Response: The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing [Rev Exp Su ed.] 0195158695, 9780195158694

Table of contents :
Contents......Page 10
Foreword......Page 14
Acknowledgements......Page 16
Special Acknowledgement......Page 18
Introduction......Page 20
Thank My Lucky Stars......Page 24
Catch the Luck Yourself......Page 25
2. Why Go Direct?......Page 27
The Advantages of Direct Marketing......Page 28
Dispelling Direct Marketing Myths......Page 32
A Direct Marketing Success Story......Page 34
The $200 Hot Buyer Incentive......Page 35
Adapt the Concepts to Fit Your Business......Page 39
Choosing a Product to Sell......Page 41
The Small-Firm Advantage......Page 43
Play Up Your Personality......Page 44
The DM Questionnaire......Page 47
3. Elements of an Effective Offer......Page 50
What Makes a Good Offer......Page 51
Offer Options......Page 52
Testing: The Ultimate Opinion Poll......Page 65
Checklist......Page 66
4. Identifying Your Customers......Page 67
Compiled Lists......Page 68
How to Choose a List......Page 69
Creative List Planning......Page 70
Using a List Broker......Page 71
List Maintenance and Computer Service Bureaus......Page 77
Target Your Ideal Prospects with Database Marketing......Page 79
Prioritize Your List with RFM......Page 81
When Your Business Grows… Consider a Database, Think CRM......Page 82
Checklist......Page 83
The Direct Mail Advantage......Page 86
The Outer Envelope......Page 89
Envelope Success Stories......Page 92
The Letter......Page 93
Six Strategies for Winning Copy......Page 98
More Winning Words......Page 106
Typography and Design......Page 107
Letter Success Stories......Page 108
The Brochure......Page 113
The Order Form......Page 114
Order Form Success Story......Page 117
The Business Reply Envelope......Page 118
Keep Your Printing Costs in Mind......Page 119
Seasonality......Page 123
Checklist......Page 124
6. Distinctive Direct Response Advertising......Page 127
Setting Clear Objectives......Page 128
Location, Location, Location......Page 131
Working Within Your Budget......Page 133
How to Make Your Ad Stand Out From the Crowd......Page 137
The Copy......Page 140
Get the Most for Your Advertising Dollars......Page 145
Broadcast Media......Page 146
Checklist......Page 148
A Tool for Serious Marketers......Page 151
The Catalog Boom......Page 153
Make a Statement with Your Catalog......Page 156
Develop a Catalog Plan......Page 160
What Goes Where......Page 163
Pricing the Catalog......Page 168
What's the Good Word?......Page 171
Writing Effective Copy......Page 172
Catalog Art......Page 174
Make it Easy to Order......Page 175
Checklist......Page 176
Who's Fulfilling What?......Page 180
Prefulfillment Essentials......Page 182
The First Step: Order Entry......Page 186
Sending Out the Goods......Page 189
Using Outside Services......Page 191
Shipping Delays and the Mail Order Rule......Page 194
Regulations on Selling Through the Mail......Page 195
Checklist......Page 196
9. Costs and Mail Order Math......Page 199
Determine your Promotion Costs......Page 200
Finding the Break-Even Point......Page 205
Analyzing Catalog Sales......Page 209
Analyzing List Results......Page 213
Checklist......Page 214
10. Planning Your Campaign......Page 216
Background......Page 217
Strategy......Page 219
Tactics......Page 220
Ballpark Estimates......Page 221
Timetable......Page 222
A Sample Marketing Plan......Page 223
Use Your Marketing Plan as a Reference Guide......Page 228
Checklist......Page 229
11. Loyalty Programs: Frequent Flyers, Frequent Buyers......Page 230
High-Quality Products......Page 231
Extraordinary Customer Service......Page 233
Ongoing Communication......Page 235
Staying in for the Long Haul......Page 239
Keep It Fresh and Fun......Page 240
Other Loyalty Program Success Stories......Page 248
Partnership Programs......Page 251
Checklist......Page 252
Big-Business Advantages......Page 254
The Challenges Big Businesses Face......Page 259
Finding Solutions......Page 261
Big-Business Success Stories......Page 264
Checklist......Page 265
One Case Study: Smart Research = Small-Business Success......Page 267
The Top Ten List: Secrets to Small-Business Success......Page 270
Keep Your Vision in Mind......Page 276
Checklist......Page 277
Building Relationships One at a Time......Page 278
Back to the Future: Servicing and Caring for Customers......Page 279
Loyalty Programs: The "Mom and Pop" of the 21st Century......Page 281
Aftermarket Selling......Page 282
The Internet......Page 283
Web Site Basics: The Virtual Storefront......Page 285
Keep It Simple......Page 287
Online Branding......Page 290
Interactivity......Page 291
Developing a Great Site… Over Time......Page 292
Caring for Customers Online......Page 295
Creating Traffic......Page 296
Privacy and Security......Page 299
Email Marketing......Page 300
Keep 'Em Coming Back......Page 305
Making the Most of Opportunities and Customer Relationships: Conversations with a Profit-Driven Internet Entrepreneur......Page 306
Look Forward…......Page 308
Checklist......Page 311
15. Direct Marketing Around the World......Page 312
Regions of Opportunity: Canada, England, Ireland and Germany......Page 314
Europe......Page 318
Japan......Page 319
China......Page 322
Southeast Asia......Page 323
Australia......Page 324
Latin America and Mexico......Page 325
The Mechanics of Overseas Campaigns......Page 326
Checklist......Page 334
Feasting on Direct Marketing Success......Page 337
Characteristics of Success......Page 343
You Are Not Alone…......Page 353
B......Page 354
C......Page 355
E......Page 356
I......Page 357
L......Page 358
P......Page 359
R......Page 360
S......Page 361
W......Page 362
Z......Page 363
Appendix: Direct Marketing Resource Directory......Page 364
B......Page 374
C......Page 375
D......Page 376
F......Page 377
K......Page 378
M......Page 379
P......Page 380
S......Page 381
U......Page 382
Z......Page 383