Dobkin’s Top 10 Direct Marketing Recommendations for a Tough Economy

2009? Recession? Bah. Don’t give me any of your whining. I have aches and pains, too. Oh, my back hurts … oh, I have a bum knee … oh, I just dislocated my shoulder … hey, my appendix just burst …

You don’t hear me complaining do you?

My advice: Tough it out, baby — and get back in the driver’s seat. I don’t think the plan really was for the meek to inherit the earth — at least not when it comes to direct marketing.

Dobkin’s Top 10 Direct Marketing Recommendations for a Tough Economy

10. Market harder.
The additional spend of advertising and marketing dollars when others are pulling back propels you onto higher ground … and into higher visibility, way past others, to the top of the “Hi! I’m over here!” visibility peak.

9. Market smarter.
Market with greater precision. Take precise aim at your best fundraising sources — you know, the ones on the list you don’t share with anyone. Spend the additional time up front, and don’t waste hindsight expense by going after people on the edge who “may possibly donate if they are in the right mood and if they feel like it that day.” Dig deep. Aim for the low-hanging fruit: solid-performing lists that are your “most likely” contributors.

Send letters every six weeks to your top 500 prospects. Mailing costs: 500 x 42¢ = $210 x 9 times a year = $1,890. Best $1,890 you can spend in marketing — guaranteed. Have extra cash in your budget? Mail to your top 5,000 prospects.

8. Invest in your own success.
An investment in marketing dollars at this time is worth more now than when everyone else is also in the mail, (and magazines and newspapers have fat print-ad contracts.) With less competition for your donor’s attention, you stand front and center.

7. Take advantage of the better deals.
For example, the pulling back of the giant media-buying machinery of the sinking automotive industry has left great media, ad-space, direct mail and cut-sheet paper deals on the table for the rest of us. Look around. Great deals abound. Find them or …

6. Negotiate.
Make your own deals. Lots of firms that were so, so hoity-toity and steadfast on price now will negotiate. Go after them.

5. Go ahead, make a ridiculous offer.
Don’t be afraid to call and make a lowball offer. You might not get it at that price, but you might wind up paying much less than list.

4. Remember that not everyone is in a recession.
Not every industry suffers. Some industries flourish in recessionary times. Head over to those markets. “Studying the markets” has meaning outside of the traditional mumble jumble of the stock market — where, you know, your investments just tanked.

3. Some firms you dislike are in the blender — enjoy it.
If only the phone companies, big software companies and computer-hardware firms would get out from under their foreign-made products, poor service and unpatriotic out-sourcing of telephone help lines offshore to people who, when the going gets tough, hang up on you. Was there really a reason I was on hold for over an hour besides, “We are experiencing higher than normal call volumes?” How about, “We need to increase our telephone staff to actually give you quality service.” Doesn’t that fit a little better? And I have no sympathy for the firms that tell you your 30-day-old software product is no longer supported without their special “extended-care” plan, which you can now purchase for just $199.95.

Yeah, there are some firms I’d love to see go belly up. Or am I out of bounds here? Get even in the new year — buy from the smaller firms in the USA that really do care.

2. Hang in there.
Shorten those pledge cycles. Market with greater accuracy and effectiveness to reduce costs. Test-mail smaller cells, and read and interpret results more closely. Mail more frequently to your current donors — they already know you and like you. Mail to them just to say hello or to let them know how their money is being spent. Don’t be foolish in your marketing, but don’t be afraid, either.

1. And stay cheerful.
Reminds me of a sign I saw: “Cheer up — things could get worse!” So I cheered up, and, sure enough, things got worse. Seriously, if it ain’t fun, do something else. Life’s short — work hard, play hard, have fun.

Jeff Dobkin will now take your questions. E-mail him at Jeff@Dobkin.com.

Jeff Dobkin, who has written five books on direct marketing, is a direct-response copywriter specializing in increasing donations, donor loyalty and customer acquisition. www.dobkin.com