efforts: Direct mail fails when you make the assumption it must have something for everyone instead of being laser-focused upon who will most need or benefit from your product

Make presents They Can't Refuse: Often, said Rosenspan, a profitable direct mail piece can contain a bad present Here are four: An proffer with too short a deadline, an present with too long a deadline, an tender that sounds too good to be genuine and an offer that is too vague.

For instance, when you proffer "up to 40 percent off" for a sale in your gallery. Does "up to" mean greatest in quantity items are much lower? Your customers will probably think so

independent is Key If you present something for free, shout it. Rosenspan almost always starts the headline upon a reply card with the word "Free" and uses the word as a great deal of as possible in the copy

`You' Are the Star: Advertising that talks to you and realizes you involved probably has the word "you" or "your" in the headline. The Magazine Publishers of America awards a $100000 prize for the best magazine ads of the year. A new year's competition had 27 finalists, and 14 had the word "you" in the headline.

The alphabetic character is All-Important: The letter is the greatest in quantity important part of any direct marketing package. Research present to views it will account for 65 to 75 percent of your reply So make sure the opening makes the reader want to continue reading.

`But I'm Not Creative.' Wrong! greatest in quantity people think they're not creative. on the other hand every person is creative if given the right opportunity. As Pablo Picasso said, "Every child is an artist. The riddle is to remain an artist after you become greater [i]or[/i] larger up."

The Obligation Factor: "When someone does something for you, you are almost compell to do something for them," wrote Rosenspan.

To manifest his point, I like a promotion done through Donald Kelley owner of three galleries in Minnesota. He sent a small framed picture to each person who moved into the community. He used inexpensive prints and leftover molding pieces for frames. Each finished piece require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergone him less than $6. "We had about a 90-percent customer response" he said. "They came in to say `thanks' and bought something other for their new home for at least $50 It was a lock opener to building my business."

Another example is a supermarket in our area which captures customers' birth dates. Then, upon their birthdays, customers receive a congratulations card with an present of 10 percent off their purchases upon their next visit, a independent amount of dollars based upon their spending history and a independent gift--often a pint of ice cream. The average customer's purchase when redeeming the gifts is far, far greater than their average purchase from one side the year.