Your Questions About Direct Marketing Association

Jere answers:

Hi,
Good luck,
Marketing is a really challenging career and you have to love it if you want to make it as your life.
This profession takes all your criativity, imagination, organization and other skills as p.example finances.

A Day in the Life
A marketing executive directs the marketing of a company’s products or services. Marketing executives know the company’s product line, historical market, potential market, media costs, media response, and budgeting issues. Marketers often have to be intimate with a number of advertising media, such as radio, television, phone solicitation, mail campaigns, and promotional events. Their most difficult task is determining how best to take advantage of any or all of them to promote their product. In addition, “You have to know when to sell your own product, and when to mow down the other guy’s product,” said one New York marketing executive. Marketing takes three basic forms: Positive marketing (the benefits of your product or service), educational marketing (developing a demand for your product by educating people about their needs, such as mouthwash marketers talking about gingivitis), and negative marketing (revealing the flaws in a competitor’s product). Knowing when to do which and how is both the science and art that marketing executives practice. Most marketing executives spend significant time analyzing demographics, regional sales figures, and the competition. However, more than one marketer told us that in the end, marketing is all about “common sense.” Many said a general approach to the industry is useless each product has one specific trait, detail or role that is unique and valuable, and all the marketing executive does is apply common sense to the promotion of that trait. Another marketer put it this way: A marketing executive has to be able to recognize “unexplored potentialities” that can turn a low-selling item into a large-selling item, and a large-selling item into a mega-hit. The pressure is significant, but it has one advantage: Marketers always know how they’re doing, as tracked by an increase or decrease in sales. External events may drive demand for a product in one direction or another; it’s the marketer’s job to respond to these shifts and take advantage of them. Excuses for low sales don’t go over well. Marketers often work hand-in-hand with developers, advertisers, and production managers to ensure a product’s successful promotion. However, a number of marketers mentioned that although they are called in to consult on production decisions, such as product design, color, and even box shape, “many of the decisions are made without our consent anyway.” A marketer has to be creative, confident, and thick-skinned-marketing personnel get fired at an above average rate. Nevertheless, creative thinkers with the ability to analyze statistics and work out long-term logistical plans find sound homes in marketing divisions, where all their skills are needed to successfully launch a product or maintain a product’s sales.
Marketing executives have no formal educational requirements, but most employers require a college degree. Valued courses include marketing, statistics, advertising, psychology, sociology, business, finance, economics, and history. Communication skills are very important, so any writing experience is appreciated. Marketing executives need know their product line and its unique features, so special requirements may apply for those in science, mechanical, medical, or computer-based industries. Professional education is the norm in this occupation, with many marketers attending at least two seminars or lectures a year. Certification is available from a number of professional societies (such as the American Marketing Association and Marketing Executives International), but employers do not require it.
Marketing executives often are promoted to strategic planning positions. Others take their skills to advertising agencies, demographic research firms, or public relations firms. Many return to school for M.B.A.s. Upon completion of their degrees, many head up marketing departments or move into positions of management. A notable few work for consumer advocacy groups and are vocal participants in the debate over fairness in marketing and advertising.
Follow my blog and you’ll be able to start studying some tips from it.
Good Luck and all the best
Lucio
http://marketingeasy.blogspot.com

Jere answers:

Yes, postcard and general mail marketing is difficult to justify. 10% return mail/call rates are normal, and 10-15% of those close on average. (that relates to 1 sale for every 200 mailings! Ouch!)

-I think pounding the street is a very viable method to work B2B marketing. Closing ratios are higher.

-Industry magazines and newspaper advertising is a direct and effective way to advertise as well.

-Trade shows are another great use, and affordable means to market to other small businesses

Happy Socializing!

Jere answers:

Okay

Jere answers:

There are best practice standards with which any company that is a member of the Direct Marketing Association must comply. I gotta think that any legit credit card co. Is a member.

I’d call the DMA (site link below) and find out what you can do. Failing that, I’d call your credit card co’s customer service department and tell them that you’re going to chop up your card if they don’t stop. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, do some research and find out who the senior marketing person is and give them a call. If this person knew that this practice is going on, I’m sure they’d have a fit. They might even like to know that their telemarketing supplier is harrassing customers.

Good luck!

Jere answers:

As you probably know, there are a number of companies offering home-based business opportunities. Before I chose a home-based business, I decided it was important to do my due-diligence. I didn’t want to waste my time or money starting a business that was doomed before I began. Here is the criteria I used to evaluate the various companies at which I looked.

Is the company stable?

To determine whether or not a company was stable, I looked at the following:
Has the company been in business for at least 5 years?
Where does the company do business?
Does the company have a good reputation? (Check with the B.B.B.)
Is the company a member of the Direct Sellers Association?
Is the company publicly traded?
Does the company do at least 100 million in annual sales?
In my research, I discovered that the vast majority of home-based businesses are bankrupt within five years.

Generally speaking, the more countries a company does business in, the more stable they will be. It is a good indication if the company operates in the United States, Canada and at least one other country.

I also found that reputable companies were members of the DSA (Direct Sellers Association). Members of the DSA are held to strict ethical guidelines that would protect me and the consumer.

If a company is publicly traded, they are required by law to disclose all financial statements to the public. This information can be obtained by visiting the S.E.C.

Is the product unique?

Having a unique product or service was important to me because if the product was not unique, I would be forced to compete against other companies on price and convenience. By having a unique product, my customers would have no alternative other than to buy from me.

Is the product consumable?

This was my next question. Even if the product I am selling is unique but is not consumable, I would constantly have to find new customers. In other words, I would be unemployed until my next sale. With a consumable product, customers would continue to buy my products and I would continue to earn a residual income without having to find new customers.

Is there a demand for the product?

Having a unique and consumable product wouldn’t mean a thing if there wasn’t a demand for it. This is why I looked for a company that had a product that would be in high demand. In looking at market trends, I discovered that the 1 BILLION “Baby Boomers” are creating the largest trends in the world. As a result, I wanted to find a company that was marketing products that would appeal to this group of people.

Is there product validation?

I did not want to risk my reputation by selling a product that amounted to little more than “snake oil”, so it was important for me to know that the product was scientifically validated before I could feel comfortable selling or recommending it. Here I am narrating “Making a Difference” here:
http://www.GlycoStory.com/p.asp?c=251478337445

Educate yourself on the Cash Flow Quadrant on that sitehttp://www.glycobusiness.com/mannalive Very important to distinguish “what is Network Marketing compaired to other ways of earning money.

LLJames