In February, Facebook asserted ownership over anything its members posted — the unspoken message being that to access their content, users would need to stay on Facebook, where Facebook can monetize them. Not surprisingly, this move was not well received by users. To its credit, Facebook immediately pulled the plug on this aggressive policy.

While the recent Red Sox-Yankees series results were depressing for me and other Sox fans, it did give me an excuse to check out the newly built Yankee Stadium for the first time. In addition to being stunned by the skyline views from the new field, I was struck by how much has changed when it comes to sponsorships during the ol' ballgame. And these changes highlight how much direct marketing is driving all ad partnerships taking place today.

As consumers become more cautious with their spending, some companies are trying to lure them back into stores with rebate offers. These offers have recently come under increased scrutiny as states pass new rebate laws and regulators challenge companies who fail to comply.

"Radio doesn't work... we know, we've tried it." That the reception that I am used to receiving from clients. Based on a single mishandled, poorly targeted, untracked radio test, they come to the determination that the entire medium has no merit for their particular product or service.

The domino effect of squeezing budgets means some businesses won't survive and others will require radical change. Direct marketers still need to sell products, get people to Web sites to plunk down the plastic and induce them to pick up the phone and order away.

There's a saying in the business world: Customer acquisition is an investment, but profitability is built on customer retention. Now, it's more important than ever to keep the customers you have.

New customers are either loyal advocates in training or a drain on company resources from the moment they land in the database. Taking the long-term view of customer acquisition programs helps you identify both types. Beyond sheer increases in database size, today's best marketers focus on the value of new customers, measuring it over the long term.

On every page in the July 13 edition of DMNews, you will get some key insights into data management and customer retention — issues critical to marketer's success and the future of the industry. But, there is another issue critical to securing direct marketing's future: advocacy for the industry itself.

Marketing organizations are enforcing budget and staff cuts to ride out the recession. Yet, pressure remains high to keep your company and its products ahead of the competition. Fortunately, there are tried and true tactics that your marketing team can implement to successfully drive leads and boost growth... all without big campaign budgets.

Most of us know the keys to direct marketing success are multifaceted and includes many — if not all — of the following techniques.
Define the goals of your program with a clear and concise call to action. Create and scrub your list.