An Intimate Conversation with Marilyn Ewer, NEDMA’s 2005 Direct Marketer of the Year, Part Two

May 19th, 2006

The New England Direct Marketing Association’s Direct Marketer of the Year Award is given annually to honor an outstanding individual who is involved in some aspect of direct marketing here in New England and has made a significant contribution to the advancement of our industry.

This year’s recipient of this prestigious award will be announced at an evening banquet celebration – at which Denny Hatch will be delivering a keynote presentation – on June 14 at NEDMA ’06.

Tickets to attend this event can be purchased here.

I recently had the opportunity to ask Marilyn Ewer, NEDMA’s 2005 Direct Marketer of the Year, a handful of questions about her career as a direct marketer and her experiences with NEDMA.

In yesterday’s post, Marilyn talked about what it meant to win such a prestigious award, how she got started in direct marketing and the mission of the NEDMA Foundation. Today, she tells us what it’s like to run her own business, how the industry has changed, what she would consider the “highlights” of her career, who the perfect client is and how college graduates can start a career in DM…

Bob: What does it take to succeed as the owner of a small DM business? What are your secrets?

Marilyn: No real secrets — for me every client and every job are important. There is no such thing as “sliding through a job.” Every campaign is a new opportunity to partner with a client to sell a product/service or raise money for a worthy charitable organization.

With each new client, I do my research—learning about their business, their goals, their customers, past campaigns that have succeeded or failed, and their competitors. I also try to keep up with any new aspects of the business, and I always network, network, network!

Bob: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry during the course of your career?

Marilyn: There have been MANY, but I think the way we handle data, and what we can do with the data in terms of one-to-one marketing has changed tremendously over the years. And of course, the Internet has become a major factor in all of our lives—from researching to fundraising, purchasing, communications, and on-line auctions. The Internet has also changed our concept of time. People want responses in a matter of hours or a day; a couple of weeks is unacceptable.

Bob: What are some of the highlights of your career so far?

Marilyn: Winning the Direct Marketer of the Year Award was certainly a major highlight of my career. Another is seeing the students who have won scholarships through our NEDMA Foundation have a tremendous learning experience through their summer-long internship, and then go on to careers in direct marketing.

There are other highlights that are not as visible, yet equally rewarding. When I think about some of the campaigns I’ve helped to create that raise money so that children do not go hungry or to help animals so that they are not abused — that to me is tremendously important. I know that the words I write are doing good and helping others.

Bob: How would you describe the perfect client?

Marilyn: Someone who really cares about the customers/clients the organization is serving…someone who’s willing to test new DM packages and take a risk from time to time…someone who shares all the relevant information they have or if they do not have sufficient information is willing to spend the time to do the research…and of course, someone who pays their bills on time!

Bob: What advice would you have for a recent college graduate just starting out in direct marketing?

Marilyn: Network, network, network. Join organizations such as NEDMA, the DMA, the DMFA, and others. Get involved, volunteer both at work and for the trade organization you join. Never stop learning — this industry is changing constantly!

Note: This is Part Two of An Intimate Conversation with Marilyn Ewer, NEDMA’s 2005 Direct Marketer of the Year. Part One was posted here yesterday.

Marilyn Ewer is President of MKE Enterprises, a direct marketing agency based in North Reading, MA. The firm works with both nonprofit and for-profit clients, and offers a complete range of services including strategy, campaign creative and production, analysis, and e-marketing. In the 24 years it’s been in business, MKE Enterprises has helped sell millions of dollars of products/services, bring new products to market, create brand awareness, acquire new donors, and raise millions of dollars for its nonprofit clients.

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