Power Direct Marketing: The Book
Murphy's and Some Other "Laws"
- The First Law of Statistics:
If the statistics don’t support your viewpoint you obviously need more statistics. - The Second Law of Statistics:
Given enough statistics you can prove anything.
Two of Murphy’s Laws
Direct marketing by definition is response oriented. The time and effort and money invested in developing and executing programs can be measured. In the final analysis, direct response is judged on its ability to achieve specific goals effectively and efficiently.
And, contrary to the laws of Murphy, in direct response you’re not looking for statistics to prove anything. You’re analyzing a program to find out what happened! There is a big difference.
Countless surveys, both inside and outside the marketing and advertising community, all too frequently show that top management is skeptical of the sales value of marketing. Maybe because these same management people are familiar with Murphy.
Maybe because direct marketing is foreign to them. Maybe because they don’t understand telemarketing.
Because of these beliefs they look at marketing generally and direct marketing specifically as "fat," rather than muscle and strength. They see it as something they can’t live with. Or without!
One way to change this is with results. Real results. Measurable results, results you can do something with. Results come not from information, not from opportunities, not from discussion and review—results come from the planned activity of commitment. Commitment early on in your direct marketing program. Commitment that you will measure what happens in your program—and then take appropriate steps.
Direct response does not allow you the option of ignoring results. To be successful in direct marketing, you must include in your plan measuring what happens—analysis.
You need to analyze the results—the purpose being to decide the next best steps to take. To determine where to go next with your marketing efforts. What direction to take, if you should make improvements or corrections, and if so, how much. Or wholesale changes, 180 degrees in the other direction. You want to find out what happened.
The beauty of direct response is that it allows you to prove what works. And what does not. It has been noted by many over the years: "I know only half my advertising is working. The problem is I don’t know which half." Not so with direct marketing. You know what is working and what is not—because you plan and measure.
Direct marketing is accountable. You are not required to wait and wonder what happened. You know quickly by the response to your offer. And by analyzing the response, you can then determine what is happening. Now!
You count the number of calls on your 800 number. The business response card leads you received. The orders for your new product. The donations to that special cause or capital project. The coupons redeemed at your store. The traffic at your trade show booth. You know what happened.
With these answers you are able to evaluate the level of success of your campaign against your objectives. And the return on your investment.