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This afternoon, as I flipped through channels, happen to hear this breaking news about EDF fining. But, it was interesting the way they are fined. EDF Energy is found guilty of its improper marketing practices and is agreed to hand the bulk of a package worth £4.5m back to the customers struggling to pay energy bills.

The watchdog Ofgem has not fined EDF, for they have apologised and realised their mistake. Instead, they are asked to sanction the payment of £3.5m to help reduce the bills of EDF Energy customers at risk of fuel poverty. Another £1m will be donated to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau’s campaign to encourage people to shop around for the best energy deals. I couldn't resist myself, so I ended up sharing this news with my best buddy who is working with Oracle Advertising.

SW Software Development, LLC is in trouble for trying to show concerns for the couples and families.

Surprised? So are many! I am quite regular on Southwest Airlines for various client meetings (Magnum Marketing, and other), and just thought of sharing the story with the readers, out there!

This time you're lucky Teena.

The last time my colleague Teena wanted me to link to Blackcode Advertising, it didn't work out. There were issues as regards the clash of IP numbers of two sites and I had to say a big SORRY to Teena. But this time you're lucky indeed. Will very soon give you the link!

People always are confused when they come face to face with things conventional and unconventional and don’t know which to choose…

This happens in direct marketing. But the scenario is different. Says a marketing guy working with ANB Promotions, “We are never confused; we know how to blend the conventional with the unconventional”.

The latest survey reports about consumers concern about their online privacy is something that most direct marketing companies should take into account. It is reported that a majority (ie., about a 90%) of U.S consumers worry about online privacy, while 41% do not trust most companies with their personal data (according to a Feb. 13 survey from TRUSTe).

Finding that 41% of adults don't trust businesses with their personal information seemed shockingly high. Whereas 90% are concerned about privacy, which means 60% of companies are trusted, something that will give a glimmer of hope to companies like, Appco Group USA. Businesses that focus on the issues around privacy and data security are trusted.

Let’s discuss here something that doesn’t concern the direct marketing industry. This is something that’s relevant, especially as regards Australia.

The Shangri-La Hotel in Cairns will host, from the 20th of March to March 22, 2012, the Next Generation Mining Summit, organised by GDS International. Leading executives from 90 percent of Australia’s top 30 mining companies would be attending the summit.

Direct Marketing companies are very much active when it comes to supporting humanitarian activities.

A sales guy working with Enza Marketing says, “Today almost all direct sales companies are committed to contributing towards humanitarian causes. This has become a global thing”.

Direct Marketing companies all over help charities and non profit-making organisations in a big way.

“For outsiders, the work that direct sales companies do in the charities sector may just seem part of their business”, says a senior marketing analyst and the writer of the Enza Marketing Review. He adds, “But it’s much more than mere business and money-making. It’s service too”.

Direct Sales always works with direct rapport, which is developed in the course of frequent interactions and which is retained with systematic hard work…

“Yes, it’s not that easy; it requires hard work and has to be an ongoing process”, comments a marketing guy who works for Appco Group India. He adds, “We meet all kinds of people- at their homes, at their workplaces, in the streets and at all kinds of places. For us, it’s not just instant business, its sustained business and hence we first make them trust and like us and then go for the next step”.

Direct mail has long been the prime channel for nonprofit organizations looking to raise funds, but as charities move into 2012 and beyond, marketers say marrying these messages with outreach through other media is becoming an essential part of the nonprofit marketing mix. Will this approach give the direct mail a gloomy outlook?

Non-profits are now more into using social media like Facebook and twitter, which will give the organisations more outreach. The purpose behind using different channels is that, the message will be tailored to a different target demographic and to the strengths of that channel. But, as long as direct mail is concerned, other channels can't deter it' position as a direct channel with a personal touch. That's the reason why direct marketing companies like Appco Group Australia still heavily depend on direct mail services for their outreach to customers.

It is now six months since the UK Bribery Act came into force. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO), in London have made it clear that they wanted informers to spill the beans on employers and business rivals, so that they have a clear mandate to follow the money if even part of it ended up in the UK.

The SFO while addressing a group of over 100 executives from British firms, doing business with Russia, said beware, as they were ramping up operations in cooperation with other enforcement agencies worldwide. The UK Bribery Act 2010 represents arguably the toughest legal regime against bribery anywhere in the world. It will require a thorough review of internal control frameworks and crucially, creates a strict liability offence for companies and individuals who negligently fail to prevent bribery within the business.

It’s good networking that helps any marketer expand his business.

Ask anyone at a company like Appco Group what the secret behind the company’s success is. You’d get all sorts of answers, but most of them would agree on one simple thing. Good networking, they would all say unanimously, is one of the mainstays of their company’s success.

Some brands promote their products and services keeping in mind, only thing - the business! But, some of the cases are rare that they do see it as a good cause while promotion of the brand happens.

Now, the question is - Do brands promote business for a good cause? Yes, McDonald's did! Good turn it may seem to some, but for others not so much. Often what happens is, good things done by others are criticized and, marketing companies like Enigma Marketing have come across many such occasions. Now, let's come to the point. What 'MacDonald-the popular restaurant chain,' did was to hand out children’s books with Happy Meals as part of a partnership with publisher HarperCollins.

Yes, this indeed is crazy! It has driven me crazy; and now I would have to drive you crazy…

Today morning, as I sit down, eyes glued to the computer monitor, searching for news related to direct marketing so that I could write something for this site, my colleague Teena smiles a wicked-like smile and says, “Hey, whatever your write, don’t forget to put a link to Blackcode Advertising, my client”. The very next moment she sends me a link via Skype and then gets on with her work, oblivious of the confusion she has created for me. In the meantime, our editor Shyama tells me we can’t put the Blackcode link there owing to IP clash issues and I may better put a link to Enza Marketing Review. Double confusion now!

There are a significant number of social media like Google, Bing, Facebook and Twitter that are going head-to-head to create effective changes in todays market and social space. The social media's explosive entrance has turned search upside down, besides the fact that SEO providers have become increasingly skilled at various factors that are very much relevant to them.

Search giants such as Google and Bing have confirmed that they're now looking at social signals as relevancy indicators. Web companies like Web Listing Inc., can help you leverage on social media to help with page rank boosts.

With the onset of 2012 more job-cuts are being prognosticated for the UK finance sector; and the reason is intensifying European sovereign debt crisis.

Yes, for the financial stability and to survive - the finance sector is trying to reduce expenditures, as the firms are hiring 'less' than before; about 11,000 jobs further will be slashed in the first quarter of the year 2012, hint survey reports of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). But with market leaders in direct/event marketing and promotions - like Celica Marketing and others, we can definitely look forward to positive changes in the finance sector.

“Why is 64n.com 64n.com?” this is a thought that would cross any sensible writer writing on this site.

Well, this has crossed my mind many times. I once asked a friend, who edits articles for companies like Redwoods Advance. The reply was, “Well, could that ‘N’ be for network? Some television channel that we may not know of?”

In mobile marketing, communication is the key factor in branding yourself. And, the direct marketing companies need to realise this. If you fail to communicate the benefits of receiving mobile marketing material means, you are missing out on the opportunities offered by this channel, says a research report.

In some countries (especially Britain), consumers prefer to have offers via their mobile phones. This nature of British consumers has made the job easy for direct marketing companies (like TC World Ltd.) in the UK.  While then others like Americans, French and Germans are less likely to receive mobile offers.

‘Niche Marketing’ is an oft repeated phrase among direct marketers; so what exactly is ‘Niche Marketing’?

Many leading companies, like Appco Group Of Companies for instance, know what Niche Marketing is and make use of it at all times. In fact Niche Marketing is the wisest thing to do for any marketer, irrespective of the market and its location.

Ask any successful direct marketer what the key to success today is and the reply would be- “Make your presence felt equally online as well as offline and you’d have half won the battle”.

That’s a truth that every dynamic marketer would approve of these days. Ask James Marshall of Magnum Marketing and he’d tell you how to make the most of your online and offline presence.

Expert forecast says that the coming year will see a growth in global advertising market despite challenging economic climate. And, this growth will outdo 2011.

Much of the growth is attributed to the quadrennial events in 2012, such as the Olympics, European Football Championships and the US Presidential elections. However, Western Europe is expected to grow by only 2% in 2012, despite the London Olympic Games. Except the euro zone, the global market will have a positive growth. However, companies like Blackcode Advertising are unaffected and continues to grow positively.

Inbound Marketing and Outbound Marketing are two different modes of marketing. In fact if we take a look at all the different kinds of marketing that exist, we’d find that they would all come under either of these two diverse modes of marketing.

Direct marketers who are clever enough, like for example Clover Advertising, try to make both inbound marketing and outbound marketing work for them, thereby making the most of their marketing campaigns.

This is no prediction; this is just a statement made by a friend of ours…

This friend, working with Coulson Organisation, is busy, with his colleagues, in taking stock of what all their company has done and achieved in 2011. It’s after making an assessment of the last one year and the years before that that he made this statement- “Hey friends, here’s my prediction. Mark it, 2012 is going to be the year of the direct marketer”.

This is interesting; direct marketing companies do need to go for website promotion…

Not just because there are around us many companies like Web Listings Inc. offer services towards promoting and optimizing websites of their clients, but because optimizing and promoting websites is of utmost importance as regards promoting one’s business, whatever be the sector concerned. In direct marketing it becomes more important, because it all takes place direct between the buyer and the direct sales company. 

Small, medium or large businesses, 'pitfalls' are quite common for each and everyone - be it in qualitative market research, business plan, marketing, communication, partnerships, or other.

The business scenario is changing, as unlike before - traditional marketing methods are no longer effective, today. For creative brand strategies and promotions, marketing specialists like Clover Advertising and many other know that going direct to the consumer always helps to sell fast. Yes, going direct works, when we know that we are not famous as other brands in the market.

A great marketing plan works! Marketing is powerful, as it creates needs, value, utility...; without marketing/advertising - companies may fail to get noticed by customers in the marketplace.

Be it small, medium or large businesses - marketing by all odds work for all of them, no matter what; a strong client base of companies like TC World Ltd. and many say it right that 'a good marketing campaign works', but then, a poor marketing may never serve a purpose...any day.

A good brand image is important, in business; a strong brand identity is a foundation of success. Though products are manufactured in factories, BRANDS are always CREATED in the MIND...

Companies like the Appco Group and others good at public relations and brand management know that - for repeat business customer trust is VERY important, as without trust, nobody could ever survive, any day.

Throw bricks on a man who is determined for success and he will put bricks together, and lay a concrete foundation of it...; yes, these are successful men that take criticism in their stride, and give it a 'thumbs up' over false praise!

There are some who never care what others say or think about them; when we make a mistake, others will definitely complain...; but, when we welcome people with open arms that often criticize, we get a chance to improve on...to be the BEST! And, if men like Martin McCormick (Enigma Marketing) and many others are successful today, then we know the reason now.

With consumers in the driving seat and brands competing for their attention, the latest innovations in loyalty scheme programs will help those of you in the direct marketing to stand out from the crowd.

Some of those companies who have managed to stand out from the crowd, have achieved to set innovative set of loyalty schemes from that of the old and traditional ones. While then the traditional models still ask their consumers to collect points or sign up for information on new products. These new innovations in loyalty schemes seem to take over the older schemes. The "some" refers to those direct marketing companies like Enigma Marketing who are trying out with the innovative loyalty scheme programs.

Direct marketing in recent times is so mixed up with charity work that you often ponder a lot on it...

Many are the direct marketing companies that concern themselves with charity work in one way or the other. Sirius Star Marketing, Appco Group, TC World, Enigma Marketing- all these and many others take to charity promotions and charity related work not just as part of their routine work, but with a service motive too.