The direct marketing industry shows its resilience and agility

[Danette Breitenbach] Candice Goodman says it is the direct marketing industry's adaptability and cost-effectiveness has made it resilient...

The Assegai Awards sharpens its spear as direct marketing evolves

[Danette Breitenbach] Candice Goodman, head of the Assegai Awards working group, explains how the Assegai Awards have evolved...

Trigger the right bias in customers to give your brand an edge

[Grant Lapping] Identifying potential customers early in their journey to purchase a product or service can give you an edge if you hit them with the right message...

Digital marketing agencies struggle to retain skills

[Caryn Pillar] South Africans are finding better digital marketing jobs abroad...

How to drive sales with customer-unique content

[Greg Chen] A unique customer experience has fast become a top priority for businesses, and 2021 will be no different. Customers no longer base their loyalty on price or product. Instead, they stay loyal with companies due to their experience...

It's time to create meaningful brand connections

[Lauren Crooks] Across the board, 2020 was characterised by survival, and the ever-evolving coronavirus pandemic tested the resolve of people and brands alike...

Email marketing campaign ideas to finish 2020 off strong

[Selina Bieber] A festive email marketing campaign needs to be something special to stand out. To break through the noise and clutter, you will need to craft a compelling message or offer...

The power of email marketing

[Chelsey Hale] Standing the test of time, through Myspace, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and even a global pandemic, email marketing is still one of the most effective methods for reaching and engaging target audiences...

How tech-driven partnership marketing can fill the (imminent) direct marketing void in SA

[Anton Grutzmacher] Privacy-by-design data sharing models are set to transform partnership marketing, says Anton Grutzmacher, co-founder and chief revenue officer at Omnisient...

SA's email lockdown open rates higher than Black Friday month

[JD Engelbrecht] While South African business owners scramble to mitigate the devastating economic impact of coronavirus and an extended national lockdown, marketing teams have to adjust quickly to a radically altered business and communications landscape.

Popia to fuel better customer experiences for South Africans

[Sandra Galer] With the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia) planned to commence imminently, the way direct marketing is carried out and received by South African consumers is set to shift...

281 billion and counting: Email is here to stay and it's a good thing

[Jason Liebenberg] Two-hundred-and-eighty-one-billion. That's a lot of emails being sent every day by some 4 billion email users around the world. And while many of us feel like we're on the receiving end of about 1 million a day, at least, email isn't going anywhere. Particularly not for marketers and advertisers...

Want your customers to trust you? Email is one of the most powerful tools you have

[Ross Sibbald] Earning customers' trust is key when it comes to achieving success as an organisation. Those that get it right stand to reap massive rewards, not least because loyal customers spend more...

Smart email and avoiding the spam filter

[Desiree Gullan] What does it take to create an effective email marketing campaign that is not only read but also engaged with? Mailers must convey a message and create an experience that entices the user to take the desired action...

2018 Assegai Awards: The Midas touch

[Danette Breitenbach] Ogilvy Cape Town and Johannesburg had the Midas touch at the Direct Marketing Association of Southern Africa's (Dmasa) Assegai Awards last night, turning 19 of their entries into gold awards...

Email marketing - The perfect email design checklist

[Colleen Backstrom] Colleen Backstrom shares a checklist that can help create the perfect email design...

Bad data is harming your email marketing efforts: Here's how to fix it

[Ross Sibbald] Bad data can impact everything. From how many people see the messaging you send out to its impact and even your organisation's reputation. Fortunately, cleaning up your data and repairing your marketing efforts isn't rocket science...

The state of email marketing two months after GDPR

[Louise Robinson] Two months since GDPR was implemented, thousands of sources have published their "expert" advice about the law and how it applies to email marketing. However, much of that is causing a lot of misunderstanding and confusion...

Keeping within the boundaries: Ethical marketing automation

[Gareth Mountain] Marketing Automation Systems (MAS) might seem like good software to have in order to send out bulk email and/or SMS campaigns. However, it should be so much more...

PoPI regulations: Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

[David Dickens] As they currently stand, the draft regulations relating to the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPI) could significantly harm a key driver of inclusive economic growth-direct marketing...