Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Macromark recommend only certain types of lists?

Ans: Macromark recommends the lists that are the most appropriate to use for a client’s marketing efforts. We have over 25 years of experience working in every market possible for both consumer and business direct mail efforts serving thousands of marketers.

Q: How critical is direct-to-consumer marketing for a company’s marketing success overall, relative to other efforts that drive sales? How does it compare to a year ago? What do you expect to see a year from now?

Ans: Direct to Consumer Marketing or Business to Business Marketing continues to evolve and change for the better. More and more companies are focused today than now than ever before on not only knowing who their customer is but also communicating directly with them one to one. Direct marketing is the science, practice and discipline of one to one customer communication.

Q: What is the most valuable customer data that you collect? And what methods or strategies do you use to collect them?

Ans: Name and address of course is step one but other data variables are key to a long profitable relationship with any customer. Some other key variables or data points to collect and maintain are things like phone numbers, email addresses, products or services purchased, purchase dates, purchase prices and media used to acquire the name of the customer. Most data points are captured through the call center, order form online or postal or at point of purchase.

Q: What are the most important metrics you use to measure the success of your direct marketing?

Ans: This changes from Company to Company and is based on the metrics that are unique to the business that is conducting the marketing effort. The lifetime value, margins, value proposition, marketing goal, campaign costs are all variables that change from marketer to marketer. The most important way to measure success is to know what the goal of the campaign is to begin with.

Q: What is the biggest mistake made in direct marketing?

Ans: The biggest mistake in direct marketing is to make bad assumptions about what is happening or not happening based on the lack of experience in knowing what should be happening. Mailing the wrong list can destroy a mailing campaign and few marketers truly understand how impactful proper list selections can be on overall success and failure.

Q: It seems like there are so many mailing lists available on the market. I’m not sure what questions to ask when I’m searching for a list (either postal or email).

Ans: If you provide a sample package of what is being mailed to a business or a consumer a good list broker will know what lists to recommend or suggest based on the proposed budget. The strategy of list selection incorporates many elements besides return on investment and for some marketers it can be just as important to learn what doesn’t work versus what does right in the initial launch campaign.

Q: I’m new to the direct marketing industry, and have a direct marketing question for you. I need to get up-to-speed ASAP. Can you recommend any trade shows that I should attend?

Ans: In October the Direct Marketing Association has their annual trade show which is always well attended. Other than that there are great shows for online marketing and electronic media of all kind taking place all the time throughout the Country.

Q: I keep hearing that using direct mail is passé. I know it seems to be expensive. Should I consider using other channels instead?

Ans: The real strength of direct mail is the ability to target a consumer or a business person and know that you have reached someone that should, could or would be interested in your product or service. No other media allows you this luxury and target ability with known delivery, thus the expense of it relative on a reach basis in comparison. That being said direct mail also has the highest lifetime value of any media and the best return on investment. It costs more to play on a per touch basis but it’s worth it when it works.