Abiding by rules – to the letter…
NLP, MAP, VAK, LAB – yet more acronyms. Marketers are already perceived as being jargon-mongers, hiding behind marketing speak as a way of bamboozling customers and clients. It seems to me that all the “new” techniques described in David Reed’s Under the Influence feature (MW January 8) are yet another snazzy concept invented by marketers to lure clients into upping the budget. Surely, given the current economic climate, direct marketers need to reassure clients with solid results, not psychobabble.
The direct marketing industry has worked hard to remove the “fluffy” tag that seems to dog marketers. Consequently, accountability and proof of return on investment have become fundamental. But it would be difficult to conclusively attribute the success of a campaign to psychological targeting. I believe that we need to concentrate on the rudiments of direct marketing, such as data accuracy, and leave NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) to the illusionist Derren Brown and his shopping centre full of arm-raisers.
Andrew Greenyer
Director of customer relationship solutions and product management
Group 1 Software Europe
Watford
