Direct Marketing Companies Need to Reinvent, too

Last week I went to Chicago for the DMA annual conference.  As I walked through the exhibit hall, talking to a few of the direct marketing company vendors, the question that I asked myself, that’s featured in my blog at Target Marketing magazine, is Are DMA Conference Exhibitors Reinventing, Too?

Some direct marketing companies and service providers are reinventing. Some technology companies don’t seem to have a clue about direct marketing. And some direct marketing vendors are stuck in the last century.

My conversations with those who are reinventing their services for direct marketers suggest that for them, this was the best DMA conference yet.

My meetings with technology companies revealed they love their technology and gush about it, but don’t seem to get the direct marketing space. Since direct marketing is so grounded in tradition offline print, tech companies need to do a better job of connecting the dots between their online solution, and the strong offline presence so many direct marketers live with.

My entire report about direct marketing companies can be found at Reinventing Direct. In the meantime, if you’re a vendor to direct marketing companies, think about the exhibitor I spoke with who plans to be back next year. He’s the one connecting the dots. There’s a lesson there for traditional direct marketing company vendors who want to be profitable.