Youthful energy goes a long way in making an idea seem appealing.

Its exciting to see and hear new creative ideas coming from enthusiastic new comers to the direct marketing fold. So many have entered the game in the past 10 years its overwhelming. Many of these young direct marketers started with web based selling and a belief that the ground rules have all changed.

These young direct marketers should be encouraged. But it is important to make sure that their bright new ideas fit into the long history and knowledge base built by those who have "been there before". Older practitioners have had the solid experience of creating, executing and evaluating promotions across a wide variety of products, services and audiences.

The Case For Experience in Direct Marketing

Direct marketing may have a new "skin" but the guts remain the same. Human beings response mechanisms and hidden motivators have not changed in the past 1o years and won't change at least for a s long as those reading this are alive. Fear, greed, love, exclusivity, loss prevention... these don't change. As long as these basic motivations are at work in the human psyche direct response will stay fundamentally the same.

Direct mail pros don't get too old to play the game like some aging quarterback. Direct marketing pros get better with age, improve their skills over time, and become more effective as they build up experience.

If your in-house team is young, energetic and idealisitc find an outside resource, coach or consultant who can provide seasoned advice.