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Libey: Impact of DM/TV Convergence is Huge; Customization Important

Within the next five to eight years, the convergence of direct marketing and television could have a greater impact on direct marketers than the industry’s convergence with the internet, according to the presentation given by the president of Libey Inc. - a direct marketing advisory and intermediary firm - Donald Libey, at last Friday’s VT/NH Direct Marketing Group’s annual conference, DM News writes.

Soon marketers will be able to bid for internet TV channels just as they currently bid for search words on search engines like Google and Yahoo, said Libey. Marketers may also be able to create their own channels containing content related to their products. The matching of content to the right audiences could be an effective driver of sales, Libey added.

Libey also sited one-to-one marketing as another trend currently affecting the catalog industry. Customizing catalogs to fit a specific customer - including the recipient’s name and a special offer based on his or her last order - has become more popular as catalogs continue to evolve into a tool for driving sales to retail outlets, said Libey. More one-to-one marketing could increase response rates from today’s average 2 percent to the 18 percent was the norm years ago, he added.

Libey also addressed the growing influence of larger retailers in the direct marketing world, noting that Home Depot has launched several catalogs during the past year.