Successful Direct Marketing Methods: Interactive, Database, and Customer-Based Marketing for Digital Age

Direct marketing has grown beyond its roots in traditional mail order to embrace a host of new technologies, customer relationship-building techniques, and performance measures. Today, businesses and nonprofits of all kinds use direct marketing, which now garners 25% of the U.S. marketer's budget, surpassing newspapers and broadcast TV.

Hailed as the “bible” of direct marketing for over 30 years, Successful Direct Marketing Methods has been completely updated and expanded with all the latest tools and techniques needed for success in today's digital, multi-channel marketplace. Written by world-renowned direct marketing experts Bob Stone and Ron Jacobs, the Eighth Edition of Successful Direct Marketing Methods contains major revisions to chapters on the creative process, fully covering the development of direct mail advertising, catalogs, and print advertising. The Eighth Edition also explores such new topics as:

• The expanding objectives of direct marketing in the digital age
• Techniques for optimizing customer acquisition, up-selling and cross-selling, reducing defections, extending loyalty, and improving retention
• CRM applications, data mining, call center, campaign management, and sales force automation
• Customer experience management--connecting customers and brands at every touch point
• Brand building with direct marketing tools and techniques
• The growth of direct marketing in Europe, Asia, and Latin America
• Methods of international marketing--both direct and telemarketing

Successful Direct Marketing Methods offers professionals a comprehensive roadmap for direct marketing success across today's multiple marketing channels.

Ron Jacobs is President of Jacobs & Clevenger, Inc., an integrated marketing and professional services company with a focus on customer relationship marketing and based in Chicago, Illinois. He is also Senior Lecturer in the Medill/Integrated Marketing Communications Program, Northwestern University, where he teaches interactive marketing and E-Commerce. He was Program Coordinator for the Certificate of Direct Marketing Program at DePaul University from 1991 to 1995. Ron is a 1994 recipient of the Direct Marketing Education Foundation's Outstanding Direct Marketing Educator Award.A frequent speaker in the United States and internationally, Jacobs is the author of articles on such direct marketing issues as customer acquisition, database development, interactive/new media, business-to-business campaigns, integrated marketing communications, privacy, and customer relationship management.Jacobs is on the DMA Information and Interactive Tech Council and served as Vice Chair 1997-199 and E-Commerce Chair 1998-1999. He has served as an expert witness on the uses of consumer data and privacy. He is on the Advisory Board for the DMA Political Action Committee.A past president of the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing, Ron has served as Trustee of the CADM's Education Foundation and is past General Chairman of the CADM's Education Foundation Campaign Committee. He was CADM's 1998 Direct Marketer of the Year. Prior to beginning his direct marketing career, Ron spent 10 years with Trans World Airlines, where he worked in Customer Service, Operations, and agency sales.

Bob Stone was the cofounder and Chairman Emeritus of Stone & Adler, Inc., now a Young & Rubicam company. One of the pioneers of direct marketing, he was an eight-time winner of the Direct Marketing Association's “Best in Industry Award.” A former director of the Direct Marketing Association, Mr. Stone was one of the earliest inductees into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame.

Ron Jacobs is president of Jacobs &Clevenger, a multichannel, direct marketingcommunications agency that provides direct,digital, and database marketing services;transactional branding; and customermarketing programs. J&C’s practice areasinclude cross-channel strategy and planning,implementation, and creative and databaseoptimization. The author of many articles ondirect marketing and a frequent speaker, heworks with clients and organizations in theU.S. and around the world.