Why the $1 Charge DMA?

The GreenDimes Direct Marketing Association Series

This post's a little large, but so is your junk mail, so bear with me.

First of all, who are these guys?  I’m sure you’re asking.  They are the Direct Marketing Association. 

Here’s what they do (according to them)

“The Direct Marketing Association is the leading global trade association of business and nonprofit organizations using and supporting direct marketing tools and techniques.”

Here’s what their members get (according to them).

“DMA membership dues are based on your company's total direct marketing expenditure. This includes all costs associated with customer loyalty programs, lead generation programs, web site operations, email promotions, search engine and other forms of electronic marketing, creative, production, paper, postage, printing, list rental, database processing, direct marketing salaries, call center expenses, etc.”

Here’s my layman’s terms (according to me)

They give junk mailers tools to enhance the “junk-mailing experience.”   They even give out awards (seriously).    Now you can be taken off their lists, but for a $1.  (GreenDimes monitors the lists monthly btw, to make sure you stay off their list)

A buck?  No other Direct Marketer charges a buck.  So let me get this straight, they help compile the lists, then charge you money for you to get off those lists.  What a great business model, get paid for causing the problem, then get paid for cleaning it up (partially cleaning it up, that is)  Here, let me complicate your life, then make you pay to opt of it.

What really burns me is that some publications (hello Chicago Tribune) actually give the DMA kudos to what they’re doing.

Listen, I’m not trying to demonize the DMA (I’ll save that for other posts) , some of what they do sounds okay, I’m just trying to get them to stop charging you a buck for something you didn’t want anyway.

Oh and by the way, they’re the ones that also call you during dinner.  But hey, you can opt out of that too…for just another buck.

[Footnote: Apparently they're phasing out the $1 call thing over 5 years because of Do_Not_Call which is why it's so important that you sign our Do_Not_Mail Petition]

-Sanjiv

Comments

[Justin is Mr. 3 Piece]

Unreal, Down w/ the DMA D**vil!