The Direct Marketing Assessment

The objectives of our direct marketing assessment include:

  1. uncovering new money making opportunities;
  2. enhancing the effectiveness of your present direct marketing marketing program;
  3. proposing new direct marketing activities that are most likely to generate incremental profits.

This helps our clients improve the sales performance of their direct marketing program as a whole.

The process includes three to five client sessions to gather pertinent information about your direct response initiatives. We prepare agendas for each session to assure that your proper team members attend those sessions that are relevant to their specific areas.

For some clients with field activities, we will propose spending a day or two in the field to observe the total selling process.

Listed is a sample list of the areas dmcg reviews.


- Database

- Sales process

- Tracking

- Annual plan

- Media mix

- Creative work

- Evaluation criteria

- Observations

- Recommendations

Such a project usually takes three to four weeks to complete. At the end of the project, dmcg makes a formal presentation of the findings with recommendations for overall program improvement.

How We Work

 

Our clients turn to dmcg for a variety of services depending upon their needs. These services usually include one of the following areas of direct response activities.

  • Direct marketing program assessments
  • Direct mail, email, telemarketing script, print advertising and other creative development from concept to final art
  • Test programs for BtoC and BtoB lead generation
  • CRM planning and implementation
  • Database setup, planning and implementation
  • Conducting in-house brainstorming sessions
  • Proposal development for advertising agency direct response presentations
  • Face to face consulting to share direct marketing expertise with various clients and advertising agencies

We have three basic ways in which I work with clients.

    1. Ad Hoc Basis

Ted's hourly rate is $200. This is for short-term projects or for clients who are not yet interested in an ongoing commitment. An advance of $750 is paid initially which covers the first five hours of my work for you. This advance can easily be applied to the retainer rate or a project should we end up going in that direction—but this is a non-refundable fee.

     2. By project

This is most often for a creative assignment, like a new direct mail package or a series of emails or telemarketing scripts. A set fee is agreed upon at the beginning of the project. dmcg invoices 50% of the project at its inception. The balance is due upon the client's project approval. More and more clients are asking for general direct marketing consultation. The deliverable takes the form of a written assessment presented to client invited company participants in PowerPoint format. These assignments usually evolve into an extended agreement or a direct marketing audit.

     3. Extended Term Agreement

Clients who agree to a minimum term of three months (with a one month notice of termination) and a minimum monthly retainer of $3,000 are billed at the reduced rate of $150 per hour against the retainer. With this approach, a client would be guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours per month with any extra hours billed at $150/hr. Some of these extended agreements may last no more than four months while others extend well beyond one year.

     4. Subcontracted work

Most projects undertaken by dmcg require the services of suppliers, specialists, printers, lettershops, compilers, telesales firms, mailing list companies and other support to complete client approved direct marketing programs. These subcontractors are paid by dmcg on the client's behalf. In some cases, the logistics require direct payment by the client to contractors hired by dmcg.

Depending upon the assignment, dmcg includes a commission in its supplier estimates for client work.

Why not contact Ted for a free 30 minute consultation to discuss your particular challenge and how to approach it? Call Ted now for a no-obligation discussion at 972-459-6868 or email Ted.