The war in Iraq may be over, but direct marketers are still assessing the damage.
A report from the Direct Marketing Association showed that DMers suffered an average sales decline of 5.4% during the four-week period of the war. Roughly one half of those surveyed suffered a revenue decline, but one sixth reported sales increases.
The worst impact was during the first week, with losses falling off in the second and third weeks, according to the DMA white paper. Volume started coming back by the fourth week.
Some segments were hurt more than others. Consumer marketers posted a 6.97% hit. (This included catalogers, publishers and financial service marketers). Business-to-business marketers, far from being immune, experienced a 6.25% sales falloff.
Larger firms reported a 9.63% drop, compared with 2.04% for small firms and 1.91% for medium-sized companies.
Respondents rated the impact on media on a scale of one to five. Direct mail did worst with a 3.00. Catalogs were second (2.67), followed by outbound telephone ( 2.25), DRTV (2.14),newspaper ( 2.13), e-mail (2.07) magazine (1.83) and direct response radio (1.60).
Marketers found a number of strategies helpful during the early weeks of the war. Some firms:
*Moved mail dates back by one week in late March through early May.
*Discussed war coverage and costs and the importance of stimulating the economy.
*Introduced affordable payment plans.
*Delayed house mailings or spread their monthly mailings over several weeks to diffuse the risk.
*Eliminated mass media during the war.
“Paying close attention to timing can make a crucial difference,” said Peter Johnson, director of the DMA’s strategic information unit.
Network
