Topics and Trends in Direct and Digital Marketing

Today we will discuss the continued move toward the integration of direct and digital marketing and the balance of online and offline media focused on the consumer.  We'll talk about trends in database marketing, and how a creative person can uniquely contribute to the use of insights from the database I also want to touch on the current climate regarding consumer privacy concerns. Host is Cyndi Greenglass.

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Talking points include:

1. Many in our industry feel that Direct Marketing is no longer an effective description for the practice of addressable and measurable communications. In fact, I believe that you are an advocate of using “Direct and Digital Marketing”.  Tell me how this had developed and why you feel that this is a better way to describe the industry today.
2. So, with digital marketing coming on so strong, should we start planning the funerals and eulogies for traditional media like print, catalogs and TV are on their way out?
3. Do you believe in the reality of “Omni channel” or is it still a future aspiration for us marketers?
4. How do your creative skills help you to use information from databases?
5. Much of database marketing sounds pretty complex and possibly quite expensive.  Can small and medium-sized companies afford to develop and use helpful databases, or is that just for the bigger firms?
6. There is much concern in today’s world about personal privacy.  In Europe, the new GDPR mandates went into effect a few weeks ago.  Do you see more privacy legislation and regulation coming up in the US as well?
7. Content Marketing is another hot topic in the direct and digital world these days. With so many firms developing content marketing programs, how can a marketer make sure that their information stands out?

About our guest, Susan Jones:

Susan Jones is a tenured, full professor of marketing at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, and the principal of Susan K. Jones & Associates. Jones teaches direct marketing, digital marketing, advertising and business-to-business classes at Ferris State. Her practice focuses on corporate training and seminars in direct and interactive marketing, as well as marketing planning, product development and copy writing. Susan has a literal worldwide following with students in United States, as well as South and Central America, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Susan has authored or co-authored more than 25 books, has been honored by the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing, the West Michigan American Marketing Association, the John Caples International Awards, Ferris State University and Northwestern University with prestigious awards both as an educator and as a practitioner.

Susan is also a fellow Adjunct Instructor at WVU in the Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications and has been selected by students of the University for the prestigious Educator of the Year award.