"I know we need to do something different."

This is one of the most common responses we get from customers and prospects when we're talking to them about how their marketing is working for them. Some companies that have traditionally used direct mail as the sole marketing tool have found that it is harder and harder to get the kind of response they're used to. Marketing is different these days and for the people that have always received a good response from direct mail, that's hard to swallow.

At Baber Direct, we know that having more ways to connect with a target audience means a better chance of actually connecting with them. And that means improving the response you're getting now. Having a good, solid, professional Direct Marketing Plan is the right way to start doing something different and start getting better results with your direct marketing dollars.

Doing something different can mean a lot of different things.

• Using more than one medium to connect with your audience. This is Cross Media marketing. Here are six different ways to deliver your messages:

1. Direct mail
2. Email
3. Personal web sites
4. Telemarketing
5. Texting
6. Social Media

• List segmentation. Deliver different messages to different people on your list. Don't send the exact same postcard to everyone. Segment the list into categories of people that have certain things in common like age, family status (married, married with children, single, empty nesters etc.), income and buying habits like how much they spend with you and how often.

• Survey your customers and prospects. There are a lot of ways to do this. In-store, email, personal web sites or mail. The point is, get to know your customers.

• Use Variable Data Printing so the message you send is different for each recipient. Your messages will get read and when your customers notice that you're doing something different, you'll notice something different. You'll get better results.

• Build your database with more information about your customers and prospects. Get relevant information so you can deliver a more personal message that will get read. Build a culture at your company around making your database accurate and complete.

• Get back to the basics that have made Direct Marketing effective for decades.Select the right list, make a compelling offer, determine how often to deliver the message and measure the results.

To see real life examples of "doing something different", read some of the Case Studies on our web site at www.baberweb.com/casestudies.htm.

Whether it's using Cross Media, improving your web site, creating a strong Social Media plan or using technology in creative ways, when companies learn what to do and they see improved results, they know that doing something different was the smart thing to do.

Mike Baber