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The truth

Truth is: unrealistic response rates are to blame. Employers often think they can fool the public into buying just about any product they offer via direct mail. Wrong - people are no longer stupid enough to just take up any offer. They shop around for the best price (mostly).
There's also a thin line between direct mail and junk mail. It's the latter that get's the rest of us into trouble. We all lose credibility, as clients are gatvol of receiving inappropriate offers in the mail.

21 Nov 2005 10:24 Reply, Report this comment

TAKE A BALANCED VIEW... by Charles Roberts

When what is being said is purposely designed to mislead, then clearly this is iniquitous business practice and should be exposed and punished. This could be anything from a blatant lie to being economical with the truth. Either way its BAD.

On the subject of people not knowing what they are talking about..... well, this is endemic, in every industry. What parents should teach their kids and what companies should teach their children is that its OK not to know everything and when you get a situation where you don't have a an answer, just obtain advice first.

This really should be the subject of a full-on debate, not an online forum as it has deep roots, long branches and sometimes fruit.

21 Nov 2005 13:54 Reply, Report this comment

Stop Compairing to International Standards

I have to agree that anyone believing that 2% is average doesnt know what they are talking about or doesnt know how to do an effective Direct Marketing Campaign. USA standards are 2%, which is actually great when you are mailing millions of customers at a time and those customers receive hundreds of letters a week.

Here is SA it works very differently as most clients dont have those quantities of customers, and it is very possible to achieve response rates in the 90% zone when they are clevery structured.

However I tend to disgree with comments that customers are saturated with mailers and offers.

18 Jan 2006 14:16 Reply, Report this comment

my mailbox is full by slim

Although I agree mostly with previous comments posted I have to disagree with the comment that we are NOT inundated with mailers

I personally receive upwards of 10 mailers a day either on my windscreen, in my postbox or simply stuck in my gate (mostly tossed on the ground where our fabulous south easter redistributes them to the Cape Flats. One company in particular has not got the message that I will never use their product no matter how many days in succession a flyer gets pasted on my windscreen.

In addition, my cellphone is blitzed weekly by certain corporates who clearly collude and distribute my details without permission...in fact I specifically ask every corporate i deal with to not distribute my details.

Direct mail and mailers are a scourge and companies should be taken to task for the mess they are creating...not to mention 'tree's falling'!

There are far more innovatibe ways to market...direct mail included (when done correctly and ethically)

31 Jan 2006 08:53 Reply, Report this comment

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