One of the principles we base our direct marketing programs on is continuity. This is especially important in the online world where each interaction is a millisecond apart as potential customers click through creative > landing page/site > order process > confirmation email communications. Continuity refers to all elements of the creative through the acquisition and early retention process. For example, through testing we know that the connection between the text in a paid search ad needs to be reflected in the headline in the landing page - this continuity confirms that you are on the correct page to “pay off” the text that you clicked on. It is important to take this message as well as the colors, images, design that you’ve introduced on the landing page and carry through the order process.

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Deliverability of e-mail is critical to having a healthy list and on-going campaign. This list will help you discect why your emails are getting bounced.

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Consumer Generated Media is any content created by visitors who are NOT marketing folks for a site, product or service. Blogs are the most recent large example, but it extends to user reviews, bulletin boards, forums, chat, Messenger clients, social networks, podcasting, interpersonal emails, etc. CGM is both the most open form of online communication and the form of communication most feared by company marketing strategists and PR mavens. If the CGM is unfiltered and informative (positive or negative) it can drastically influence someones opinion to buy or not buy a product or engage with a service.

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The following is from a Guerilla Marketing Newsletter I receive. It outlines 20 steps to boost direct mail profits, but can be applied to just about any direct marketing campaign.

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I’ve been using SpamArrest to limit the amount of spam I get (which is a lot - especially to a specific inbox) for the last year. SpamArrest is a challenge and response system (Hi, you just sent an email to scott. Please respond to this email to get on his white list) that usually works ok. However, there have been a lot of instances - particularly over the weekends - in which the filter fails and the spam comes flooding through. In addition I was using the free version and the interface wasn’t that great. I just switched to CloudMark (http://www.cloudmark.com) and couldn’t be happier. It plugs into Outlook for a free trial ($39.95 per year) and filters in Outlook instead of going to a browser. Once I tuned the spam filter a little (white listing some newsletters I get, etc.) it is piece of cake. It does take longer to synch my email and I do have to delete all the spam in the spam box - but I am much happier.