Do It Yourself Direct Marketing

Low-cost direct marketing strategies that really work, updated throughout to include the Internet as a resource, with information on how to set up a Web page and examples of successful Web sites. This nuts-and-bolts how-to helps small business owners develop techniques that are tailored to their individual business and financial needs--from selecting the appropriate media and markets to creating a mailing list database to tracking responses.

Kennedy dares marketers to dramatically simplify their marketing, refocusing on what works. Updated to address the newest media and marketing methods, this marketing master plan — from marketing master Kennedy—delivers a short list of radically different, little-known, profit-proven direct mail strategies for ANY business. Strategies are illustrated by case history examples from an elite team of consultants—all phenomenally successful at borrowing direct marketing strategies from the world of mail-order, TV infomercials, etc., to use in ’ordinary’ businesses including retail stores, restaurants, and sales.

Attract New Customers and Exceed Revenue Goals with iDirect Marketing! “A simple concept ties this incredibly useful book together. Every marketer now is an iDirect marketer. You ignore this concept, and this book, at your own peril.” Al Ries, author of War in the Boardroom “How do you get your brand heard, trusted, and remembered? The answer is in the confluence of digital and direct to form a torrent of minimal cost/maximal result opportunities. Rapp’s vision of an iDirect future and the insights of the book’s contributors put marketing supremacy in your grasp.” Tim Suther, SVP, Acxiom Global Multichannel Marketing Services “The internet brings about the reinvention of everything. Now it is marketing’s turn. Rapp compiles the best thinking on a future with low-cost and no-cost connections between products and consumers. Essential reading for marketers.” Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail “Direct marketing is interactive, and interactive marketing is direct. With an ‘iDirect’ mindset, digital platforms and innovative analytics impact the data-driven, online, offline, lead-generating, customer-retaining, multichannel direct marketing process. Rapp’s vision for reinventing marketing is a wake-up call for CMOs to think and act differently in a profoundly changed world.” John Greco, President and CEO, Direct Marketing Association “It’s increasingly important to rely on an agency for accountable iDirect solutions. The advertising agency of the future must be adept at reinventing yesterday’s interactive, direct and branding. Rapp’s cohort of experts show the way in this book.” Michael McCathren, Chick-fil-A Conversation Catalyst About the Book Reinventing Interactive and Direct Marketing focuses on how to benefit from a fundamental truth about marketing in the digital era. Interactive Marketing is direct. Direct Marketing is interactive. What has been seen mistakenly as separate disciplines actually are one and the same. Every marketer now is an interactive direct marketer. To help you profit from this new reality, Stan Rapp introduces a new paradigm—iDirect—the 21st-century growth engine at the intersection of digital technologies and direct marketing practices. The gap between what you once took for granted and the iDirect Marketing future is so vast that a team of thought leaders is needed to deal with it. No one person has all the answers. In this book, Rapp brings together marketing luminaries with a variety of perspectives that will open your eyes to astonishing, new opportunities. It contains surprising insights from the top minds in direct marketing, including: John Greco, President of the Direct Marketing Association: How to Market Directly or Be Left Behind Professor Don Shultz, PhD, Northwestern University: Media Allocation for a Mass Networking Landscape Lucas Donat, President, Donat/Wald: ROIpositive Advertising via TV and Print for the iDirect Marketer Mike Caccavale, Founder and CEO, Pluris Marketing: Instant Delivery of Thousands of Individualized Messages Michael Becker, VP Mobile Strategies, iLoop Mobile: Hold the Consumer in the Palm of Your Hand with Mobile Melissa Read, PhD, Vice President of Research and Innovation, Engauge: The Psychology of Motivating Desired Behavior On- and Offline Tim Suther, Acxiom SVP Global Multichannel Marketing Services: Releasing the Full Power of iDirect Fundamentals

Covers every type of direct marketing--mail order, telemarketing, radio/television, newsletters, print advertising with dozens of examples of successful direct marketing packages and letters.

For people who are thinking of starting a mail order business, or those involved in or planning to get into the direct marketing industry, this nuts-and-bolts guide explains the ``how'' and the ``why'' of the concepts and the techniques that make direct marketing work. Direct Marketing Success shows why list selection is crucial, and then shows how to do it, how direct mail can dramatically increase sales force efficiency, and how to create winning packages. Written the Direct Marketing Association's ``Man of the Year'' for 1985, and AdWeek's direct marketing columnist.

In a marketplace increasingly defined by customer categories with high expectations for service, quality, and responsiveness, companies are discovering that traditional mass marketing approaches are giving way to more targeted approaches that communicate directly with their customers. But to many consumers, direct marketing has a bad reputation, associated with intrusive door-to-door salesmen, dinnertime phone solicitations, junk mail, and, most recently, e-mail spam. In Direct Marketing in Action, a team of experts in the field dispels common myths and misconceptions about direct marketing and showcases the most current practices, principles, and techniques. The authors cover the full range of issues that must be considered in developing an effective direct marketing strategy, including competitive analysis, information and data management, media and channel selection, building brand loyalty, and measuring the results of campaigns. Bridging the gap between research and practice, clearly defining terms and concepts, and featuring numerous examples, Direct Marketing in Action will serve as an essential handbook for marketers and a comprehensive overview for students, teachers, and researchers. From the dentist who sends check-up reminders to his patients to the hotel chain that customizes room amenities based on their guests' profiles, direct marketing is infused with the idea that the best allocation of our marketing dollar is one that focuses on and communicates with our particular micro market—and reinforces the distinctive benefits that we provide to those customers. In Direct Marketing in Action the authors cover the full range of issues that must be considered in developing an effective direct marketing strategy, including competitive analysis, information and data management, media and channel selection, building brand loyalty, and measuring the results of campaigns. Bridging the gap between research and practice, clearly defining terms and concepts, featuring numerous examples, and presented in a format that can be read cover-to-cover or in modular fashion, Direct Marketing in Action will serve as an essential handbook for marketers and a comprehensive overview for students, teachers, and researchers.

This revised te×t includes coverage of electronic commerce, database marketing and research into direct and on-line marketing.

The Marketing Tool Kit is an encyclopedia of hundreds of innovative and tested marketing ideas to improve your business. This extremely practical book provides a great selection of ingenious ways for an organization to quickly increase sales and profits. We all know that marketing is the key to business success, and with this recently updated title you will have at your disposal a fantastic resource. It reveals highly effective direct marketing methods to quickly help you boost your direct mail and direct response advertising. It details effective advertising approaches across the full range of media including the internet, displays, classified and loose inserts, directory, product cards, local radio and more. It also gives specific step-by-step guidance in planning, budgeting and executing sales lead programs. Within this book are hundreds of profitable ideas for your discovery and implementation. Any organization or individual can profit from these ready-to-go plans no matter what the business may be. If you are looking to give your business a boost with some great marketing ideas then this is the book for you.

Fact: More commerce and wealth is created by direct mail than by any other media (true before the internet and true now) Reported in 2013 as the marketing channel that "delivers the best ROI for customer acquisition and retention" by Target Marketing’s Seventh Annual Media Usage Forecast survey of B2C, direct mail is surprisingly outdated and under-represented on the marketing bookshelves for small business owners — authors Simpson and Kennedy change that. Millionaire-maker Dan S. Kennedy and direct mail marketing specialist Craig Simpson urge small business owners to drive the momentum built via social media and other marketing avenues into the mailboxes of their target consumers. Unlike other direct mail marketing books on the shelf that specialize in one aspect of preparing a campaign such as copywriting or design, this comprehensive solution covers all — the organizational, technical, and creative including designing, budgeting, tracking, and assessing effectiveness. Also covered is how direct mail can be used in today's online marketing funnels. Benefiting from the authors' combined 30 years in direct marketing, business owners are given the guidelines for what works and what doesn’t, illustrated by real-life business campaigns that show step-by-step how to build a results-producing promotional campaign.

Jim Kobs is a respected leader in the field of direct marketing, a strategic thinker, an effective teacher/lecturer, an award-winning creative thinker, a noted author and a good friend. Profitable Direct Marketing incorporates the wisdom of his years of experience and is an important addition to the library of every serious direct marketer. -- Jonah Gitlitz President Direct Marketing Association, Inc. This eagerly awaited new edition provides the know-how needed by every advertising, promotion and direct marketing manager who wants to succeed in the age of the individual. Highly recommended for both the basics and its advanced strategic insights. -- Stan Rapp Coauthor of MaxiMarketing Like Jim Kobs himself, his book is so wise, so clear, so well-organized, and so knowledgeable, I can't imagine a better place to get a broad grasp of the direct marketing of today and tomorrow. -- Thomas L. Collins Coauthor of MaxiMarketing Before you spend another dime to promote your product or service, you should read Jim Kobs' book to ensure that you are maximizing your investment. Getting the most out of direct marketing requires not only careful planning and execution, but rigorous analysis. Jim Kobs shows you how to do it, from start to finish. -- John Schlactenhaufen Vice President Sales &Marketing Dictaphone Corporation Jim Kobs covers it all . . . . Strategy, tactics, basic rules and advanced concepts are all addressed in what is becoming a must read for anyone using or contemplating a direct marketing program. -- Stephen E. Toman Executive Vice President Grolier, Inc. Finding this book is like finding your glasses . what seemed vague and obscure becomes clear. -- Susan J.McIntyre Direct Marketing Manager NIKE, Inc. This second edition updates, reinvigorates and adds fresh knowledge and insights to Jim Kobs' masterful work. -- Barrie M. Spelling Vice President, New Business Colgate-Palmolive Company Profitable Direct Marketing is a goldmine of information for immediate (and enjoyable) reading, and is an invaluable reference source for years to come. -- Richard S. Hodgson Author of Direct Mail and Mail Order Handbook