Direct Marketing Association Seminars
The Data & Marketing Association presents

Direct Marketing Institute On-Site Training

This on-site training class is also available as Public Schedule Seminar.

Sharpen your skills, expand your expertise and update your knowledge in all facets of marketing.

Course Description/Agenda

Whether you’re a beginner in the direct marketing world or a seasoned professional looking to be brought up to date on the latest techniques and technology, the three-day Direct Marketing Institute is for you. This seminar will cover the core areas of each marketing channel, from offers and propositions to copywriting and design—across digital, direct, and integrated marketing—all with detailed examples and step-by-step tactics. You’ll come away with a firm grasp of direct marketing’s best practices and the practical strategies needed to implement them.

Course Topics

Introduction/Essentials of Direct Marketing Campaign Management
Digital Marketing
The Direct Mail Package
Audience Targeting & Relationship Marketing
Graphics & Design
Offers and Propositions
Proven Creative Platforms
Evaluating and Strengthening Your Copy
Research & Testing
How to Achieve Multichannel Marketing Campaign Success
Print & Online Catalog Marketing Guidelines

Course Outline

Day 1: 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Introduction/Essentials of Direct Marketing Campaign Management

How to master direct marketing’s 8 Cardinal Principles for Success
Why general advertising techniques fail in direct marketing
Examples of International ECHOTM Award-winning campaigns
Making it easy to respond: PURLs, QR codes, mobile landing pages, and more
Critical issues of ROI and lifetime value of a customer
Key direct marketing analysis measures
How to make campaign integration successful

Digital Marketing

Key online marketing pressure points
Search secrets and the role of social media
SEO and SEM integration
How to get and keep email registrations
How to avoid the most common email failures
Top tips to improve click through rates
Key elements that determine the success of your website
Proven strategies to convert your website visitors to customers
How to avoid mobile marketing pitfalls

The Direct Mail Package

How to make direct mail work in a digital world
Differences between business and consumer mail
When to use a self-mailer vs. envelope package
How to prevent your mail from ending up in the trash unopened
What formats get the best response?
How to get your envelopes opened
Effect of personalization on response
How to strengthen inserts and get results

Day 2: 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Audience Targeting and Relationship Marketing

New list building strategies: online ad retargeting, social sign-in, and more
How to get the right mailing list for acquisition
What to know about choosing mail and email lists
Important audience selection characteristics that can lift your response
Sources of list information
List hygiene and how to improve deliverability
Database marketing and market segmentation
Word-of-mouth marketing and making the right decision on social media

Graphics and Design

How people view websites, email, brochures, and catalogs
What typography and layout choices impact comprehension and results
How to improve response by improving readability
Ensuring your creative works on mobile platforms

Offers and Propositions

Creating irresistible offers to melt away inertia
How to effectively use an incentive
Proven offers that increase response, increase average order value, and retain customers
ROI secrets for using sweepstakes, premiums, freemiums, discounts, free trial, and more

Proven Creative Platforms

Understand what triggers response
Direct response copywriting vs. general advertising – don’t get caught in the trap
Guidelines on writing strong copy for email, search, banner ads, and mail
Translating features into benefits
Class project

Day 3: 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Evaluating and Strengthening Your Copy

How to prevent prospects from ignoring your offer
What to look for when you critique
Why most copy fails
How to close the sale

Research and Testing

Why do you need both?
3 things research tells you that testing can’t
4 ways direct marketers use research
When to use quantitative vs. qualitative research
What you should know about focus groups
What you should know about internet research and social media listening
How to ensure statistically valid results
How to get an accurate test and test for less

How to Achieve Multichannel Marketing Campaign Success

Multichannel integration, synergy, and budget allocation
Key media combinations that deliver the greatest results
How to allocate your media budget
Key media overview – top social media guidelines, digital and print display ads, and DRTV

Print and Online Catalog Marketing Guidelines

Basics of successful catalog marketing: image, ease of use, helping the customer shop, taking advantage of hot spots, organizing your merchandise, up-selling, evaluating results
Examples of market leaders’ in print and online strategies

More Seminar Information