DMN3 Blog

Viewing direct mail is a bit like jazz. Keith Wiser backs it up with a quote by Frank Zappa: “Jazz is not dead. It just smells funny.” Always challenging conventional wisdom, Wiser knows that direct marketing equates to marketing direct. He sprinkles the world of direct communication with a right and left brained approach and is known as an international guru in applied infometrics.

Wiser’s use of information and technology to boost customer loyalty led to the formation of a direct agency, 5th Dimension. He has served as the Managing Director in his homeland of South Africa since 2000.

Throughout his career, Wiser racked up an impressive list of awards, including “Direct Marketer of the Year,” by the South African Direct Marketing Association. When he isn’t managing his business, he is educating and training students on all things marketing – relationship, database and (of course) direct. Read his incredible analysis and perspective of global direct marketing in the past, present and future in his free e-book, My Way.

Q How much of your success is accidental?

Some things in life are synchronistic. Some things are meant to be. Things do happen. As business people, we often don’t pay enough attention to hunches. As direct marketers, we are passionate about measurable results. Our success comes from producing good results for clients. That doesn’t happen accidentally. It happens through analysis, careful thinking and experience. My answer is half and half. The direct marketing persona outweighs the other. Let’s say 60-40. How about that?

Q When did the course of your career become clear?

In England, I started with a degree in psychology. By the time I finished, I lost interest. I began a career in sales then went into sales training, then marketing and finally direct marketing. Once I got into direct marketing, it was a pivotal moment in my life. I love the measurability. I never regret getting into it for one day of my life. I discovered a path that was right for me and because of that, I became one of the first to have a direct marketing agency in South Africa.

Q Which accomplishment are you most proud of?

The Direct Marketer of the Year award by the South African Direct Marketing Association. It was a special highlight. Also, the completion of my book, My Way. But, what feels the best are the results I’ve given to clients. My years of collecting and analyzing data uncovered great success stories for my clients.

Q Do you see your current position ever becoming obsolete?

No. I hope people start to embrace the wisdom of what we as direct marketers do. I hope we become increasingly valuable to our clients. One of the underlying motivations of writing my book,My Way, was the hope that it wouldn’t be read by only direct marketers. I wanted it to reach an audience not aware of the science of direct response. I hope we get the recognition at the “C” table. Sitting next to the CEO and the CFO is where we ought to be now.

Q What is your best advice to students today?

I think the best direct marketers are people who understand data and analytics. If you set out in this industry to become somebody, then be both left and right brained. Develop analytical skills. You’ll need to understand what is and isn’t possible with technology.

Q Where do you see traditional marketing in three years?

Today, just about every piece of marketing uses direct elements. A TV commercial’s call to action is a URL. That’s direct. When you SMS to receive information or request a packet, that also relies on direct principles. We continue to see more spending on e-mail. I see direct mail is becoming direct e-mail. If we get the concept that digital marketing is still on the direct response path, then we will see a quantum shift from traditional advertising.

Q What is the cutting-edge marketing tactic of the future?

It sounds boring, but the opportunity is in data analytics. The majority of companies that I work with, like big banks and insurance companies, are not optimizing all of the data that they could. There are some powerful tools out there. We team with a company in India that can interrogate a database of 100 million transactions a month and get results in ten seconds. It is inconceivable. We all know how to do words and mail. Yet, I believe the U.S. is way behind in SMS and new technologies. A good example of cutting edge is MDM technnology, or specialized integration of voice.

Q What are the future challenges in your marketplace?

One of the challenges is that there are not enough technical people coming into the industry. As industries explode and become digital, more integrated touch points and databases are used. We require a lot of technology to do that. The problem is that not a lot of “techies” understand what we want to accomplish. A second challenge is around data and data privacy on the Internet. If we don’t do the right thing, we will shoot ourselves in the foot. Many above-the-line agencies (advertising and public relations) are deciding that this is the space where they want to play. Historically, companies allocated budget dollars in television x, radio y and print z. Now we see agencies add the Internet into their orbit. Why? Because Internet advertising is growing at 30 percent.

Q How is social media affecting corporate marketing?

Well, the jury is kind of out on this one. On one hand, you have the potential of rich data. On the other hand, that data reflects the behavior of mainly Gen X and Gen Y users. Afterall, they are the primary consumers of social media sites. They’re a difficult audience to deal with and present a challenge to marketers using social media for only communication purposes. This young audience doesn’t want to be told what to do nor do they want their social medium hijacked by corporations. Balancing the issues with privacy and the audience’s stigma is an obstacle. It took a while to learn how to use the Internet. I’m sure we will find a way to better use social media with this particular audience, who happens to be our future.

Q Is your job becoming more numbers focused?

It is different from client to client. If it were my way, it would all be very numbers focused. You buy an envelope, stamp, paper and you pay someone to print it. Why don’t you take the extra step to analyze the data. Then start to communicate on a one-to-one segmented basis. Sometimes you get into a debate with the client about who owns the data. It should belong to marketing. Some large companies make it difficuIt for you to get access. They are reluctant to be transparent with data they consider to be irrelevant. I just tell them that data should drive strategy and strategy should drive campaigns.

Q Which media do you primarily use to get your information?

I hardly listen to the radio and try to avoid watching television. I am an inveterate reader and user of the Internet. I read about two books a week. I never stop reading. The Internet is an invaluable source. I can’t remember the last time I bought a newspaper.

Q Which professionals do you most admire?

One of my great heroes in the industry is Claude Hopkins. I quote a lot of him in my book, My Way. In 1923, he wrote Scientific Advertising. It carries wisdom that remains relevant today. I would recommend reading it whether you’re in direct marketing or not.