The REaD Group plc

Heading into The Silly Season

2010-11-29T01:43:00.000-08:00

Louise Walker
Head of Group Marketing

I’m disturbed by the speed at which we have reached November and were it not for the presence of Christmas lights, which have been fired up on Oxford Street and the radical decrease in temperature I wouldn’t have believed it.

Of course, one sure sign that we’ve reached the silly season, aside from annual budget meetings and strategic planning sessions, is the increasing number of work related social events I’ve found myself attending. Pick of the parties has to be our renowned REaD Wine Challenge, which took place at St. Stephens Club last week.

Hosted by celebrated sommelier Francis Gimblett, the winning team was captained by Martin King, Group Business Development Director at REaD Group plc with members including Colin Lloyd, Jon Bland of REaD UK, Lesley Atkinson of The AA, Ashley Rhodes of Dunnhumby, Steve Axon of RAPP, Jon Hinkley of Greenstone Data Solutions and Tim Pottinger of Callcredit Marketing Solutions.

Next up the Christmas party, although this year I’ve promised myself not to go near any photocopiers or tell Mark Roy what I really think about his golfing attire.

FRSB Data Management Seminar

2010-09-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Louise Walker
Head of Group Marketing

Some of you already know that we are sponsoring the Fundraising Standards Board’s upcoming data management seminar on the 26th of October. The seminar is the perfect opportunity for marketing and data professionals working in the voluntary sector to network and learn about the latest innovations in Data Asset Management.
The event will highlight the latest thinking in database management and targeted marketing and features case study presentations by two leading charities as well as a keynote presentation by leading data expert Groupe Aeroplan, the company behind the Nectar card programme.

There will also be help and advice on complying with the legal & best practice requirements of data management and an opportunity to discuss data problems with experts in an open ‘data surgery’ environment.

Any individual responsible for managing supporter and prospect data that is working in the voluntary sector should not miss this important and informative event. For more information on the seminar or to register please visit http://www.frsb.org.uk/events.

As part of our ongoing commitment to charities, we have also launched a specific webpage that features our recent whitepaper and case studies for charities. http://www.readgroupplc.com/charities

Stay tuned to the charity page for the results of our consumer attitudes report on direct marketing from the third sector, which identifies key insights that will help charities to make efficient use of their marketing resources in a difficult economic climate.

Product Launch, World Cup Party, Data Show and more...

2010-07-26T04:14:00.001-07:00

Mark Roy, CEO

We’ve had a busy couple of months here at The ReaD Group with new product launches, Scientia’s World Cup client party and the Data Marketing Show at Marketing Week Live, which took place at the end of June.

Scientia chose the right day to host their world cup celebrations in support of the England team, which saw Scientia, their clients and friends within the group enjoying a champagne and Pimms brunch before touring through London aboard a traditional red route master Double-Decker bus. After the tour, the party reconvened at the Yorkshire Grey pub in Holborn to watch England play Slovenia. The day was a huge success, which was in no small part down to the hard work of the Scientia team…and the England players of course!

For those of you who weren’t able to attend the Data Marketing Show, highlights include the launch of Data Asset Management, our group wide proposition, and presentations on the Arena Stage by Rob Salmon, Managing Director of meta-morphix, and Peter Bell, joint Managing Director of Funnel Lead Marketing.

Focusing on the case studies and processes that have been instrumental in driving their businesses forward, Rob and Peter gave insightful and informative presentations that offered tangible ways for organisations to compliment and improve their data and DM strategy.

Download: Lead Generation for Direct Marketers by Peter Bell.
Download: Innovate and automate your bureau by Rob Salmon.

You will be familiar with the Data Asset Management services we offer across the Group and the myriad solutions we can provide. To help you navigate the new terrain and to compliment our group proposition we are launching DAM Consulting. Our skilled consultants will be able to advise you on the service components required to create a bespoke data solution for your organisation, while our team of efficient project managers will ensure the smooth execution and delivery of your services.

Turning data into customers

2010-06-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

at The Data Marketing Show 2010

The REaD Group plc will be exhibiting at this year’s Data Marketing Show and demonstrating how you can win more of your best customers with the Group’s extensive range of Data Asset Management products and services.

We can help you attract customers that are loyal, frequent and love what you offer by enabling you to identify them, find more of the same and arm you with the best way to get in touch.

To find out more visit us at stand B308 or email enquiries@readgroupplc.com to make an appointment during the show.

Our experts will also be giving tips on how best to utilise the latest developments in database marketing at the show’s Presentation Arena:

12pm Tue 29th June
Lead Generation for Direct Marketers
Peter Bell, Funnel Lead Marketing Ltd

Lead generation is an exciting new opportunity to win new customers, but there are some important things to consider to ensure you take the road to success.

12pm Wed 30th June

Innovate and automate your bureau - how to make data processing a lot less dull
Rob Salmon, meta-morphix

With ‘Inline’ you can have totally automated, bespoke data processing, leaving more time for clever analysis that really makes a difference to your business.

Bolster your data processing offering to clients

2010-04-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Guy Smith, Online Manager

If you’re interested in increasing your data processing offering without incurring hefty fees or protracted licenses then http://www.m-monline.com/, the online data processing service from meta-morphix, could work for you. Without any unnecessary flourishes the service, which is designed for data professionals, enables you to manage your data processing 24/7 from your desktop and gives you access to enhancement files such as NCOA & BT OSIS.

Despite being simple to use and fully automated the system makes no assumptions about your data, giving you the control over file layout and providing you with a 1-step job specification and file upload facility.

This unique online resource enables you to audit your data or campaign files for free and provides you with a full cost breakdown that can be set to reseller rates if required. Credit card payment options and invoice accounts are available making the process quick and flexible. You can request a registration code and find out more information at http://www.m-monline.com/ or you can contact Guy Smith at meta-morphix guy.smith@meta-morphix.com or call 0207 0896412

1st Quarter Group News

2010-04-26T01:58:00.000-07:00

Mark Roy, CEO

Having survived the turmoil of 2009, I am pleased to say that it has been a very busy three months here at The REaD Group. Like a lot of companies operating in a recession keeping our cash flow manageable and positive has been our greatest challenge. 3 months into 2010 we have shown a marked upturn, achieving 9% above forecast sales and profit 20.1% ahead of forecast target. Understandably we hope that the rest of the year follows the same pattern.

Although we have continued to win new business, the increased bureaucracy involved in the procurement process has meant that actually winning business has been even harder and more protracted than ever before, but thanks to a gifted and intelligent sales force, we’re seeing more activity and more opportunities overall.

Throughout the recession, we continued to invest in what we perceived to be areas of growth while many battened down the hatches. We acquired meta-morphix, and launched subsidiary organisations Scientia Data and Funnel Lead Marketing. Because of these investments, our earning potential has grown substantially with a significant contribution to Q1 revenues and profits coming from the new ventures. What I am particularly proud of is that we have managed to protect the jobs of our staff and have continued to grow as a company, with each of our subsidiaries making regular and sustained contributions to the group overall profits.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the recession is over. It just means that we have responded to the challenges effectively and pre-emptively and that we have the right team of people behind us. With the election just around the corner we have an uncertain 2nd quarter ahead of us, which will require continued restraint and hard work.

Key personnel moves include the promotion of Rupert Tomalin to Head of Operations at The REaD Group plc; Dee Toomey has taken the reigns at Scientia as Managing Director Designate and Louise Walker has been promoted to Head of Group Marketing. New recruits include Zach Brookes who has joined Scientia as Business Development Executive, Elena-Maria Theodoulou who joins The REaD Group plc as a Paralegal and Elise Rappoport, our new PR Manager.

Before signing off, I just wanted to take the opportunity to offer thanks to all of our staff, clients and friends for their continued support and to wish everyone a happy and profitable 2nd quarter and rest of the year.

Mark Roy

REaD UK Products Move With The Times

2010-02-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

Amidst all the chaos and changes facing the DM world at the moment, it’s easy to get bogged down by the more apocalyptic issues such as looming legislation and the proposed removal of the Edited Electoral Register, but pull back just a little and it’s the creeping social changes that have the greatest impact on the way we do business.

One area in the direct marketing food chain where social changes can be seen to have the most noticeable impact is in data suppression. If a suppression product is worth its salt it should pick up on and reflect subtle changes in the housing market or family dynamics rather being based on a set of potentially inaccurate assumptions.

Take for example the subtle shift in our social mores. Forty percent of marriages now end in divorce and cohabiting is now de rigueur, no longer the transgression it once was. We’ve also seen enormous changes in the housing market in the last 10 years. Mortgages are thin on the ground, buy-to-let has bottomed out and as first time buyers struggle to find their feet amidst the uncertainty, many have been forced into rental or even back into the parental home. The student population is also on the increase with undergraduate applications reaching record levels for the fourth year running. Subsequently, short term student accommodation is in high demand making it an investment hot spot for canny developers.

Previously, the highly transient rental sector was much harder for suppression products to accurately track than owner-occupiers. Now, with even the most credit-worthy individuals struggling to become homeowners in the current economy, it is more important than ever that suppression solutions capture moves across the board. For marketers engaging in DM activities these sociological nuggets are gold and it’s essential that we move with the times.

Still Streets Ahead
Here at REaD UK we aim to ensure that our products and services track and reflect the changing times, offering innovative solutions to our clients. A perfect example of this can be seen in the changes we’ve made to The Gone Away Suppression File (GAS), which has seen an overall increase in the number of monthly uploads.

GAS is built purely for suppression purposes making it the most accurate and trustworthy gone away suppression file on the market. In order to maintain our position as the best in the market we have incorporated a number of new information sources, giving us greater cross-referencing resources and enabling us to identify a greater degree of home moves whilst maintaining the quality of the data.

With the increase in splintered individual moves from households, REaD UK recognises the importance of delivering a solution that reflects these changes. Further to this, we receive information from a variety of transactional, local authority and other third party sources, which accounts for a significant uplift volume in GAS. Each record is then passed through REaD UK’s stringent build and validation process before being uploaded to GAS. It’s our unique process that differentiates GAS from its competitors - it’s what we keep off the file that really counts!

Luci Penn, Managing Director of REaD UK comments, “In order to ensure the accuracy and integrity of our Gone Away Suppression (GAS) file it’s essential that we respond to social and market trends such as the increase in split household moves and the demand for short term rental accommodation. Because of these subtle market shifts we capture more datasets overall but in order to ensure the success of our client’s campaigns it’s essential that we remain diligent when it comes to our validation process.”

Mark Roy – My Year Ahead

2010-01-29T04:11:00.000-08:00

During the Christmas break I had time to dabble in a little ‘trend spotting’, which I’ve been assured is very now. According to www.trendspotting.com staying abreast of the latest consumer trends will not only make me feel good (I’m still waiting) it should enable me to “dream up profitable new goods, services and experiences” with and on behalf of our customers. In theory this is good news for us all but what happens if I get it wrong and my predictions for this year haunt me throughout 2011?!

Without further ado here are my financial predictions for 2010.
Q1 Below average
Q2 Bad
Q3 Slow but recovering
Q4 Best of the year

Joking aside these are tricky times and it’s hard not to embrace an air of hesitance when trying to imagine where we’ll be next week let alone at the end of Q3. This is reflected in the prevailing uncertainty that exists within the market place in spite of the fact that we technically came out of recession during Q4 of 2009. The upcoming election is of course partly to blame for this however, it is also an easy excuse for companies to delay payment, which ultimately benefits no one. As usual it’s the banks that hold the real trump cards when it comes to businesses succeeding and until they start lending, liquidity and confidence will NOT return. 2010 should therefore be a consolidation year where survivors tread cautiously but without the paralysing trepidation seen at the end of 09.

In terms of legislation it’s difficult to imagine that anything will actually change in 2010 as it’s likely that the incoming government will embrace many of the issues that have been mooted by the incumbent Labour Party. Assuming the more business focused Tory Party take the reigns, the constraints on the public purse strings will limit the ability of the new regime to create any drastic legislative U Turns even if they wanted to.

For DM 2010 promises to be our toughest year yet and many companies will struggle to come to terms with the ‘new wave’ of lower volume and higher frequency campaigns! I also suspect that per capita prices will start to grow for data as companies who have been driving price down will have disappeared and clients will be prepared to pay that little bit more for solutions that work. As the low volume, high frequency approach is tailored towards giving consumers a choice it is therefore essential to forge respectful relationships with consumer that last beyond Valentines Day.

Although digital hasn’t quite delivered us to the Promised Land (not surprisingly) it has firmly established itself as a core component within DM contact strategy and companies wishing to succeed in this somewhat "egg-shell" year will have to both embrace channel integration and make it deliver. I fully expect to see Lead Generation/Marketing making huge strides to satisfy both parties with consumers getting what they want and companies getting cost effective prospects.

Without wanting to bore you to tears I think it’s time to turn my attention to some blatant guess work that might just come to pass. The Tories will win the election and have at least a 10% majority. Barack Obama's ratings will exceed 65% as his health bill passes and beds in. Inflation will peak at 2.6 million in Q2. Interest rates will be 2% at the end of the year. Europe will win the Ryder cup, but it will be the closest competition for years.

Wishing you a prosperous year ahead.

Mark Roy
CEO of The REaD Group plc

Inaugural Charity Data Bursary Concludes

2009-12-21T04:34:00.000-08:00

The REaD Group’s inaugural Charity Data Bursary recently concluded with a final presentation at the offices of Bursary recipient, Breast Cancer Care.

Breast Cancer Care, which was awarded the Bursary in August 2008 after a competitive submission process that attracted dozens of applications from major charities throughout the UK, has received £25,000 worth of data cleaning, processing and analysis services over the past sixteen months from all REaD Group subsidiaries.

‘For some time now we’ve been cognisant of the considerable financial and technical constraints faced by charity and volunteer organisations, so this opportunity to assist Breast Cancer Care to increase the accuracy and fundraising efficiency of its data holdings has been incredibly worthwhile for all concerned,’ comments Mark Roy, The REaD Group’s CEO. ‘Breast Cancer Care will be using it’s new REaD-empowered data for the first time during its forthcoming Spring 2010 campaign, so we wish all concerned the best of response rates and ROI'.

‘We’ve long held ambitions to analyse our database more intelligently, needing to unlock its potential for our long-term growth,’ says Breast Cancer Care’s Director of Fundraising & Marketing, Murray Lindo. ‘Working with a talented group of professionals from across The REaD Group, we found the journey, as well as the outputs, of tremendous value. REaD group staff already know the power and value of data products but these, supplemented by TRG data analysis and suggestions on list-buying, mean that we are already revising our marketing strategy for individual donors. As Mark mentions, the first true test will be in March, but the learnings are being implemented far more widely and will help us make a greater difference to people affected by breast cancer'.

In collaboration with Breast Cancer Care, we’re aiming to have a case study available in April 2010.

Pictured (L-R): Sally Wilson (TRG Strata), Matt Renew (REaD UK), Alec Raven (BCC), James Redding (BCC), Dan Whitehead (meta-morphix), Jessie Billing (BCC), Jo Dyson (BCC), Wayne Tarr (BCC), Catherine McCrohan (BCC), Murray Lindo(BCC), Kate Redway (BCC), Dawn Varley (BCC), Richard Anderson (REaD UK).

Gone, but not forgotten

2009-11-19T02:52:00.001-08:00

The Bereavement Register®‘s new data supply arrangement with itc Legal Services is a timely case in point. Not only will itc Legal Services be providing the Register with fully-verified names for hundreds of thousands of deceased individuals over the next twelve months, but throughout our recent test period, 91 per cent of registrants opted-in to The Bereavement Register®. This resounding consumer acceptance and support of the Register all happened within an average time frame of under three days, what’s more.

Why is The Bereavement Register® so widely supported? On any given day, around 1,575 people die in the UK[1]. As if this reminder of our own mortality wasn’t sobering enough, this same 1,575 deceased will cumulatively receive an estimated 126,000 pieces of unsolicited mail in the twelve months following their deaths. The result? Undue distress to grieving family members and friends as well as adverse environmental impacts at a time when we’re all striving to be more eco-friendly.

Adding insult to injury, given that many items of ‘dead post’ contain personal information such as name, address and date of birth, an ever-increasing amount of post is being illegally intercepted by identity thieves. According to CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, Impersonation of the Dead (IOD) is now Britain’s fastest-growing identity crime, with upwards of 70,000 families likely to experience the pain of discovering their deceased loved one has become a victim of IOD fraud this year alone. Your use of the Register hence places you at the forefront of protecting deceaseds’ personal details and helping the environment – both of which can only but enhance your brand’s image.

Also at the front line are Donna Marshall and Victoria Maskell (pictured) the public faces of The Bereavement Register®. They personally field dozens of calls each day from family members and friends wanting to register deceaseds’ details. Along with your sterling work, that The Bereavement Register® has become the fastest, most source-verified and comprehensive deceased suppression file available in the UK is testament to the dedication and professionalism of everyone involved. It’s not for nothing that The Bereavement Register® is used to screen over 72 per cent of all direct mail in the UK and is the deceased mail service of choice amongst the majority of Britain’s funeral homes, government agencies and police constabularies.

Unlike some deceased suppression files, The Bereavement Register® assumes nothing when it comes to the delicate issue of deceased data. If the ultimate confidence indicators of any suppression file are high usage rates and public trust, then The Bereavement Register® clearly has both.

So for your help in assisting grieving relatives and friends during the difficult months following the death of a family member or friend, we thank you.

While people may be gone, we’re all helping to ensure that they’re far from forgotten.

[1] Source: ONS.

The REaD Group plc Launches New Lead Marketing Subsidiary

2009-10-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

The REaD Group plc is pleased to announce the debut of its latest subsidiary, Funnel Lead Marketing. The first full-service ‘lead marketing’ agency of its kind in the UK, Funnel’s brief is to design and manage lead generation campaigns with the capacity to source, optimise and deliver a winning mix of consumer leads, both in terms of volume and quality.

Helmed by former Acxiom lead generation cohorts Peter Bell and Steve Cox, Funnel Lead Marketing will be based at REaD’s London Bridge office, alongside fellow Group subsidiaries meta-morphix and Scientia Data.

REaD Alert recently spoke with Peter and Steve in order to get their take on all things lead marketing.

REaD Alert: Lead marketing’s the new kid on the prospecting block, so to speak. Guys, how does it work?

Peter Bell (PB): Lead marketing is basically the data-driven science of generating, qualifying, contacting and converting consumers who have requested information on a particular product or service. Funnel’s rather like Perfect Match, I suppose – linking consumers who have certain wants and needs with offers, products and services we think they’ll find attractive.

REaD Alert: Sounds rather sexy.

Steve Cox (SC): Believe me, it isn’t! [All laugh.] It’s bloody hard work, actually.

REaD Alert: But in a marketing world where there’s already a bewildering array of channel choices, doesn’t lead marketing run the risk of being the final acquisition straw that breaks the budget camel’s back?

PB: Not at all.

SC: Exactly. If anything, it’s the reverse. Lead marketing actually takes a huge degree of risk out of the equation.

REaD Alert: How?

PB: With us, marketers only incur a cost when they are provided with opted-in contact information for consumers who have engaged with their brand. The overhead associated with identifying, qualifying and gaining these valuable leads is instead transferred to the media owner. So lead marketing stands to save brands a hell of a lot of time and money.

REaD Alert: At the risk of sounding like some Hollywood sci-fi film, exactly how do you make ‘first contact’ with consumers?

SC: If lead marketing’s anything it’s multi-channel. We regularly use a combination of online (search, banner advertising, affiliate marketing, e-mail and co-registration), alongside more traditional offline channels (DM, print media and the like), to direct consumers towards filling out lead generation advertisements. The one thing we ask clients to ensure is that each channel uses the same (or very similar) creative in order to keep each brand contact point on-message and mutually supporting.

PB: What we’re saying to consumers is: ‘If you’re interested in a product or service, then provide us with your contact details and we will be in touch with further information.’

SC: Add some sort of incentive into the mix - a discount or prize draw, for example - and every lead marketing campaign has the potential to attract sizable numbers of interested and motivated potential purchasers.

PB: Whose details you only acquire on an opted-in, pay-per-lead basis.

REaD Alert: Time to put you on the spot. What are your Top 10 tips for achieving lead marketing success?

PB: Okay. That’s five each. You go first, Steve.

SC: Thanks, mate. [Thinks] Well #1 would have to be setting clearly defined expectations and realistic campaign goals. Without these you do not pass go and do not collect £200. #2 is establishing the most appropriate channels and incentives in order to drive customers to your online registration site. That’s incredibly important, too. #3 is thinking from a consumer’s perspective when designing your creative content. Assume nothing – that’s always my advice. While #4 is avoiding real-time feeds unless you really can respond to consumers in a timely fashion. Don’t over-promise, in other words. Umm… This is really hard! And at #5, prioritise your needs. Don’t be tempted to ask ‘nice to know’ information at the expense of gathering vital consumer intel. Over to you, Mr Bell.

PB: Hmm… #6 is ‘Be consistent’. Like Steve mentioned earlier, staying on-message across your entire campaign - from brand introduction all the way through to conversion – is a ‘must do’. #7 is explaining your product or offer clearly and concisely. Cut the jargon and don’t patronise people. At #8, give yourself as much lead-time as possible and test, test and test again. Experiment with as many lead generation approaches as your budget permits in order to optimise your targeting proficiencies. #9 would have to be don’t lose control of where your lead generation advertisements are appearing. Trust me – it’s easily done. And finally, at #10, remember that lead generation shouldn’t be pursued in isolation. It’s no channel slave, so ensure that it informs and supports your entire multi-contact campaign strategy.

REaD Alert: Sounds good. Gentlemen, thanks for your time.

PB: Pleasure.

SC: Funnel looks forward to working with marketers and brand managers wanting new, ROI-optimised lead generation options as we all start prepping for more robust economic recovery in 2010.

PB: Amen to that.

Find out more information about Funnel Lead Marketing’s services.

Suppression and Data Management ‘Best Practice’

2009-09-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

Richard Anderson, Sales Director
REaD UK

At the risk of sounding like a complete heretic, I’m no great fan of the ‘s’ word – suppression. Perhaps the new Dr Who can travel back to the early Nineties and rename the process of identifying gone-away and deceased customers/prospects as something a little more, well… positive. Because suppression, both as a data cleaning application and a marketing mindset, is about so much more than just flagging or removing unwanted individual name and address records. To me it’s always been a means to leveraging the greatest insight and ROI possible from data – not just removing records. Which might seem like so much semantics, but as we’ll see, suppression remains essential data management kit for astute, cost-conscious marketers.

First let me tackle that hoary old chestnut: ‘Why suppress?’ Yes, Royal Mail did send an unsuppressed mailing out to gone-aways about fifteen years ago that did generate a commercially viable response rate (and which is often cited by anti-suppresionistas). But what was the nature of the offer? And what was the volume? Sure, if I had sufficient budget, I too could simply carpet bomb entire regions and, if my offer was sufficiently attractive, probably achieve an effective response rate and thus meet my sales target. But along the way I’d have needlessly spent several hundred thousand quid, mightily peeved countless householders already irked by the junk mail tsunami pouring through their letterboxes and seen vast quantities of my expensive (and probably non-recyclable) DM pieces chucked into the nearest landfill.

Sound familiar? That was what dumb, unsuppressed – and, dare I say, unsophisticated - DM was like. But then a perfect storm of events forever changed the marketing landscape. The public became alarmed at the adverse environmental impact of ‘dumb DM’ (senselessly using the equivalent of 4 million trees per year is kind of a lot, no?) and nigh on every major brand scrambled to appear ‘green’. The estimated £50 million that misaddressed and discarded DM items cost UK businesses annually began to receive press attention, with many marketers receiving ‘Please explain’ notes from concerned CEO’s. Westminster beefed up the Information Commission Officer’s powers, passed the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) and is threatening to remove edited Role access if the DM industry doesn’t get its act together. Then finally, and most recently, came the big one - recession – and the associated contraction in marketing budgets, consumer confidence and expenditure which has left everyone grappling with new rules and game plans.

Like dodgy Ponzi schemers, the Bernie Madoffs of DM have been shocked to learn that there aren’t infinite numbers of new clients out there to recruit in order to meet their quarterly sales targets. Too many punters have been burned by churn, I’m afraid. Replacing this ‘bigger, faster, more’ ethos are client retention strategies, brand loyalty, response rates and ROI (all of which have become hot industry topics of late), while new kids on the sales block such as transactional data and online lead generation are making claims to recession-busting glory.

But powering all of these marcoms channels and activities is data – the cleaner, accurate and secure the better. And suppression remains customer and prospect data’s best friend. Not as a simple merge/purge process, but as part of data management programmes which are far more intuitive, transactionally responsive and ROI-focussed. Or at least should be.

Look at the issue of over-suppression. Depending how you’ve identified and quarantined your most valuable clients during any cleaning process as well as the kind of match tolerances you’re applying either in-house or via a bureau, in the worst case scenario otherwise marketable name and address records can be inadvertently suppressed. So pre-clean data segmentation is incredibly important. Similar problems can also arise when using deceased suppression products which contain a sizable amount of unverified information. The Mr or Mrs Smith who purchased from you as recently as last month may not have shuffled off this mortal coil, and yet some suppression files routinely classify many very much alive people as ‘probably dead’. Both scenarios are best avoided, I think you’ll agree.

How? Well, simply knowing who your customers are is no longer enough. In order to stay one step ahead of the sales game, marketers should be getting to grips with all transactional aspects of brand interaction – ie. who’s buying what, for how much, and when – and only then proceeding with data segmentation, suppression and enhancement. These types of activities are all essential for keeping data campaign fit, and both individually and collectively are powerful weapons in every database arsenal – albeit ones which must be used with discretion and with clearly defined campaign goal(s)/commercial imperatives in mind.
Specific to suppression products, to my mind the four most important criteria to look at when choosing are accuracy, recency, coverage and price. As alluded to above, files containing inaccurate data can play havoc with client and prospect data, so wherever possible try to ensure that all of the suppression files you’re using contain only verified and non-assumed data.
With ‘warm’ transactional data the new ‘hot’ for many marketers, recency is also becoming an important selection criterion. Suppression files which take months to compile and update may impair your response rates, so look for suppression products with a refresh rate appropriate to your needs.

Even in this more targeted, multi-channel DM environment, coverage still has a prime place at the suppression table. Don’t constrain your marcoms strategy by using suppression files with anything less than the maximum coverage available – whether by market or geographically. Otherwise you won’t be playing with a full data deck, so to speak.

And finally, there’s that old suppression devil: price. Only after ticking the accuracy, recency and coverage boxes should price enter the equation. A suppression file which meets all of your requirements in each of these areas will, after all, represent excellent value for money – both in the short and long term. Once again, ‘pick ‘n mix’ files which have low churn rates and/or incorporate a sizable percentage of unverified data may look like cheaper, viable options. But the additional costs you’ll incur by needlessly marketing to customers who have moved, died or simply aren’t interested in your offer (not to mention those who may have otherwise responded but have been needlessly suppressed), will cost you infinitely more in terms of brand damage and/or lost sales.

"I may have to leave beating Tiger for another year"

2009-07-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Peter Appleyard, The REaD Group plc’s sponsored Golf Pro, recently phoned us from the back nine with this update regarding his preparations for this year’s British Open.

A little over half-way through the year and yet the season hasn’t really begun for yours truly. At the time of writing this, British Open Qualifying has not gone quite as well for me as in 2008, so I may have to leave beating Tiger for another year, alas – when he’s fully recovered from his knee surgery. Am sure Tiger will be disappointed!

2009 has been a mixed bag so far, with some good golf and some missed cuts. But I have won more money than during the whole of last year on the Europro Tour, so I’m pleased to say I must be doing something right.

Bovey Castle last month has been the highlight of 2009 so far. I was challenging for the tournament - tied second on the last day of play, in fact. Exciting stuff indeed. But events are won and lost by extremely fine margins, and sadly two poor swings saw me quickly slip back to finish in 22nd place. I learned some valuable lessons to ensure this doesn’t happen again, so the tournament was far from a wasted opportunity – particularly as the REaD Group logos got a good airing when I appeared on Sky Sports Highlights. My pink REaD Group-emblazoned shirt was a big hit, receiving many compliments. The shirt, that is – not me! LOL.

On more serious note, due to swing tweaks and Mr Roy’s exceptional play of late, the Appleyard – Roy Series has been a close tussle this year. But I am pleased to report that I’m beginning to stretch my lead.

Well, that’s all the news for the present. Best wishes to you all and I look forward to seeing some of you on a course somewhere soon.

Cheers,

Peter Appleyard

Lead us into temptation (but deliver us from prospecting evils)

2009-07-16T04:18:00.000-07:00

Dawn Orr, MD of The REaD Group plc’s subsidiary Scientia Data.

Apologies if the above title sounds sacrilegious, but Online Lead Generation (OLG) certainly seems to be on the lips of every marketer I meet these days. For good reason, as OLG is one of the most cost-effective methods of client prospecting. Why settle for buying simple clicks, after all, when you can meaningfully engage with motivated and interested customers poised to purchase. And in real-time, no less.

With the recession biting ever-harder, one doesn’t have to be Rupert Murdoch to be concerned about monetising your online content wherever possible. But as marketers stampede to secure new customers via any and all online means possible, I’m bemused by the fact that many are forgetting one important fundamental. Namely, that a lead is simply that – a lead. It’s not a guarantee of conversion or purchase. Regardless of whether you’re following up your online data capture with call centres, newsletters, eCRM or good, old fashioned DM, one forgets variables like incentive-, channel- and timeframe-optimisation at one’s peril, in my experience.

As marketers transition from volume- to value-based campaign models, I believe the new ‘holy trinity’ of customer prospecting is quality, price and validity. Whether your data capture is via bespoke landing pages or the likes of online games, surveys, quizzes or social networking sites, the ‘stickier’ and more response-geared these are, the more detailed (and valuable), the leads generated. Price should also be a consideration. Exclusive access to ‘hot’ prospects is no bad thing. Yes, you’ll pay a premium for these, but the increased ROI these prospect ‘diamonds’ can bring will be worth it in the long run. And ensure the validity of any purchased prospect data – particularly those generated on a pay-per-lead basis. In what must surely be the marketing equivalent of battery farming, many agencies are using response ‘boiler rooms’ in far flung places to skew their response rates. Just because OLG is in its infancy is no excuse for unscrupulous business practices. I don’t mean to sound like a scare monger, but believe me – it happens. Long story short: Always buy your leads from a reputable source and make sure the information you receive is properly permissioned and data protection compliant.

As the only marketing channel to see any positive growth in 2008 (up 19.2 per cent, according to the IAB), online is certainly at the forefront of counter-recessional marketing best practice. It’s no ‘magic bullet’, of course, but with OLG currently enjoying 71 per cent year-on-year growth (IDC), you’d have to be Helen Keller not to realise that this is an exciting and profitable marketing trend in the making.

May thine really be the prospecting kingdom. Forever and ever, amen.

Suppression and the Recession

2009-06-19T03:31:00.000-07:00

Richard Anderson, REaD uk’s newly appointed Business Development Director, looks at the benefits of suppression for UK marketers during the current credit crunch.

Regularly applying suppression files to clean your B2C and B2B lists of deceaseds and gone-aways (ie. people who have moved house or job), as well as preference service registrants is no longer an optional extra but is now mandatory for all UK data owners thanks to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008). With a plethora of suppression files available via bureaux and direct licence though, the question remains: How can marketers ensure that they’re getting the most accurate and cost-effective suppression possible?

In my opinion, the four most important criteria to look at when choosing suppression files are: (1) accuracy; (2) recency; (3) coverage; and (4) price. Files containing inaccurate data play havoc with client and prospect data and can make you unwittingly commit the most cardinal of data management sins – over-suppression. Purging your files of otherwise viable customer data really is sales death, so my advice is to make sure all of the suppression files you’re using contain only verified and non-assumed data.

Recency is also becoming an important selection criterion as many marketers search to identify who’s doing what with their disposable income during the current downturn. Files which take months to compile and update will hence impair your response rates if you’re after ‘warm’ prospects, so look for suppression products with refresh rates appropriate to your campaign requirements.

Even in a more targeted, multi-channel DM environment, coverage still has a prime place at the suppression table. Don’t constrain your marcoms strategy by using suppression files with anything less than the maximum coverage available – whether by market or geo-banding, for example. Otherwise you simply won’t be playing with a full data deck.

Finally, there’s that old suppression devil: price. Only after ticking the accuracy, recency and coverage boxes should price enter the equation, I believe. A suppression file which meets all of your requirements in each of these areas will, after all, represent best value for money in both the short and long term. Once again, ‘pick ‘n mix’ files which have low churn rates and/or incorporate a sizable percentage of unverified data may look cheaper and more attractive, but the additional costs you’ll incur by needlessly marketing to customers who have moved, died or simply aren’t interested in your offer (not to mention those who may have otherwise responded but have been needlessly suppressed), will cost you infinitely more in terms of brand damage and/or lost sales.

Introducing…Luci Penn

2009-05-20T02:09:00.000-07:00

Luci Penn
Managing Director - REaD

As part of The REaD Group plc’s ongoing expansion, Luci Penn has been appointed as Managing Director of Group subsidiary, REaD (Trading name of The REaD Group UK Ltd).

Having previously worked for the Group in a project development capacity for six years, Luci will, in her new role as a subsidiary director, be looking to bolster the already considerable service excellence and innovation of REaD's offering, which includes industry-leading suppression files such as The Bereavement Register, GAS and GAS Reactive.

‘Under Mark Roy’s stewardship, REaD is maintaining a deliberately counter-recessionary stance wherever possible,’ Luci told REaD Alert recently. ‘Even though times are tough, the Group’s ethos has always been to maximise value for clients by ensuring that our suppression products and services retain the industry ‘gold standard’ mantle for accuracy and cost-effectiveness.

‘My appointment will allow the four plc directors to remain focussed on Group growth and company acquisitions. Together with fellow Group subsidiaries meta-morphix and Scientia Data, all at REaD will be working hard to ensure that we’re helping clients derive the most insight and ROI possible from their data while assisting the Group overall to offer the most comprehensive and holistic suite of data management services available.’

Sales Tips to Beat the Recession

2009-04-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

Richard Anderson
Business Development Director - REaD

How do we keep our heads during the current recession while everyone else is losing theirs? Personally, I am optimistic about the next twelve to eighteen months because, despite seeing a retraction in mailing volumes during Q4 of last year, marketing activity appears to again be on the up-swing. Post-Credit Crunch, however, multi-channel campaigns are much better targeted – more considered, if you will. The name of the 2009 game is core business: retaining customers and enhancing brand loyalty. Anyone harbouring grandiose plans for worldwide domination best have deep pockets or wait a few years, I’m afraid.

Selling to customers and companies in the current climate is difficult, certainly, but far from impossible. Whereas cost is the most important sales USP for some, I’d argue that it’s the perceived value that a trusted brand or supplier consistently provides that can carry companies through choppy financial waters. I mean, do we all suddenly start buying ‘own-brand’ baked beans and abandon the pub for home-brew just because of the recession?
No, we don’t. Well, at least not entirely.

By all means keep your cost-base as low as possible, but it’s not the key sales driver I’m seeing here in Marketing Land as people – both at home and at work - opt for the tried and tested and ditch what they don’t need.

Those of us in the data game have known for a long time that value and insight come from knowledge. Whether it’s your key accounts or most frequent customers, knowing what people want and when allows you to more efficiently plan your campaigns and thus avoid the costly mistakes associated with marketing to current or prospect clients with the wrong offer, wasting precious pounds on people who have moved house or, worse still, even died.

Now more than ever, ensuring that suppression files remain a big gun in your data management arsenal is incredibly important. When used appropriately, suppression can certainly help your database remain value-generating and ROI-optimised. But beware the ills of over-suppression. I know of some companies who have tried to do the right thing, only to be sold suppression services that have left them with match rates of upwards of 30 percent. Almost a third of their data is unmarketable? Highly unlikely, I suspect.

Go the extra mile with clients, is essentially my recession-busting sales advice. Because making your product, service or expertise an integral and valuable part of a client’s lifestyle or bottom line will certainly be good for yours.

Increase Utilization and build Resilience.

2009-01-29T01:49:00.000-08:00

Dan Pope
IT Manager - The REaD Group plc

Like a lot of people, I’m surprised these data losses are still happening. The public and private sector should have tightened data handling procedures years ago. Sending out unencrypted data on laptops, CD’s and USB pens is insane given that more secure technology and data transfer protocols are readily available. Here at The REaD Group, for example, we house all our data centrally, so there is no reason for files to be taken off-site. Our employees instead dial into the network via the web on their laptops, mobile phones or through ‘hot desks’. It’s simple, secure and gives us confidence that sensitive information is being protected at all times. When data is your lifeblood, you have to handle it very carefully indeed.

Q: What have been the IT Department’s main achievements this year?

Well, 2008 has certainly been a busy one. To begin with, we invested in a new CRM system – one that enables us to provide a more personalised, value-added service. We then took on two new IT support staff, which has increased our client support capabilities considerably. The whole company also moved onto Microsoft Exchange, meaning that Sales Executives who are on the road can keep fully up-to-date with their emails through their mobile devices. Additionally, we also streamlined our separate photocopiers, fax machines, scanners and printers into multi-functional devices and hence substantially reduced our administration overhead and carbon emissions.

Finally, we had a Device Wall successfully integrated into our systems to ensure better security for the use of USB and CD Drives internally. This security measure prevents unauthorised personnel accessing our systems.

Q: What are your aims for next year?

Continuing to keep data as secure as possible; supporting our customers to the best of our ability; and, lastly, to constantly review and improve the ways in which we deliver data.

Q: So what’s hot for 2009 and why?

Virtualisation - resulting in a more consolidated network. This is something I am certainly going to seriously consider investing in next year. Each time we add to the servers, storage and applications, we increase the challenges of managing the whole system. With virtualization you can manage resources as a single entity, instead of many individual components. It can simplify the operation, reduce management costs and environmental impact as well as increase utilization and build resilience.

What Happened to the Rise of the Infomediary?

2008-11-07T03:31:00.000-08:00

DM Data Management, 1998 – 2008: A Snapshot
By Graham Arrowsmith

1998? I remember it well. Bill Clinton finally admitted to playing hide-the-cigar with a certain chubby White House intern; to the dismay of millions, Seinfeld ended; and a little blue pill called Viagra grabbed more headlines than the Second Coming.

For the DM industry, however, I recall ’98 as being something of a minor watershed as there was a growing sense of urgency in some quarters that direct mail here would go the way of the States and experience falling response rates. Not because of online (the digital onslaught wasn’t yet sounding so much as an echo out there in cyberspace), but because of marketers’ continued and relentless carpet bombing of the entire population.

At the time, the self-styled media leaders of direct mail were grappling with an industry slavishly following the Oscar Wilde mantra , ‘nothing succeeds like excess’. Yet shimmering on the horizon was an alternate vision for DM whereby it would act as the ultimate Infomediary - carefully capturing data and methodically compiling detailed consumer profiles by which marketing campaigns could be better targeted.

Was this a utopian dream? It was certainly scoffed at by many a Nineties nay-sayer. But with the medium’s long-term sustainability even then under threat from the gross imbalance between the amount of personal and business post pouring through letterboxes (am I the only one nostalgic for the time when one might occasionally expect to receive a hand written letter?), consumer attitudes to DM were on the turn.

And not necessarily for the better.

With e-mail and texting eroding DM’s hitherto exclusive preserves - rapid response and one-to-one communication – an alternate ending was in sight for a DM Infomediary capable of three strategic market interventions:

(1) as a trusted third party, it would align data captured from rewarded consumers with marketers ready at the right time with the right offer;
(2) optimised receipt patterns could be created through better DM scheduling to produce a more ‘balanced’ B2C doormat; and
(3) transforming the medium into a vehicle for considered and trusted feedback between individual and brand.

Fast forward to the present and it is arguable that the changes that have occurred over the course of the past decade are more the result of market forces than the silent hand of any altruistic Infomediary. Big brands have entered the medium in far larger numbers than in the Nineties, so there is much to celebrate. But in contrast to days of yore, offline budgets are steadily migrating to online, with digital expenditure now accounting for 15.6 per cent of total annual UK advertising expenditure of £19.4 billion against DM’s declining 11.2 per cent (all figures courtesy of the Advertising Association).

Why Green Equals Profit During the Credit Crunch

2008-09-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

When it comes to all things environmental, size certainly matters. As the CEO of a data management company, I give thanks daily not to have the headache of coming to terms with the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), the UK's new mandatory carbon trading scheme targeting large businesses and public sector organizations.

Kudos to those who are grappling with the ins and outs of carbon trading, however. We’re all counting on you if ‘Eco-Team GB’ is to save at least four mega-tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2020. With industry of all kinds contributing an estimated 55 per cent of the 500 million tonnes of carbon dioxide the UK currently produces annually, I believe it is incumbent on all of us – business owners big, medium and small alike - to explore the best ways of transitioning to an energy-efficient, low carbon economy.

At a time when many of us are striving to decrease our adverse environmental impacts, if we’re not careful there can often be a disconnect between laudable aspiration (ie. be greener) and finding the practical, sustainable, cost-effective means by which this can be achieved. Add the current ‘credit crunch’ into the equation and anyone in business could be forgiven for succumbing to the siren song of temptation by swapping ‘carbon maturity’ for that one-off deal or balance sheet ‘quick fix’ which could alleviate pressure on over-stretched budgets, the manifold effects of declining consumer confidence and/or the need to maintain ROI.
Continuing to fight the good, green fight has arguably never been harder. Or, conversely, more important. Whilst I don’t pretend to be a font of all green knowledge, I hope the following might provide some handy hints for fellow SME owners likewise trying to be socially and environmentally responsible during what are the toughest market conditions seen for almost two decades.

Let’s begin with some general office housekeeping tips – albeit with a twist. No/low-cost green initiatives that SME’s might like to consider implementing include:
· Behavioural measures (encouraging staff to turn lights and equipment off when not in use; adjusting heating controls; organising car pools; recycling etc);
· Structural upgrades (installing better insulation, double glazing and the like);
· Using more energy-efficient technologies (long-life bulbs, electronic equipment and boilers; switching to green energy providers, as examples).

‘All fine in theory,’ I hear you say. Well, the key to success lies, I believe, in the implementation of these energy-saving measures. Or more precisely, providing sufficient ownership and incentive. I’m proud of the fact that my employees, for example, have shown leadership on the ‘greening’ of our offices by devising and implementing their own guidelines and procedures by which our energy- and supply chain efficiencies could be maximised. What’s more, they’re enjoying the process because not only are very real savings being reported monthly (benefiting our bottom line and the environment alike), but added incentives in the form of small bonuses, additional leave time, community service and training opportunities are rewarding their ongoing commitment.

Good environmental practices should be good business, after all. Changes in the wider regulatory environment aren’t limited to the aforementioned CRC, either. For SME owners and marketers, in particular, an array of data handling issues are looming large on the horizon which have considerable implications for both the environment as well as how we interact with our customers. The new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUT), for example, promise fines of up to £5,000 or two years in prison for companies who ‘continue to make persistent and unwanted solicitations by telephone, fax, email or other remote media except in circumstances and to the extent justified to enforce a contractual obligation’, while Information Commissioner Richard Thomas and Wellcome Trust director Dr Mark Walport’s recent Data Sharing Report contains far-reaching recommendations for where, how and when personal data is collected, stored and exchanged by UK organisations.

The connection between customer data and the environment may not seem apparent at first glance, but if a database indeed powers your company’s marketing and/or brand management activities, keeping it clean and up-to-date is not only important, it’s now a legal necessity. So in order to ensure better targeted datasets, make substantial cuts in overall mail volumes (both direct and online), save money and – last but not least – enjoy considerable environmental benefits by avoiding the unnecessary production of DM and promotional items, you might like to try my suggested data management ‘Top Five’ :

· read up on your responsibilities by familiarising yourself with the above-referenced regulations (the Direct Marketing Association’s Code of Practice is also a good place to start);
· regularly clean your databases of deceaseds, gone-aways (people who have moved house or job) as well as Mail Preference Service (MPS) and Telephone Preference Service (TPS) registrants using commercially available suppression files;
· ensure transparency by publishing your company’s policy on how you intend sharing data with third parties for marketing purposes (in all probability, this will also soon be a legal requirement);
· integrate your multi-channel marcoms (research undertaken by B2B Marketing and Royal Mail has demonstrated that campaigns with strong, integrated brand activity deliver response rates of 60 per cent plus above the norm – not to mention save resources); and
· unlike some Government agencies, don’t leave a laptop containing sensitive information on a train or lose data discs in the post. The Information Commissioner’s Office is threatening to impose substantial fines for every person affected by data losses, so any breach could prove to be very expensive indeed.

At a time when outdated and unwanted B2C and B2B marketing materials are cumulatively consuming upwards of 4.2 million trees and costing UK companies an estimated £50 million per annum, by implementing any/all of the above, you’ll succeed in not only enhancing your company’s green credentials but also increase client loyalty/retention rates and profitability. What’s more, you will be able to plan beyond the current downturn knowing that your marketing missives haven’t suffered the worst DM death possible: ending their short lives as expensive and environmentally damaging landfill.

Like that hair care advertisement of yore once promised: It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. We have the technology and know-how, folks. What we need now is the management will and stamina to see out the bad times and make being eco-friendly and ISO 14001-compliant (we’re still striving for this!) synonymous with profitable – to the benefit of SME’s, consumers and the environment alike.

At Rest, But Not in Peace

2008-07-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

It’s a sad and sobering statistic: On any given day, approximately 1,575 people die in the UK, according to ONS figures. Based on current estimates from The REaD Group, this same 1,575 deceased will cumulatively receive over 126,000 pieces of unsolicited mail in the twelve months following their deaths. Causing undue distress to surviving family members as well as adverse environmental impacts, this veritable junk mail tsunami being dispatched to the deceased – much of it containing personal information such as name, address and date of birth – is increasingly being intercepted by identity fraudsters. According to CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, Impersonation of the Dead (IOD) is Britain’s fastest-growing identity crime, with upwards of 70,000 families likely to experience the pain of discovering their deceased loved one has become a victim of IOD fraud this year alone.

‘To lose a loved one is upsetting enough,’ comments The REaD Group CEO Mark Roy. ‘But to see their identity stolen by criminals is perhaps the ultimate indignity. It is for this reason that we call upon the direct marketing industry, government and consumers to join together to help stop this upsetting and insidious crime wave.’

While the Ministry of Justice recently ignored Information Commissioner Richard Thomas’ calls for tougher sentencing laws for perpetrators of data fraud and identity theft in favour of unenforceable two-year jail terms, the number of families joining The REaD Group’s The Bereavement Register (TBR), continues to grow exponentially.

Established in 2000 and containing over 2.8 million names, TBR is a free service that helps stop post being sent to people who have died – thus protecting personal data and the environment.

Stop suffering - screen your mailings

2008-05-12T02:06:00.000-07:00

Mark Roy, chief executive, The REaD Group

Is it just me, or is anyone else shocked by the wastage demonstrated by the charity sector when it comes to mailing lists? For an industry whose success depends on its ability to demonstrate prudence on its use of donor’s money, it is surprising to see it using a scattergun mailing technique that leaves it bottom of the league for responsible citizenship.

According to our figures, a staggering 88.5 per cent of mailings are still being sent out unscreened and unsuppressed in the charity sector every year, accounting for more that £11.5m of waste. Charities were also the worst culprit of any sector for mailing the deceased, with less than 10 percent of all their mail screened against a suppression file.
In comparison, The Bereavement Register screened an average of 60.4 per cent of all mail sent out by other sectors and prevented 39 million items being dispatched through the post last year.
Maybe charities think it doesn’t matter. If the intended recipient doesn’t get the mail, maybe somebody else will open the envelope and begin donating? Perhaps charities think they can’t afford it? Perhaps they don’t think the environment is a big enough cause to worry about the consequences? But there is also something far more worrying, particularly in relation to the damage done to the brand.

A few months ago, a charity sent out a mailer to its databases asking for a donation of £12 to help old people pay their heating bills to ward off the winter cold.
It included the strapline: “One Snug Young Lady. One Dead Old Lady. One Simple Request”. It also included a rather upsetting and graphic image of a corpse. The major problem with this mailing? It was sent to a Dead Old Lady and was opened by her recently bereaved husband.
The upset and suffering caused by this single letter can only be imagined and one can only expect that any likely donation promptly stopped.

Brand damage is probably just as deadly as wasted money or resources and is something charities need to start addressing quickly.

Charity doesn’t begin at home for the charities!

2008-02-27T02:18:00.000-08:00

So our annual research into use of suppression has been published. Fundamentally good news abounds. Use is up by an impressive 42% year on year, a truly significant growth and a huge fillip to the industry's environmental credentials.

Yet once again the charity sector bucks the trend of embracing best practice, creating long-term relationships and taking responsibility for their actions and rather than growing their use of suppression and data accuracy has in fact taken a retrograde step and used less suppression in the last 12 months than it did in the previous! So what the hell is going on?

Firstly, it is important to say we work with many charities – by definition those that have recognised the benefits of brand protection, significant costs savings and environmental awareness. They do tend to be the larger charities. In the commercial world the model pursued by the larger companies would be the one which everyone else strived to achieve, but not with the charities – no they seem to argue that they cannot afford suppression; that the ROI doesn’t stack up if you use suppression; that people want to receive their mailings; that it’s not JUNK MAIL they are charitable offers; - Please someone help me!

The hardest thing to overcome is that they can hide behind the statement that they are doing all in the name of good. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely support the charitable sector in their aims and ambitions. This country, nay world, would be a far worse place without the incredible work that they do for so many less fortunate than ourselves. However, it is not despite of this that I am so wound up, it is because of it! The bottom line is charities will continue to do good work whether they continue to send out junk mail to dead people or people who have moved, or not. The real issue is here is how much MORE they could do if they didn’t. £11.5 million wasted in the last 12 months over £100 million in the last 10 years!

And it’s not just about money wasted - it also significantly about perception. In my experience of talking to people about junk mail, the charity sector is the one that consumers always seem to have at the top of their “most annoying” list. Go to the ICO site and visit the charity section, even they acknowledge that consumers seem to be most irritated by charity mailers. Add to this that so many mailers are being sent to dead people or previous occupiers the perception is that charities both send out unwanted mail and then they waste money sending it to people who have died or moved years ago. Not a good approach for a sector that constantly leverages the angle that they need more money!

If suppression doesn’t work then why does every other industry sector screen on average 60% of its mailings? Because it works, that’s why. It saves money, it protects a brand, it enhances relationships, and it increasingly helps to protect our industry from legislative threat. All things that one would expect charities to embrace. Charities may think that they can do no wrong, in the name or good, but the reality is that they have been for decades. The time has come for the rest of the industry to ensure that every sector puts it weight behind the current industry challenges, the alternative being politicians enforcing change that puts charities at the top of their “most annoying” list.

Even the most sophisticated retention schemes risk failing when customers move

2008-01-24T03:02:00.000-08:00

By Richard Anderson, Sales Manager

Over the past few years increasing amounts of marketers have recognised that as well as the constant drive to acquire new customers, it is even more important to retain existing ones.
This is why the companies (that can), literally spend millions on sophisticated customer loyalty programmes and use them to provide existing customers with more value through a bespoke collection of offers and incentives. The buzz words “customer centric” came to the fore.
But however intelligent an approach, what can’t be avoided is the natural churn of customers moving house and failing to inform every company they have ever purchased from.
“Most of our customers let us know they have moved” we hear time and time again.
It just doesn’t wash with me. When I moved, I told my bank, my telecoms provider, my digital TV provider, the usual utilities - and that was about it. The others I got around to when I placed an order from my new address – and this included my supermarket loyalty card.
The removal of goneaways is now a given for most direct mailers– so why not continue the natural process and obtain the customer’s new address at the same time? That way you can continue a relevant dialogue with your customer, without interruption, and are less likely to lose them.
As well as telling you where your existing customer has gone, GAS Reactive is so accurate that in most cases it will provide the name of the new occupier too. This will enable you to strike up a conversation with a new prospect that is likely to meet your customer profile.
So even when your customer moves and doesn’t tell you, GAS Reactive ensures that the customer chain remains unbroken. It avoids the additional cost of re-acquiring that individual as a cold prospect and saves you the uncertainty of matching them with their assumed purchase history.
Suddenly, those clever loyalty programmes can appear even more logical – send Mrs Jones (No1 customer from Hartlepool) relevant incentives as an existing customer at her new address, rather than a generic offer for nappies or cat food when she doesn’t have children or pets.
100% retention might never be reached, but the best result will come from deploying multiple strategies and at the hub of these should be the use of accurate data-based tools to apply fresh intelligence to decaying data.

Tightening up the rules is one thing, getting people to play by them is quite another!

2008-01-23T08:36:00.001-08:00

Over the last few weeks we have seen a flurry of legislative activity from government in a bid to ensure that the data handling cock-ups made by government itself do not happen again. There is no point in discussing exactly how far the horse had actually travelled before someone thought to think about locking the stable door as what has gone has gone. Yet, the core goal of making sure that companies act honestly and responsibly when handling consumer data and information is still a million miles away from the desired objective.

A strengthening of the Information Commissioner’s powers must surely be welcomed by everybody. It is utterly absurd, and completely ineffective, to have a governing body that can only investigate a recalcitrant organisation by being invited by that same company to come and investigate them – it is simply never going to happen. So allowing the ICO to enter a company’s premises without notice has got to be a good thing. Equally allowing the ICO to deliver meaningful fines (e.g. not a £5,000 maximum) will also serve to sharpen a board’s focus when discussing issues around data security and privacy. However, for the last decade the ICO has had endless opportunity to crack their, albeit inadequate, whip. Hundreds of companies daily flout the existing legislation, by simply ignoring core principles such as “data shall be kept up to date and relevant at all times” – the 4th Principle.

Help eliminate fraud

2008-01-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

There are many well-documented cases of mailings to customers and prospects that have moved or died getting into the hands of fraudsters. They take on the identity of the customer, order products and then can’t be tracked down for payment. Suppression will eliminate this unnecessary risk to both you and your customers.