Prospect Lists, Telephone Directories, Databases, Mail Lists, Print Advertising, Radio & TV advertising, Trade Shows, Direct Mail, Coupon Books and Mailers, Restaurant Placemats, Billboards, Direct Mail, and, oh yes, Telemarketing … you know them all. All proven methods supposedly as part of marketing strategies to promote sales, generate leads and establish brand names. What do they all have in common? Among countless other things, all have low levels (small percentages) of success. They all depend on the laws of probability that a tiny percentage of recipients of the marketing message will be received at precisely the time the “prospect” is actually interested in actually buying the very product or service that is being offered. For instance, it is commonly believed, and accepted that a 1% response rate to a direct mail piece is “good.” And if you follow up the mailing with a telephone call (at significant additional expense), you can increase this rate to a lofty 3%!

Aside from the sarcasm, it is clear that traditional marketing is a numbers game that is inefficient almost by definition and certainly in measured results. The cost in production, editing, delivering, following through et al create a precarious cost-benefit justification for even the most aggressive marketer.