MarketingSherpa Blog

This week Ford gets a major slap on the wrist.

Ford’s Forddirect.com Web site must have launched a major traffic-driving campaign, because we received identical offers to visit the site from no fewer than five CPA mailers who send to junk lists on a regular basis: WhatanExtreme.com, Cosmic Offers, ForumXpress, and National Deal Club.

Industry-wise, consumer magazines’ were as a group the biggest offenders, including:

USWeekly
Body & Soul Magazine
Elle Magazine
Shape Magazine
Family Circle
Yoga International
Grace Woman
Budget Living Magazine (repeatedly)

More brands featured in mail clogging our junk address this week:

Oil of Olay
Target
Doubleday Book Club
Victoria’s Secret
Fredericks.com
Gevalia Kaffe
Fox Sports
DirectTV
LowerMyBills.com
T-Mobile
Disney Home Video
Frontline Phonics
iwon.com
Norton

Weirdly enough, both Harry Potter and William Shakespeare.

How it works: We have a junk mailbox here that’s not used by any human being, although the address is posted on one of our Web sites.

When mail hits that box we know for a fact that no one ever signed up to receive it. Once a week we pluck through the box, looking for brand names and add them to our List of Shame.

If your brand is listed here, you can get a copy of the offending email in order to track down the bad list owner by emailing me at AHolland@MarketingSherpa.com There’s no charge for this service.

Thanks for your support,

Anne
Anne Holland – Publisher
MarketingSherpa

#2. PR on a Low Budget: Combine 3 Tactics for Peak Impact

When Matt Pitchford started his new job last May, his boss gave him 10 months to make their Company a lot more famous. Here’s how he used classic PR tactics including:
– Getting reporters to pay attention to releases
– Planting articles in trade publications
– Gaining speaking gigs at conferences for his execs
If you’re a PR pro, you won’t find anything radically new in this Case Study. However, it’s a great tip-sheet for folks new to PR, plus a nice reminder of best practices for experts:
http://www.b2bmarketingbiz.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2375

#3. Can Email Newsletters Sell Subscriptions to Print Newsletters? HCPro’s Tests & Results

If email is an important part of your marketing mix, definitely check out this Case Study for notes on how to database and report on your email list names (as opposed to your regular customers).

Also includes results data on using a printed postcard mailer to gain email names, and lifetime value of email-sold vs. offline-sold customers.
http://www.contentbiz.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2376

#4. Tower Records Combines Print Catalog Plus Email Marketing: Sales Boost from 8% to 11%

Tower Records’ direct response team recently tested an integrated campaign, and we have the results for you. Their test cells included:
o Catalog only
o Catalog plus email offering no-cost shipping
o Catalog plus email offering 10% off any purchase
o Catalog plus email offering $5 off any purchase
o Control group � no marketing whatsoever
Find out what moved the needle:
http://www.greatmindsinmarketing.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2380

#5. Almost 40% of Kelly Clarkson CD Buyers Sign Up for Content Sent to Their Desktop (Bypassing Email)

Marketers at RCA who distribute the American Idol II and Kelly Clarkson albums are in the midst of testing a new relationship marketing tactic: Offering a desktop app that fans can download to get more news about artists on a regular basis.

If you are involved in loyalty marketing in any industry, this article may be useful for you. Applies to high-tech, finance, pharmaceutical and many other industries:
http://www.emailsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2377

#6. Marketing to the US Hispanics Online: 8 Tips, 6 Creative Samples, & Useful Links

US Hispanics spent an estimated $4.2 billion online last year, and they are one of the swiftest-growing Net demographics. We polled several top experts to find out how you should approach this market.

Includes creative samples of 6 email campaigns to inspire you:
http://www.consumermarketingbiz.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2381

#7. How to Get Your Article Published in MarketingProfs

80,000 marketers and marketing students read MarketingProfs’ email newsletter every week. Unlike other publications, it’s comprised entirely of contributed columns, so if you’ve written a great article you’ve got a good shot at planting it there. Here’s how:
http://www.marketingfame.com/sample.cfm?contentID=2379

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