Optimarketer: The Marketing Optimization Blog

If at First You Don't Whup the Direct Response Champ ...

"Beating the control" is the art and science of defeating a reigning direct marketing champion: measurable advertising that's been victorious in projectable split-run tests, or advertising that's never been tested head-to-head but has run at an acceptable profit.

Some "control" approaches have been on top for several years, and they're as tough to knock out as Floyd Mayweather. If you've been in the direct marketing game for a while, you know it's impossible to win 100% of the time (and if anyone tells you otherwise they're either naive or full of shit). Mothers of Invention has beaten the control creative/offer approach more than 50% of the time in online and offline media, and I haven't heard of many legitimate groups doin' much better.

Much has been written about general guidelines for beating the control, but one aspect -- what to do after defeat -- has rarely, if ever, been discussed.

After a loss, great prizefighters pick themselves up off the canvas and get back in the gym. Sadly, many marketing managers aren't worthy of adjectives like "great" and tend to essentially say, "Throw da bum out" after a single defeat -- even if they themselves have managed a string of consecutive losses over the years. No, they don't exactly live by the Golden Rule.

The path to victory is actually not terribly mysterious. The boxer -- with his or her trainer -- runs the fight film. If they notice the winner stayed inside (remained close to the opponent), the new plan may include well-timed straight rights to keep the champ at bay. The direct marketing equivalent of this may be a change in the selling proposition. Boxers look for signs from the opponent's earlier bouts; we often have primary or secondary research to guide us.

Our marketing shop has been involved in dozens of record-breaking direct marketing campaigns. One reason: We kick ass in rematches. 

What tips do you have on beating the control?

"You're Right -- It'll Be a Blown Test. Don't Tell the Client."

One day, while working at an agency I'd rather not name, an account executive showed me a direct mail test grid for a consumer client. I wasn't on that particular team but liked seeing how everyone's tests were structured.

As I studied it my jaw dropped. I quickly asked, "Has it run?" He said nothing had moved forward. I breathed a sigh of relief and filled him in on the fatal flaw.

They were trying three offers, but instead of running a controlled test, they went with this approach:

Offer A: Cross-Section of Lists 1-3

Offer B: Cross-Section of Lists 4-6

Offer C: Cross-Section of Lists 7-9

See the problem? By running each offer test on a different set of lists, there was absolutely no way of knowing if differences in outcomes were due to offers or lists. You could drive a truck through the hole in their scheme.

The account executive didn't seem to care, so I went to the guy in charge of the account. He smiled when I shared my observations and said I forgot one important consideration. When I asked "What's that?" he claimed different collections of lists pretty much perform identically. I asked where he picked that up, and realized he was making it up out of thin air.

We went back and forth for a while, and eventually he conceded it was possible for different sets of lists to perform differently if all other factors stayed the same. This meant we both knew we were looking at the makings of a blown test -- a waste of the client's money that could cause an inferior offer to run ... and run.

Instead of picking up the phone, admitting the problem, and offering to shoot over a new test grid, he said something I would never forget: "We don't have to tell the client."

For this and other reasons, I resigned weeks later.

What do you think drives smart people to "manage" client relationships in such stupid ways?

Bad vs. Good Consultants

Bad consultants focus on short-term agendas. Good consultants effect long-term change.

Bad consultants care about looking good. Good consultants care about being good.

Bad consultants push what's comfortable. Good consultants push what's important.

Bad consultants seek validation. Good consultants seek the truth.

Bad consultants treat people with disdain. Good consultants treat them with respect. 

Bad consultants stand in the way of progress. Good consultants support it.

Bad consultants knock people down to build themselves up. Good consultants build people up.

Bad consultants say whatever suits their self-interest. Good consultants say what they mean.

Bad consultants play games. Good consultants play for keeps.

Bad consultants treat external partners as competitors. Good consultants treat them as collaborators.

Bad consultants minimize their workload. Good consultants maximize their contribution.

Bad consultants set ridiculous goals. Good consultants set realistic goals.

Bad consultants assign blame. Good consultants admit mistakes.

Bad consultants tell you what you want to hear. Good consultants tell you what you need to hear.

Bad consultants care about number one. Good consultants care about the Golden Rule.

Care to add to the list?