This document outlines key steps for developing a successful direct marketing plan. It emphasizes the importance of thoroughly addressing major plan elements in strict sequence, such as identifying objectives, obstacles, strategy, tactics, and financial projections. It also stresses the need to conduct predictive yield analysis and review the entire written plan with various stakeholders. Following the outlined 10 key questions can help guide the development of an effective direct marketing plan.

1. Developing a Successful Direct Marketing Plan Bonus: 10 Key Questions 1

2. 2 38 percent of marketers say new marketing campaigns are rushed to market based on the limited intuition of a few people. “Marketing ROI and Measurements Benchmark Report,” Lenskold Group & MarketingProfs.com, 2005

3. 3 Counterproductive top management pressure Overloaded line operating staff Lack of experience in strategy development

4. 4 ENOUGH

5. 5 ‘Good ideas’ Media Ad concepts or Copy approaches

6. 6 The plan identifies concrete strategy and corresponding direct response tactics developed to overcome specific obstacles that would otherwise block agreed-upon objectives.

7. 7 This type of plan development, valuable to any form of marketing, is crucial in direct response marketing.

8. 8 Identification of each project's specific objective, market segment to be penetrated, and priority, is essential.

9. 9 Background Objectives Obstacles Strategy Tactics Financials

10. 10 Customer Profiles and Buying History Buying Process Description and Benefits of Products Market Position, Sales History & Competition Distribution and Sales Financials

11. 11 Be Precise Be Thorough

12. 12 Obstacles Threats Weaknesses

13. 13 Program Scope Basic Offer Concept and Theme Versioning and Personalization Media Selection

14. 14 Packaging Media Mix Implementation Plan Process and Procedures Timing and Schedules Cost Estimates

15. 15 Break-even Calculations Yield Potentials Response Tracking Analysis Reporting

16. 16 10 Key Questions to Guide your Success

17. 17 1. Did we use, and stick with, the task method?

18. 18 2. Have all major direct marketing disciplines participated in creating the plan?

19. 19 3. Have you established one final decision maker as a Project Leader responsible for overall development and completion of the marketing plan?

20. 20 4. Has sufficient marketing plan development time been allocated for the planning group?

21. 21 5. Has the entire marketing plan been committed to writing?

22. 22 6. Did you address major plan elements in strict sequence throughout the planning process?

23. 23 7. Did we stop the planning process whenever essential data was not known?

24. 24 Customer Profiles and Buying History The Buying Process Product Benefit Sales History Competitive Situation Market Position Distribution and Sales Methods Manufacturing and Marketing Margins

25. 25 Stopping the market planning process does not mean 'scrapping' the project.

26. 26 8. Did we complete predictive yield analysis and format our yield reports as an integral part of our written marketing plan?

27. 27 9. Has each individual involved in creating the plan (plus some who were not) reviewed, studied, and critiqued the entire written plan?

28. 28 10. Did we meet, as a group, for final review and agreement on the entire plan?

29. 29 Summary

30. Since 1982, DWS Associates has helped clients in a variety of industries increase sales by improving sales and marketing performance. A solid foundation in direct marketing, database management, business intelligence and analytics drives our lead generation, lead management and nurturing, customer relationship management, offer optimization, retention and referral efforts. The bottom-line is that our work consistently delivers highly profitable results. And our fee is always a small percentage of the results we produce for our clients. To learn exactly how DWS Associates can help your organization generate profitable sales, call 651-315-7588 today. About DWS Associates CONTACT INFO 651-315-7588 info@dwsassociates.com www.dwsassociates.com 30