You Just Never Know....
4:46 PM, Jan. 16, 2006
I recently attended a publisher's conference and, though most of the information wasn't particularly applicable to our company, I did glean a few good points. One comment I heard repeatedly was the fact that you can't always immediately quantify the success of a campaign. While some folks commented that print ads or mailings had a poor return others disagreed, stating that even though DIRECT response (as tracked by a code, perhaps) might be low, sales in other venues such as bookstores, etc. increased. What happened was that the customer viewed the material and considered the product. While they didn't purchase immediately from that ad or mailing, they were primed and ready to purchase when they saw the product in a different setting.
I recently read an intriguing comment on this very concept. Business owners were assessing the value of E-newsletters; when to send them, whether or not they were read, etc. The success of the newsletter was being based on whether the email was opened or not. The commenter that struck me shared that she seldom opened the emails because she had minimal time, however, each time she deleted the unopened email she was reminded of the company and why she'd subscribed in the first place. "Oh yeah, that's the company with the great science program!" Later, when she is ready to purchase, the company's name comes easily to mind as she's seen the emails in her inbox, even though she hasn't read them. The newsletter was a "success" even though it was never even opened.
If you have an inexpensive opportunity to keep your business name in front of your customers, take advantage. The fact that you may not see an immediate direct response does not mean that you're not having a positive impact. You just never know...
Dena Wood
Research Consultant
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC
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