Flyfishers know. Gamblers like to think they know. Know what? Know what works! Without in-depth response reporting, however, direct marketers are more like gamblers. Response reporting can be described as the single biggest unmet need among direct marketers. With sound response reporting, marketers can answer these questions:
- What worked?
- What didn’t work?
- Which prospect list performed?
- Where should you invest your next dollar for the most effect?
WiseGuys Marketing Software provides the answers to these questions through MatchBack Response reporting, matching incoming customer orders against a mail history file (previously stored). Depending on a set of parameters, you can establish how well each mailing segment performed.
The Matchback Process
Response analysis follows this sequence of events in a mail campaign.
- A mail file is selected in WiseGuys, and a mail date is recorded for each mailing address.
- Subsequently, order entry staff key incoming orders following the mail campaign (using your own order entry software). Most users will record both the order date and (optionally) the source code on the mailing piece.
- By linking to your customer database, WiseGuys matches orders with mailing addresses, to show successful responses.
MatchBack parameters are defined by you.
- Response Window – you establish the maximum number of days that can elapse between your mail date and a successful subsequent response.
- Source Code matching – you can (optionally) require that the source code of an incoming order match the key code of the outgoing mail piece.
- Pass along response – you can measure the pass along response of your mailing within the same organization (for B-B) or household (consumer).
The Matchback Results
MatchBack reporting displays the percentage of customers in each mailing segment that have been linked to a subsequent order, for both prospects and customers.
In a future release, MatchBack will calculate the ROI for each mailing campaign.
By using Matchback, you can see which segments of your market respond to different appeals, or different channels.
In today’s multi-channel marketing environment, Response reporting is genuinely the largest unmet need of Direct Marketing. Without Response reporting, a marketing program is “flying blind” because it cannot establish the success of its efforts. Wise Guys MatchBack! Reports the ROI that marketing executives demand to justify the expense of each promotional campaign.
Professor’s Corner:
Database marketing is only one-half of the art & science of Multi-channel Marketing. DMSI is happy to feature a guest column from Albert Fried-Cassorla, president of Fried-Cassorla Communications, Inc. (He may be reached at albert@fried-cas.com or 215-635-5189.) His checklist is applicable to both direct mail and email.
As always, call today to take advantage of our free 15 minute consulting session. “The Professor is in” at 703.941.8109.
16 point Direct Mail checklist by Albert Fried-Cassorla
In creating successful direct mail, so many ingredients contribute to great results. Check through this list before, during and after your campaign. Of course, such a short list must be very selective. It could easily be 100 times longer. But these ideas work for us. Let us know how they turn out for you!
- Market Understanding: Have you studied the marketplace & spoken with prospective buyers?
- Product Understanding: Do you understand all of the product’s features? (“Products” in this list will also include services.)
- Product Understanding: Do you understand all of the product’s benefits and how they are distinct from features?
- Product Understanding: Have you asked a sampling of customers how they RANK the importance of various features & benefits?
- Offer: Have you considered a wide variety of premium incentives for a response? For a sale?
- Offer: Have you done a cost/benefits analysis and projected a minimum acceptable response for a one-time or multi-year pay-back?
- Offer: Considered giving 2 gifts rather than 1? One of these can be low-cost, high perceived value – such as a pamphlet.
- Offer: Does your offer include a Money-Back Guarantee?
- Offer: Are you using a deadline date for a gift or other key benefit to ordering quickly? (Beware of downside of deadlines)
- Database / Offer: Have you considered different formats, incentives, creative approaches for different markets?
- Database / List: Have you explored all possible lists, including house, response and compiled lists appropriate for your product?
- Testing Plans: Thought seriously about testing multiple variables, including creative, format, offer, and list?
- Creative / Concept: Have you used an experienced copywriter or direct mail consultant? Contact me for assistance, or visit www.the-dma.org for listings.
- Creative: Delivery medium/Envelope is KEY! Does this approach capture the imagination at a glance? (Attention precedes interest, which precedes the sale.)
- Copy: Do the headlines and teasers provoke interest or powerfully convey benefits? Is it “you” oriented rather than “we” oriented? Does it flow? Call for the order in many ways?
- Back End: Have you analyzed results, considered how you could improve upon them?
