This issue, Direct begins a three-part series on the fundamentals of a successful database marketing program.
The first step in any database marketing project is a readiness assessment. It will help you determine where your organization is on the learning curve, define the degree to which it already possesses the tools and skills necessary to succeed, and figure out how database marketing fits into corporate strategy.
There are also cultural considerations. Database marketing differs dramatically from other forms of advertising and marketing. Results measurement must take the long view, since there’s typically a significant up-front expense that must be paid, and because many strategies can only be measured over time. A management addicted to immediate gratification and short-term measurement does not adapt easily to database marketing as a core business strategy.
The most important key to identifying these cultural challenges, as well as assessing your organization’s current state of readiness, is to identify and interview all the internal stakeholders.
Organizations are collections of people, and people do things for only two reasons: to gain a benefit or avoid a loss. A stakeholder is anyone whose job will be affected
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