What you need to know

While this neuromarketing study proves direct mail's effectiveness, it also underlines that today's consumers move fluidly across on and offline channels during the purchase journey. In a connected world, the secret to smarter marketing, stronger customer relationships and higher sales lies in fusing physical and digital.

Who is leading the way in cross-channel campaign management? Learn about emerging technologies and what marketers need to handle complex, multichannel campaigns. Read The Forrester Wave™: Cross-Channel Campaign Management, Q3 2014.

Facebook is planning to help direct marketers do what they love to do most: track who is responding to specific ads and in exactly what fashion.

Digital marketing can be a daunting undertaking, so it's no surprise that about 59% of businesses with revenues of more than $500M depend on local affiliates to get the job done. But with only 4% of national brands ranking affiliates' local marketing as “excellent,” the old saying holds true: If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

Direct marketers can count on a small rate increase on direct mail in the coming year, but it's Congress that Postmaster General Patrick Donohoe put to the test today in announcing a record $15.9 billion net loss for the United States Postal Service during its fiscal year ended September 30.

Quantifying the impact of Facebook fan on Brand interactions

Companies should be looking to use social media strategies in order to become a valuable resource and point of interest for their subscribers. Every firm should be aware by now that they must have some form of social media method in place in order to compete with rival organisations.

Consumers can now make their lists and check them twice, as Google recently unveiled Shortlists and other Google Shopping developments to help consumers more easily maneuver between on and offline shopping this holiday season--what it calls nonline.