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In the News  Back to 2nd Qtr News Synergy in Marketing Tying Direct Mail to the Broader Picture Spring 2005    Some companies have it, some don't. It's a popular term in the marketing world, but what does "synergy" really mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines synergy as a combined action or operation, from the Greek word synergos, meaning working together.    In marketing, synergy simply means combining a group of marketing efforts to work together. Sounds simply enough, but does your direct mail actually work with the rest of your marketing plan?    At the core, striving for synergy is really a synchronization of your marketing efforts. A clear message delivered multiple times in a number of different ways. Print ads reinforcing messages seen on a billboard or a television advertisement is a great example of synergy. Using direct mail to increase web traffic on a company's web site is another.    Most companies have some sort of marketing plan that outlines broad goals and large measures to achieve said goals. These plans usually take a large amount of time to prepare and are then almost immediately forgotten or buried under the day-to-day madness that surrounds us all.    Remember, the 3 main components in direct mail is the message, the list and the offer. Let's break these elements down to identify how each can work together to create synergy with the rest of your marketing efforts.    The Message. This is the part of a mailing that describes your company to the reader. In direct mail, the message should identify company strength's and opportunities. A strong message separates your company from the competition, explains why the product or service is better than others.    Create complete synergy between all channels of marketing by developing a message that flows through all media consistently. A strong message can be seen, heard and read - effectively. This could be a tag line, mission statement, general idea or logo. It is essential for direct mail messages to be well thought out because space is limited to the size of the mail piece. Make every word count.    The List is arguably the most important piece of a direct mail project. A good list will get your message and your offer in front of the people who are most likely to respond. A bad list will waste precious time and money.    Before buying a mailing list, think about who will or has seen other marketing efforts. These people, your target audience will not respond to mailings alone. To create marketing synergy, dig deep into the everyday lives of your target audience. Build messages in the publications they read. Next, convey a consistent message in your direct mail. The more your target audience hears, sees or reads your message, the more likely they are to respond.    The Offer is largely a marketing tool specific only in direct marketing and it is absolutely essential in direct mail. Yet, this is where most direct mail campaigns fall short of achieving synergy. Other mass media can be used to build awareness and educate the target audience, but direct mail relies on compelling the reader to take action.    Creating synergy with direct mail offers requires careful calculation and complete thoughtfulness. First think about the larger marketing plan. Who are you targeting with other advertisements? What will drive them to respond? Is it a coupon, a premium item, the opportunity to win a sweepstakes or something completely new and different? Synergize the offer by tying it to the greater marketing plan.    Creating synergy isn't easy, but it isn't impossible either. It takes planning and forethought. Successful synergy comes from being able to look at the larger picture. Imagining the complete goal of marketing efforts and seeing how the pieces of the puzzle fit together - work together.