Journal of Direct Marketing最新文献

This study outlines the growing significance of database marketing within the United Kingdom financial services industry. Empirical findings are presented on the organizational variables identified as significant in influencing the adoption and sophistication of database marketing. Three organizational variables are central to both the adoption and sophistication of database marketing: a marketing and information orientation, availability of resources, and the style of decision making. A number of other organizational variables were investigated: size, complexity, organizational structure, direct marketing power, and internal and external networks. Size was related to adoption, but not sophistication; complexity and direct marketing power were related to sophistication but not adoption. The implications of these findings to firms wishing to develop sophisticated database marketing systems are (a) the importance of using qualified marketing people who fully accept the importance of the customer, and (b) the need to ensure that organizational restrictions do not inhibit their marketing professionals’ creativity and natural information orientation.

This paper discusses a nonparametric approach for segmentation analysis that does not require a priori knowledge about the true response rate of the segments in the list, other than classifying a segment as being either good, marginal, or bad. Drawing on the binomial distribution, three major issues involved in the segmentation approach are discussed—determining the sample size of the segment in the test mailing, recommending or rejecting a segment from the rollout mailing, and determining the regression-to-the-mean (RTM) effect for projecting the rollout response rate. Detailed tables are presented to help implement the results for practical applications.

Direct marketing is being used more and more often to support, rather than take the place of, salespeople in the field. However, when new techniques are not properly introduced, many salespeople reject them, either because they fear being replaced by the new methods or because they feel inadequate about their potential effectiveness in the operations launched. The present study shows how certain characteristics of the salesperson and certain organizational measures can increase the salesperson's perception of both role clarity (the part played by direct marketing in the company strategy) and task clarity (the direct marketing skills of the sales staff).

In recent years a number of commentators, taking note of facilitating developments in customer information systems, have predicted a movement toward retail direct marketing in the UK. Speculation in the trade press as to the potential consequences of such a movement has become almost commonplace. The fact remains, however, that little is actually known about the extent to which retailers are even interested in, let alone practicing, direct marketing. Consequently, this study aims to provide an initial benchmark against which future retail direct marketing developments can be gauged. In summary, it appears to justify interest in the emergence of a retail direct marketing movement. The results show both a high level of interest in direct marketing media, and the potential for the adoption over time of more sophisticated direct marketing applications. However, there appear to be a number of barriers to the adoption and implementation of direct marketing in the retail business. These are identified and discussed.

A linear programming model is developed and used to determine the monetary tradeoffs between fund raising and new contributor prospecting in direct mail charitable solicitation. This model considers both short- and long-term decision-making objectives, and incorporates operating constraints such as limitations on mailing expenses and variations in mailing list response rates. The contribution of the model is improved understanding of the tradeoffs between fund raising and contributor prospecting, in specific dollar terms, for every possible set of operating alternatives. The results of the calculations of the tradeoffs are presented in tabular form, and in a graph for easier evaluation and communication.