Ordinary vs Extraordinary Companies: Attention To The Basics

One of Don Libey's "pet peevs", as well as mine, is the attention to the basics. "While leading in innovation, technology and ideas," Don says, "the extraordinary company is also totally grounded and proficient in all the direct marketing basics. The ordinary companies are struggling to cover or discover the basics."

Attention to the direct marketing basics are essential in becoming an extraordinary company. Yes, extraordinary companies break the rules. Even, many of them have made new rules. But breaking the rules doesn't mean forgetting the building of a strong foundation with the basics.

There are basics in every facet of the direct marketing process. As an example, let's take the working knowledge of the prospect lists you rent.

Many years ago I rented the Baldwin Cooke calendar buyers list quite regularly. Today, it's part of the several companies that have melded into the Taylor Corporation's stable of mail order companies. I couldn't understand why this list worked like "gangbusters" in the first and second quarter of the year while response rates dropped off substantially in the third and fourth quarters.

The owners of Baldwin Cooke were regular attendees at the Business Mailers Group meetings, which at that time I was it's President. So, one day I sat down with them and asked why I could be experiencing this response drop-off like clockwork each year.

Baldwin Cook's biggest promotion every year was a dollar sample offer of their executive desk calendar. These mailings, sent out in the third and fourth quarter each year amounted to at least two thirds of their customer list. They didn't put these names on the list rental market until the end of the first quarter of the following year. And, didn't update their database until the same time the next year. By the time September and October rolled around, everyone, his brother and uncles had mailed the list many times over and the names were no longer fresh buyers.

Pitney Bowes postage machine buyers (lease holders). This is a very big list. It's updated every quarter. However, if I started my lease in February, I would not come back as a Hot Line buyer until the following February. In this case, you have to test monthly Hot Lines vs. Lease Renewal Hot Lines. I have found there can be a big difference in response.

The "pet peeve" of one of our newest readers, Marjorie Bicknell, a well known direct marketing copywriter, is the basics of proper copy testing.

I mention all the above for one reason. Extraordinary companies go the extra mile to understand all the direct marketing basics. Ordinary companies are miles behind trying to discover and understand the basics.