http://www.promedisonline.com/ Scientifically Proven, Clinically Pure. En Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:12:37 -0400 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:12:37 -0400 http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-controlling-direct-marketing-costs/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… Creative can make an incredible difference. Pre-testing different creative ensures highest response… which lets us know exactly how to control our costs. Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-controlling-direct-marketing-costs/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-media-and-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… New lists open doors to new customers. Valuable lists that are uniquely our own can be built through targeted direct-response advertising… which lets us know exactly how to plan our media buys. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-media-and-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-targeting-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… The list contains those who are most likely to buy our offer right now… which lets us know exactly how to judge a good list broker. Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-targeting-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-writing-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… It’s the envelope that delivers the offer. The longer it’s unopened, the more likely it is to get trashed… which lets us know exactly how to write our teaser copy. Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-writing-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-creating-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… The brochure represents the offer (product or service) we’re selling, The letter is the salesperson selling it, The reply card is the order form that closes the sale... which lets us know exactly how to plan our creative. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-creating-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-the-difference-with-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… The offer is what customers will buy, Good sales means repeat that offer, Poor sales means change that offer, No sales means we didn’t have an offer in the first place… which lets us know exactly how to tell the difference between Direct Marketing and advertising my mail. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-the-difference-with-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-planning-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like… All response can be attributed to: 40% the offer, 40% the list, 10% the creative, 10% the back end… which lets us know exactly where to put our efforts when planning. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-planning-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-getting-the-most-from-direct-marketing/ Just a reminder that Direct Marketing works best when we remember our basics like... Customers who order once will order again (with no promotional postage or list costs).  Bounce-backs boost value to such a degree that offers can often be free, especially on the web... which lets us know exactly how to get the most from our campaigns.   Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-getting-the-most-from-direct-marketing/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-the-medium-is-never-the-message/ Everyone shares the web.  Only the client has their own message.  To see what the client’s site could and should say, outline that message in the creative brief and hand it to a good writer.  And not to worry.  If they haven’t made their site sing right from the start, a good writer can always tune it up. Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-the-medium-is-never-the-message/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-content-supplied/ Ask any web designer to quote you a price and you’ll get a complete detailed list.  Well almost complete.  What’s this “content supplied”?  Oh, it’s the stuff you’re to give them to fill in the spaces between pictures.  And looks like they’re offering to help you with it.  Hmm, would you ask your A.D. to write copy?  With few exceptions, probably not.  So who’s going to write it?  The client?  No one knows their business better.  Or perhaps it’s their sales manager.  She knows how to sell.  And how about Howie?  He had a letter published in the paper once.  Listen, it’s the message – the whole reason for the site in the first place – on which the client’s entire future depends… and without that message, what on earth is the designer designing?  Try copy first, design second and see what communication can do. Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-content-supplied/ http://www.promedisonline.com/timely-reminder-marketing-in-a-recession/ Ours is likely the only industry to hold its salvation in its own hands.  Just like any emergency, the first action to take in this financial fiasco is promote (and not, as some think, economize).  What is promotion?  It’s what I’m doing now.  It’s getting things known, getting oneself known, getting one’s products out.  And it’s intelligent promotion that will get us out of this fastest.  Way I see it, now's the time to capture market share for those with the smarts to do it… at the expense of those who economize. Thu, 07 May 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/timely-reminder-marketing-in-a-recession/ http://www.promedisonline.com/in-response-to-rumour/ ...we might be deprived of Billy Sharma’s magazine column.   Hi Billy, Dropping "Direct and Personal" would remove what little vestige of human interest remains in "Direct Marketing".  While I'm sure we all appreciate the huge advances technology affords marketers, it is communication itself that triggers human emotion and not the other way around.  People who create that communication hold the key to relationships in which worthwhile interaction occurs... and you are one of those people.  I always enjoy reading your articles and I really hope the mag reconsiders. I would suggest that too little content devoted to communication, and too much devoted to technology, could eventually lead readers to regard customers as robots.  The outcome wouldn't be good.  Communication is not “content supplied” and yours truly is not “click here”.  I want more communication, Billy, not less! Wishing you all the best and let me know how it goes. Grahame Thu, 14 May 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/in-response-to-rumour/ http://www.promedisonline.com/direct-marketing-mag-reconsiders/ I wanted to first of all thank you personally for your response to my last email regarding the cancelation of my column 'Direct & Personal" in Direct Marketing Magazine.  I also wanted to report to you that things have suddenly changed.  There is a new editor in charge and she wants me back.  I cannot thank you all enough for your overwhelming support.  Thank you once again.  Watch for the column in the next issue. Cheers, Billy Sharma Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/direct-marketing-mag-reconsiders/ http://www.promedisonline.com/heres-what-im-doing-how-about-you/ Capitalizing on direct marketing experience for “Intelligent Application of DM to the Web”. Having a lot of fun with Google analytics. Working with Winnipeg agency to launch a new pub.   Writing Timely Reminders for anyone they might help. Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.grahamepotter.com/heres-what-im-doing-how-about-you/