FirstPerspective • Fall 2007

Based on reader feedback to our last issue, we are now happy to bring you ...

The Power of the PURL

The last issue of First Perspective featured PURLs, unique Web addresses personalized for each individual customer or prospect that, combined with direct mail, can be remarkably effective for driving consumers to your Web site. A PURL also allows you to obtain valuable information about customers for tailoring your communications to target those individuals even more precisely. We also included a unique PURL for each recipient of First Perspective, and many of you responded by accessing your PURL online.

Each PURL asked about specific topics you’d like to see in future issues of First Perspective. Many of you selected Marketing Resource Management (MRM) tools. The article on this page is concrete proof that PURLs are an effective way to communicate with and respond to your customers.To find out more about increasing the impact of your communications with unique solutions such as PURLs, contact us at 800.736.0145 or e-mail marketing@first-marketing.com.

The First in a Continuing Series: Marketing Resource Management (MRM) Tools

With today’s tighter budgets and upper level management’s demand for measurable return on investments, marketers need to manage both internal and external resources with greater efficiency and productivity across all marketing channels and often across broad geographic areas. Marketing Resource Management (MRM) generally refers to software applications that assist in planning, resource coordination and measurement of marketing programs. MRM tools are Web-based to provide centralized access to marketing resources for employees and suppliers, and to facilitate communication between members of the marketing team as well as to manage workflow and production processes.

Though there are many different MRM tools, most include the following components:

> Marketing strategy tools for competitive analysis, SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, portfolio management and communication of strategies with a decentralized marketing team

> Planning and budgeting tools to align strategic and financial plans, prepare budgets, develop programs and evaluate spending

> Digital asset management tools to control storage, cataloging and retrieval of images, video, multimedia collateral and other media assets over the Web

> Campaign management tools for workflow management, project management, supplier management and review-approval tracking

> Brand management tools for enterprisewide access to corporate-approved, brand-consistent marketing materials

> Measurement tools for program analysis, tracking budgets
and campaign results, plus reporting and forecasting tools

The integrated communication between management, project managers, creative staff and vendors offered by MRM applications, along with the centralized system for storage and distribution of marketing resources, work-in-progress and completed marketing materials, improves productivity to increase your campaign’s speed-to-market. The efficiencies found in MRM may also reduce administrative costs and agency fees, so more of your budget — and your time — is channeled into communicating effectively with customers and prospects.

In our next issue, we’ll discuss how MRM strategic tools can bring focus and efficiency to your marketing program.