The Direct Marketing Association said it will conduct its second European trade mission from Sept. 9-15.
The mission, to Germany and the Netherlands, is part of the DMA's efforts to introduce American companies to direct marketing opportunities in the global marketplace.
A team of international experts will lead participants. The DMA experts will introduce participants to senior regulatory and business officials as well as potential business partners.
The DMA chose Germany and the Netherlands because both countries “present especially lucrative investment opportunities for our members,” said Charles Prescott, vice president of international business development and government affairs at the DMA. “In a budget-constrained environment, the faster return on investment, the better. So we focused on two countries with particularly robust returns on investments.”
Prescott added that direct marketing sales were $1,236 per person in Germany and topped $1,600 in the Netherlands.
“The DMA trade mission gives our members insight into navigating European regulations such as Germany's opt-in e-mail laws,” Prescott said. “Their central location in the continent is also an important factor in making additional European expansion possible.”
Participants will engage in a seven-day tour, which will include meetings with representatives from the Dutch Association for Direct Marketing, Distance Selling and Sales Promotion; the Dutch post office; and AZ Bertelsmann. Topics discussed will include distance selling and sales; list and data management services; call centers and warehousing; and how the fundamentals of direct marketing in the European Union may differ from those in the United States.
