Direct Marketing articles from April 1996

Direct Marketing archives from April 1996

European marketers brace for directives from EU.
April 1, 1996... European marketers are bracing for several European Union (EU) directives designed to protect consumers and streamline international sales of goods and services across the continent. The objective of the directives, say EU officials, is to...

Norm Thompson: looking beyond the bottom line.
April 1, 1996... The company's new, state-of-the-art "green" headquarters is consistent with the firms slogan "Escape From the Ordinary." Norm Thompson, a national mail order firm based in Portland, Oregon, rarely conforms to ordinary standards. The company's...

DMA Rodale Awards honor environmental concern and achievement. (Direct Marketing Association's Robert Rodale Environmental Achievement Awards)
April 1, 1996... Awards reflect commitment and innovation by broad range of firms involved in direct marketing. A wide range of companies involved in direct marketing believes that good environmental practices are good business. To recognize outstanding...

Producing effective messages without killing trees.
April 1, 1996... It does not have to be difficult, inconvenient or costly to be a good environmental citizen. As direct marketing companies, we face a curious dilemma. On one hand, we are charged with crafting and creating direct response pieces that capture...

Targeting pet owners and smokers.
April 1, 1996... The two main subjects of this article - pets and tobacco - come together in a mailing sent to Chienne Rosenfield. Remember that thrilling day you were invited to submit your bio to Who's Who, which of course you did with dispatch, only to...

Smart cards for the intelligent shopper. (includes related articles on smart card issues, formats and applications)
April 1, 1996... This emerging technology tool has the potential to change relationship and database marketing forever. In the interest of consumer loyalty, innovative marketers the world over will soon be forging new smart card-based alliances. In this series...

How a restaurant made sure it didn't miss Miss America.
April 1, 1996... Statistics show the average business loses 20 percent of its customers a year. How can companies find new business? We had just finished a show for teams in the World Hockey League. One of the owners approached us and said, "I listened to your...

Before I forget.... (successful direct marketing)
April 1, 1996... The core of any successful direct marketing strategy has to be the ability to convince the reader, viewer, or listener. That ability stems from astute word-choice. Every one of us who earns a semi-legitimate living as a "professional"...

It's everyone's business now! (right to privacy)
April 1, 1996... The man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead. - Proverbs 21:16, NIV Enabling the success of U.S. business while protecting the privacy rights of individuals - and constraining unwarranted...

Headline writing basics: what every headline should do and nine proven ways to do it.
April 1, 1996... The headline is the single most important element of every print advertisement. If prospects notice your ad at all, most will read nothing but the headline. A good headline is more than a title or label for your message. It's the salesperson's...

Effective use of marketing databases for catalog companies.
April 1, 1996... Catalog companies are seeking ways to reduce expenses while increasing response rates. How can this be done effectively? Companies involved in the catalog industry have traditionally made more of an effort to target their customers effectively...

Can your database answer your most important questions?
April 1, 1996... WHEN A COMPANY SETS UP A MARKETING DATABASE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO BALANCE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE MARKETING AND MIS DEPARTMENTS. As more companies hurry to keep pace with the technological achievements of the Information Age, they make larger...

The 25-year privacy debate has an institutional memory.
April 1, 1996... "The American people are greatly concerned about threats to their personal privacy. This concern is pervasive throughout society. Public concern about threats to personal privacy has jumped 17 percentage points in the past year - from 47 percent...

Study classification rules to safeguard discounts.
April 1, 1996... With the March 4 decision of the USPS Board of Governors, the Classification Reform Case is settled. On July 1, several years of work will come to a beginning. The length of time the BOG allowed from its decision to implementation may seem like a...