1. 7 Myths About Marketing in Economic Downturns
In an ideal world, marketing activity would be self supporting, always pay back multifold what it costs to execute, and be effective in reaching every potential buyer in the appropriate sector all the time. But in the world where the sky is blue, marketing activities are driven by several factors....

2. Branding Efforts Drive Sales When Combined with Direct Response
The term "Branding" has been in use in American marketing vernacular since the 1800s, first being used for cattle in the west to identify members of the herd belonging to a single owner, but branching out to consumer goods shortly thereafter . . ....

3. Brand Effectiveness is Key to Membership Growth
The visibility, awareness and effectiveness of your organization's brand directly impact your ability to recruit and retain members. If your organization isn't the first thing member prospects think of when they turn to industry issues, there's work to be done....

4. Brand Effectiveness Key to Membership Growth - Part 2
In Part One, we discussed using in-depth member survey work to boost the visibility, awareness and effectiveness of your organization's brand, and how it can directly impact your ability to recruit and retain members. If your organization isn't the first thing member prospects think of when they turn to industry issues, there's work to be done....

5. Basics Prevail When It Comes to Direct Mail (Part 1)
Despite postal increases, paper price increases, regulations tightening for security and machineability reasons, direct mail is still the most effective way to reach a defined large scale audience, build sales and brand awareness, and move units. It is direct, it's accountable, it's relatively predictable and efficient, and it can be tested and refined to maximize results....

6. Basics Prevail When It Comes to Direct Mail (Part 2)
Despite postal increases, paper price increases, regulations tightening for security and machineability reasons, direct mail is still the most effective way to reach a defined large scale audience, build sales and brand awareness, and move units. It is direct, it's accountable, it's relatively predictable and efficient, and it can be tested and refined to maximize results....

7. Consultants Offer Flexibility, Hands-Off Productivity
With staff sizes and budgets restricted or diminishing, and top executives up and down the ladder under pressure to do more with less each year, many savvy executives are seeking help among the seeming army of consultants of every stripe to get their companies on the profitability track. Are they finding success down that road?...

8. 10 Things You Can Do Today To Boost The Effectiveness of Your Marketing Program (Part 2, 6-10)
If you think of your outreach marketing program as the volume control for the information reaching prospective members or customers, it would be a simple impulse to turn up that switch when you needed more members, or wanted to launch a new program - improving your communications in one simple motion. Unfortunately it's not really that simple....

9. List, Offer, Copy - Still As Valid Today As It Was 50 Years Ago
Direct marketing is often called a game of dollars - getting the basics down and understanding where to put in the time, money and effort where it will do the most good and return the results you need....

10. 10 Things You Can Do Today to Boost The Effectiveness of Your Marketing Program (Part 1, 1-5)
If you think of your outreach marketing program as the volume control for the information reaching prospective members or customers, it would be a simple impulse to turn up that switch when you needed more members, or wanted to launch a new program - improving your communications in one simple motion. Unfortunately it's not really that simple....

11. Premiums Still an Effective Tool to Spur Publication Subscription Sales
Premiums or bonus gifts have been used for years to boost sales of everything from cars to cereal and snacks. This is still an effective technique today under the correct circumstances . . ....

12. Let Customer's Imagination Flow for Effective Research
Bare bones quantitative research data on customers is only one method used to extract useful information to inform your marketing efforts. Right-brain, emotional qualitative research can provide unique insights to customer buying behavior that can be invaluable to creating a successful marketing campaign . . ....

13. Research Data Drives Effective Creative Strategy
Without the underpinnings of solid market research or customer data, the best creative design and execution is just pretty pictures. To drive response, design must be anchored with accurate reliable customer research data . . ....