The Parable of the Direct Marketer

Mark 4:3-8 relates the parable of the Sower:

"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." NIV.

I think this parable can be applied to direct marketing. The farmer is scattering seed all over the place, without concern for where it will fall. That's a very basic mistake a lot of direct marketers make with their marketing campaigns: they don't pay attention to the quality of their lists. Lets review the parable with direct marketing in mind.

Some of the seed falls on the path, where it has no chance of taking root, and the birds come and eat it. That's like direct mail packages sent to the wrong audience. They aren't even in the market, so those seeds are totally wasted.

Some of the seed falls on rocky soil that has no depth. It springs up quickly, but it withers under the noon day sun. Think of this as prospects who have an interest in your product, but don't qualify financially. They want what you're selling, but they have no ability to buy. Again, that seed is largely wasted. I say largely wasted and not totally wasted because that rocky soil may be cultivated to one day produce a crop.

Some of the seed falls among the thorns and it is choked out before it can produce a crop. These are prospects that get your message, are in the market for your product, but your message never rises above the crowd. It gets choked out because of the competition in the marketplace. Notice, you are not only competing with other products or services similar to yours, but you're also competing against everything else the prospect has on their minds.

Finally, the good soil represents a properly cultivated prospect list that is receptive to your marketing message (your seeds). Good soil doesn't just happen. Good soil is cultivated. The farmer plows the land and breaks up the hard earth. Then, he broadcasts his seed over the soil, and the seed takes root. Once it takes root it produces a harvest. And what an ROI! Look at it, 30 to 100 times the investment. That's pretty cool.

So, what's needed to sow a crop?

1. Properly prepared soil
2. The right seed
3. Specific Action

The soil is your prospect list. Make sure it's targeted, clean and segmented. The seed is your direct marketing piece. Make sure it is well crafted and designed specifically for the reader. The specific action is what you do to get the marketing piece to people on your list at the right time.

Too often as small business owners we get caught up in the details of business, and we forget to take time to market ourselves and get more business. This is the root cause of boom and bust cycles in our businesses.

Here's an idea. If you are too busy with the business of your business, and you need help marketing your business, find someone to take the marketing load from you. Either hire a full time marketing person, or establish a relationship with a good freelance marketing consultant.

That's all for now.
Brett