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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Jerry Bernhart to Moderate Popular Tweetchat Jobs Forum


Multichannel marketing recruiter Jerry Bernhart has announced that he will be hosting a second Tweetchat on DM Jobs soon after the New Year


The online session allows participants, through the popular social media network Twitter, to exchange job leads, ask questions, share ideas and get advice on all things related to digital and direct marketing hiring and employment.

"We've decided to host another session in response to a large number of requests we've received since our fist session last August, " said Jerry Bernhart, Principal of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, in a statement. "There are still many unemployed direct marketers out there who could use all the help they can get."

For those unfamiliar with Tweetchat, Bernhart describes it as "texting on steroids," allowing an unlimited number of participants in a confidential forum to exchange informational tweets with one another almost instantaneously on a common topic. Bernhart said this session, like the first, will be open to any and all areas related to hiring and employment in digital and direct marketing, including job leads, resume preparation, interviewing tips, salaries, job offers, finding candidates, counteroffers, job descriptions and sources of hire. It also allows Tweetchatters to share links just like they would with one another on Twitter.

"This is also an excellent opportunity for employers to advertise open positions, " said Bernhart. "There will be a ready audience of motivated and experienced job hopefuls, and if they're not the right candidates they might know someone who is."

The Bernhart Tweetchat will take place Sunday, January 10, at 8 pm Eastern time. All that is needed to participate is a Twitter account. To join the session, go to Tweetchat.com, sign in with your Twitter username and password, enter DMCareers in the "enter hashtag to follow" box, then click on "Go" which will take you to the DMCareers chat room.



Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

6 key takeaways for getting a handle on this new-fangled social media customer service

From the Blog of Jim Gilbert- The Gilbert Direct Marketing Blog

A few weeks ago, I downloaded a Monopoly game from a company called GameHouse. My son was itching to play the computer version with us on our family night (mostly because I move too slow).

Downloading was a success, but I had problems finding the activation code for the software, so I went in search of a company contact.

I jumped on GameHouse’s website, and my first instinct was to look for a phone number to call its customer service department. If you read part 1 of my “You Lost Me There” series a few months back, you know that I’m an adamant believer in having your contact info prominently displayed on your website. Another one of my pet peeves is the ubiquitous page with the contact form. Or, more importantly, how long it takes to get a response from said form.

To me it’s simple: Make it easy to speak with me or my business goes elsewhere. I couldn’t find a satisfactory way to contact GameHouse, and I grew frustrated. But there was a big (really big) “Follow us on Twitter” button, so I clicked it. I sent a tweet to GameHouse — and the rest of its followers — on how I was having problems and was aggravated that its website had no contact info. For good measure, I joined its Facebook fan page and sent the same message.

It didn’t take GameHouse long to respond. Thanks to Kristy, who manages GameHouse’s Twitter presence, I had an easy way to establish communication with the company and resolve my issues. Turns out that I also ordered half a dozen copies of Monopoly as I tried to get the activation code. Kristy helped me get squared away with GameHouse’s billing department, too. It took about a week of back and forth to get all the additional orders credited to my account. Kristy had one of GameHouse’s customer service reps work closely with me throughout the process.

Then — and this one blows me away — about a week later I got a package from GameHouse with a different version of Monopoly inside. Also inside was a handwritten card thanking me “for my patience” signed by Kristy with the note: “A little gift for all your troubles.” My son loves it, and everywhere I go (including a lecture I did last week) I tell of my exceptional customer service experience with GameHouse. With this in mind, I offer up some useful pointers.

6 Customer Service Takeaways

  1. I sent my “You Lost Me There” article to Kristy, who said she’d pass it up the food chain. I hope GameHouse heeds my advice and makes it easier for customers to be served by adding a prominent phone number to its website. I’m not sure everybody will use Twitter like I did, however, meaning the potential for a negative customer service experience is present.
  2. I was also quite surprised by how seamless the customer service experience can be without “traditional” contact methods being in play. As a “stone age” customer, once I adapted I was happy again.
  3. Serve your customers in all channels. Social media is having a dramatic impact as a customer service tool; customers will self-select the channel of their choice.
  4. Exceptional customer service can (and should) be the rule in all channels — online and offline.
  5. If your customer service isn’t exceptional, expect to see negative reviews expressed publicly. Also expect to see bad customer service stories spread virally. Had I not been totally satisfied by the work of Kristy and her team, this column would have read very differently.
  6. Upset customers can easily be turned into advocates with proper service. Today’s angry customer is tomorrow’s best customer.

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Friday, November 6, 2009

Guest Article: 10 Tips for Looking HOT on Internet Marketing Video by Jessica Kizorek

From the Blog of Jim Gilbert: The Gilbert Direct Marketing Blog

Preparing to be in front of a camera soon? Follow these ten tips or risk looking like a loser on video.

1. Look Me in the Eye

With the advent of the webcam, people are way more interested in looking at themselves perform in the video preview window than actually making eye contact with the person watching the video. Look into the camera. Straight into the lens. Don’t wander with those eyes…you have to be 10 times as engaging through online video to keep people from wandering off your page. Stare them down. Lock them in like a bomber pilot locks in on his target.

2. Be in the Spot Light

If your face is going to be the centerpiece of the video, make sure that it’s got the most light on it. People’s eyes will wander towards the light, so if there’s a bright window with little kids riding tricycles behind you…that’s what people will be watching. Viewers are like horses. Put blinders on them and tell their brain what they should focus on. Illuminate the key elements of the frame, whether that’s your face, a product or a logo. Place a smaller light to the opposite side (and a little behind) so that you have dimension and pop out from the background.

3. Speak Up

Computer stereos are notoriously insufficient when it comes to pumping up the volume. Most people think that the visual element is the most important when it comes to video, and underestimate the power audio has in communicating the message. Video is 50% visual, and 50% auditory. Use an external microphone whenever possible, or get close to the camera if it’s a cheap-o. Speak up, or else people will get frustrated when you make them struggle to hear what’s going on. When they can’t hear, they say “@*#% It.”

4. Think in Threes

Try and narrow your message down to three key ideas. Three ideas that you’ll communicate if you forget everything else. This keeps it simple, and helps you remember what you were saying if you go blank. The more simple your schpeel, the more relaxed you’ll be. Especially if the video is an interview or back and forth exchange.

5. Get Busy with the Mirror

Once you’ve got your three points identified, stand in front of the mirror. You can do it naked or with clothes on. Look yourself in the eye and let loose. Practice delivering your talk until you’re confident and relaxed. You may know what you’re talking about, but you have to convince yourself of that. After a while you’ll stop worrying what you look like and what other people will think. The more you practice in the mirror, the greater chance you have of looking like a natural once the camera’s red light comes on. If not, you’ll spend your energy second guessing yourself and looking like a stiff.

6. Up Close and Personal

Get closer. Closer. A little closer… Don’t be afraid to get close to the camera. Internet video players are pretty small, so don’t want to get lost on the wall paper in the background.

7. Befriend the Camera Girl

If you’re doing a professional shoot, chances are the camera girl knows more than you do about looking good on video. Ask her advice, and let her set up the scene. Listen to her coaching and suggestions. Ask to see the set through her monitor or LCD screen so you know which parts of you are in the frame. If she asks you to repeat a line or change your shirt, do it. She has your best interests at heart, and wants just as much for you to look good on video.

8. Wear Video Friendly Fashion

Be careful what you wear on camera. Red sometimes bleeds on television. Black and white can create too much contrast and throw off exposure, making your face too dark or too bright if you’re using a webcam or camera without manual controls. Avoid stripes, crazy patterns and sparkles, as the can cause noise or pixilation when the video is compressed for the Internet. You may not notice that you’re shirt is wrinkled or dirty, but the camera will. So make sure your clothes are freshly laundered or else be filled with regret once you see the play back.

9. Don’t Sweat it

Nothing will make you more nervous than sweat beads forming on your upper lip. Make sure the room you’ll be shooting in is cool so you don’t start to worry about whether you’re armpit sweat will show on camera. Give yourself one less thing to think about. Heat will make you uncomfortable, and the camera lens will catch that.

10. Act Like You Own the Joint

This may be the wrong way to word it, but seriously. You don’t want to come across arrogant, bit get pumped before you sit down. Stroke your own ego a little. You’ve got what it takes. 250,000 people may see it on YouTube, but it’s only video.

About Jessica Kizorek

Jessica Kizorek is a keynote speaker, Internet video expert and the respected author of three books on the subject of video marketing and the Internet. Jessica Kizorek has made it her mission to keep marketers in the loop with her keynote speeches and seminars on the latest in online video, online branding, consumer marketing trends, plus how social media marketing can be a valuable channel within integrated marketing campaigns.

Jessica has produced video content on all seven continents and was nominated as one of CNN’s “Young People Who Rock” for her passion in documenting the impact of humanitarian efforts around the globe. Jessica Kizorek has been invited to deliver keynote speeches about online video, video marketing and Internet fundraising for many corporate meetings, trade associations, national conferences and non-profit groups.

Since graduating Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Colorado, Jessica Kizorek’s company (The Viral Pulse - www.TheViralPulse.com) has produced video and digital media for clients such as Bacardi, Hyatt Hotels and Moet Hennessy.

As an adjunct professor at the prestigious Miami Ad School, Jessica Kizorek has also been published as an expert in the online video marketing field by industry journals such as The American Association of Advertising Agencies, MediaPost and iMedia Connection.

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Kudos, an open letter (and a warning) to the USPS Postmaster General (spread this around)

From the Blog of Jim Gilbert- The Gilbert Direct Marketing Blog

Over the years I’ve been super vocal about my dislike for the U.S. Postal Service and its less-than-forward-thinking bureaucracy. When it slammed direct marketers with a 20 percent postal increase back in 2007, I went (pun intended) postal on it in my Catalog Success Magazine Column.

Earlier this year after it announced its summer postage sale, I was optimistic. But once I looked at the fine print (i.e., how much you had to mail to qualify), I was critical then, too.

I try to be fair in the offering of my opinions.

Therefore, I have to applaud the USPS for its announcement last week that there would not be a postal rate increase in 2010 for dominant classes.

For those of you not aware yet, last week the Postmaster General sent out a memo announcing no 2010 rate increase, which has spread around the internet faster than a scandalous YouTube video goes viral. That memo can be reviewed here.

I know, I know: Postal rates are already ridiculously and restrictively high, but at least mailers can build their 2010 mail plans without having to cut circ from marginal lists and housefile segments.

But along with my kudos to our Postmaster and the USPS, I also want to put them on notice. Here goes:

Dear Mr. Postmaster General,
You’ve started a trend here. Between the postal summer sale and now this offer to keep postal rates stable in 2010, catalog and direct mailers believe that you may actually be interested in working to our benefit. We look forward to the next postal sale, and hope that the USPS opens it up to smaller mailers to take advantage of. We truly hope that you’ll continue to stop thinking like a bureaucracy and encourage more mail volume with innovative special offers and such.

But we’re also wary. Direct marketers are wary because the USPS holds a great deal of power and leverage over us. The last substantial postal rate increase nearly put us under with rate increases of 20 percent-plus. What was the USPS thinking? That move single-handedly drove more and more mailers into the online world. If we were to do the math, we believe the increase in postage actually caused your revenues to go down due to less mail in the mailstream.

Remember this Mr. Postmaster General: Every penny more it costs us to mail means we need to generate about two cents more per catalog and direct mail piece mailed just to breakeven. In this economy, we need every opportunity we can get to mail profitably. We’re struggling to stay alive and keep our workers employed and our customers satisfied.

Keep up the good work, Mr. Postmaster. Please continue this trend.

Sincerely, 
The Direct Mail Industry

As to you, my loyal readers, I encourage you to send your letters to the Postmaster General (or just copy mine and send it). Make your voice heard! Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Reach the Postmaster General at the following:

The Honorable John E. Potter
Postmaster General

U.S. Postal Service

475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW

Washington, DC 20260-0010

Email: pmgceo@usps.gov

Speak to you next week, when I’ll discuss a tactic to help you reduce mail costs by doing a specific suppression on your housefile and list rentals.

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Friday, October 16, 2009

US Postal Service makes a bold statement: No 2010 postal increases!

From the Blog of Jim Gilbert- The Gilbert Direct Marketing Blog

Note from Jim:
The USPS may have finally learned the lesson that higher postal prices drive down direct mail volume – resulting in lowered not increased revenues.

To Postal Service Customers:

Many of you have expressed concerns regarding mailing costs for 2010. The tough economic climate has presented significant challenges to all of us and pessimistic speculation has suggested that postal prices could increase by as much as 10 percent.

As we begin a new fiscal year and as many of you, our business clients, are preparing your 2010 operating budgets, we want to end all speculation.

The Postal Service will not increase prices for market dominant products in calendar year 2010.

Simply stated, there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, and single-piece Parcel Post. There will be no exigent price increase for these products.

This is the right decision at the right time for the right reason. Promoting the value of mail and encouraging its continued use is essential for jobs, the economy, and the future of both the Postal Service and the mailing industry.

While increasing prices might have generated revenue for the Postal Service in the short term, the long term effect could drive additional mail out of the system. We want mailers to continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace. Changes in pricing for our competitive products—Priority Mail, Express Mail, Parcel Select, and most international products—are under consideration. We expect to announce a decision in November.

We are committed to working with customers to find ways to grow the mail through innovative incentives like the Summer Sale and contract pricing. Mail is the most effective means of communication and advertising and we will continue to work together to increase the value of the mail. Mail is a smart investment for the future.

John E. Potter

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Bernhart Survey Shows Improved Outlook for Digital and Direct Marketing Employment

As reported by the major digital and direct marketing news media

Owatonna, MN, October 13, 2009
--With the drumbeat of layoffs diminishing only faintly, the latest Bernhart Associates Quarterly Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report shows digital and direct marketers are poised in the current fourth quarter (Q4) to add to payrolls for the third consecutive quarter.

"Clearly, it remains a difficult job market in the digital and direct marketing industry, but the overall trend is definitely moving in an encouraging, positive direction," said Jerry Bernhart, Principal of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, a leading digital and direct marketing recruiter who has been issuing quarterly direct marketing employment reports since 2001.

With 352 companies responding to a survey that was in the field from September 28 through October 12, here are the key findings:

  • 30% of the respondents said they will add to staff during the remainder of 2009, up from 20% in the Q3 survey (July through September 2009).
  • The percentage of companies planning layoffs was unchanged at 8%.
  • Companies reporting hiring freezes spiked to 45%, compared with 30% in Q3.
  • B-to-B marketers are more upbeat about Q4 job prospects with more planned hires and fewer layoffs-than their B-to-C counterparts
Bernhart attributed at least some of the jump in the anticipated Q4 hiring freeze index to seasonal variations. "We've seen this happen in our past fourth-quarter surveys when companies have held off on hiring decisions until after the holidays," he said. "That may have been exacerbated this last quarter by the recession's severity."

Most of the new hiring, Bernhart pointed out, is expected to take place on the services side with 41% of participating service providers reporting that they plan to add to staff in the last three months of 2009. Agencies were a close second at 39%, and client-side companies, at 18%, said they plan to make the fewest new hires. Among B-to-B direct marketers, 33% said they will hire during this final quarter, compared with 24% on the B-to-C side.

Despite the continuing surplus of job seekers, nearly 60% of companies responding to the survey said it was either "very difficult" or "somewhat difficult" to fill certain positions. Bernhart explained this apparent inconsistency with what he calls the "checkbox" syndrome. "Companies are looking for the perfect candidate, so what we're seeing here is an apparent inability to recruit applicants who meet each and every one of the required criteria needed to trigger a hire."

"Companies that made hiring mistakes in the past are now holding out until they feel highly confident that the candidate's personality and work style will complement the workplace," Bernhart continued. "To help measure that, many are putting candidates through a more extended interview process, including assessment tests. For example, I just had a candidate interview with eight different department heads within a single company. While that's a more extreme case, it gives you a sense for how important that aspect of the hiring process has become."

In addition, Bernhart observed, "Employers who laid-off workers are squeezing more work out of those who remain. This increased productivity is enabling companies to maintain or even boost output without having to add to headcount."

As for what specific positions will be in greatest demand by industry employers this holiday quarter, Bernhart said the list of job categories named was wide and varied--with analysts, sales, and account managers getting the most frequent mention.

Looking back on this year, Bernhart said the employment picture has brightened considerably since February 2009 when the numbers sank to record lows. "Economists are predicting that the overall U.S. unemployment rate will continue to climb into 2010," said Bernhart. "However, our survey is showing that, for online and offline direct marketers, it's possible we've bottomed out."

Still, Bernhart added, given the severity of the economic downturn, any rebound in digital and direct marketing jobs likely will be subdued as we move into 2010.

Bernhart Associates' fourth quarter survey was e-mailed to more than 8,500 senior executives, human resource officials, and other participants in online and offline direct marketing the week of September 28.

Bernhart noted that "Digital" has been added to the title of the quarterly survey to reflect the growth of digital media in the marketplace, as well as the increased number of Internet-based companies that have asked to participate.

According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), in 2009, direct marketing advertising expenditures as a portion of total US advertising expenditures will grow to over 54%, and they will generate 8.3% of US GDP.

Results of past surveys can be found in the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Statistical Fact Book and on Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC's website.

Companies interested in participating in the Bernhart Associates Quarterly Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report should send an e-mail to survey@bernhart.com with "Opt-In" in the subject line, or they can sign up directly on the Bernhart Associates' website.


Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Monday, August 24, 2009

5 Solid tips for multichannel marketers looking for work in this economy

The following is a guest blog for widely followed direct marketing blogger Jim Gilbert of Gilbert Direct Marketing and columnist for All About ROI (formerly Catalog Success) Magazine.

Note from Jim Gilbert: Filling my virtual shoes this week, while I’m on vacation, is Jerry Bernhart, President of Bernhart Associates Executive Search and author of the Direct Marketing Employment Outlook Survey.

By Jerry Bernhart

For those of you actively looking for employment, let me offer a few things you can do to help you get that extra edge. I'm sure you've heard some of this in other places, but these are key points that are worth repeating.

Make sure your resume screams, "I can add value! I still see way too many resumes that are long on titles and descriptions but short on specific accomplishments and achievements. That always amazes me because metrics are an integral part of the direct marketing process, and yet on their resumes direct marketers often neglect to include what really matters most- quantifiable results. If you don't brag on your resume, no one else is going to do it for you. Be specific, quantify where possible, and use some choice action verbs to describe what you achieved. Companies have already taken steps to slash costs, so think more about what you've done to contribute to revenue growth such as acquiring and keeping new customers, new products, new market segments, how you've helped improve recency, frequency and monetary value, etc. Don't forget to make your resume keyword friendly. Use terms that are specific to your job or career objectives, and use them often.

Network more, visit job sites less. In the Spring 09 Bernhart Associates Employment Survey, we asked employers to identify their biggest source of new hires. Surprisingly, it was not internet job boards or career sections on company websites. It was referrals- referrals from employees, former employees, vendors and partners. In fact, referrals beat out job posting websites two-to-one. If you're spending most of your time on job sites, you need to start shifting that to your network. If you've already exhausted your network, add to it. Think of all the vendors your past employers have had relationships with. Reach out to them. Even the vendors have vendors. Many of my best clients are companies I first contacted out of the blue. I didn't wait for a job posting to appear. Of course, you have to do your homework and company websites have never made that job easier.

For individual contributor positions, play up your strength in project management. Companies that are hiring right now have a much greater need for indians rather than chiefs. They still have campaigns to get out the door with sometimes very limited resources, and it seems every employer I talk to tells me how they want someone who can "roll up their sleeves" and be "hands on". So, be prepared to talk about the successful projects you've managed, and how you delivered them on time and within budget.

Get references and put them on LinkedIn. I really like it when a candidate I don't know about says he has references I can check right now, and there they are on his LinkedIn profile. Sure, you won't find any bad references up there but I look for common characteristics. If everyone talks about someone's keen team building skills, then you can pretty much bank on the fact that this person is a good team builder; good stuff to know if you're an employer with a job to fill that requires strong team building skills.

Get better at interviewing. Sometimes it's not the best candidate who gets the job, but rather the one who has the best interviewing skills. Many have the mistaken notion that interviews, by their nature, are very one-sided: The employer asks questions, you provide answers. That's part of it, but there are certain things you need to get across about yourself, your skills and your accomplishments, and you have to be able to do it in a finite period of time. Check my Bernhart.com website under Search Tips for a few pointers.

Jerry Bernhart has Twenty years experience in multichannel direct marketing recruiting, and only multichannel direct marketing recruiting. He can be reached at jerry@bernhart.com, or www.bernhart.com.

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

New Direct Marketing Group on LinkedIn


An exciting new LinkedIn Group for direct marketers has appeared and it's quickly gaining popularity. It's called DM Q&A, moderated by social media expert Jim Gilbert. Jim wanted to create a group where members could ask questions about any aspect of direct marketing-
direct mail, email, social media, direct response TV, strategy, execution, creative development, lists, vendor recommendations, etc. The group has already attracted an impressive line up of industry experts. Have a question? Chances are they'll have the answer, or know someone who does.
You can check it out at http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/2080726/
.

Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Bernhart Associates Launches Twitter Group for Direct Marketing Job Seekers


Owatonna, MN, July 13, 2009- Direct marketing job seekers will soon have a new on-line tool to help with their job search.

Leading direct marketing recruiter Jerry Bernhart will be moderating a new weekly chat session on Twitter focusing specifically on all things related to jobs and hiring in direct marketing.

"There are online communities for just about every subject you can imagine," said Jerry Bernhart, owner of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, who is also well known in direct marketing for his quarterly employment reports. "This is a natural extension of the use of social media to help those who are looking for their next career opportunity in direct marketing, including ecommerce and emarketing."

Bernhart said the new forum will use Tweetchat, allowing messages to be posted and read by participants in a matter of seconds. ""It's kind of like texting but a whole lot faster and easier," said Bernhart. "It also allows quick and easy sharing of links."

Participants can choose their level of participation, jumping in and out of the discussion whenever there's something of interest being discussed.

"It will be an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and get advice onlots of topics, including resume preparation, interviewing tips, job leads, salaries, bonuses, finding candidates, job offers, counteroffers, job descriptions, anything related to hiring and jobs in online or offline direct marketing," said Bernhart.

Employers are also invited to put up tweets on positions they are looking to fill.

The first direct marketing careers Tweetchat event will take place Sunday, August 2nd, at 8 pm Eastern time.

To participate, go to tweetchat.com, sign-in with your Twitter account, and enter DMCareers in the "Hashtag to follow" box. Bernhart explains that once you're in the group there is no need to use the hashtag because Tweetchat automatically applies it to each message, saving you the bother of typing it in each time you want to post. Bernhart adds that if you want to monitor the discussion but you won't be home at the time, no worries. Tweetchat works great on your mobile phone, too.


Visit our website at www.bernhart.com

Monday, July 13, 2009

Recession Easing Its Grip on Direct Marketing Jobs

by Jerry Bernhart

Owatonna, MN, July 13, 2009- Hundreds of direct marketers, agencies and service providers are offering some new glimmers of hope for direct marketing job seekers, according to the latest Bernhart Associatess employment update.

“It appears the direct marketing job market is scraping the bottom,” said Jerry Bernhart, Principal of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, a leading direct marketing recruiter who has been issuing quarterly direct marketing employment reports since 2001. “This is the
first quarter in two years in which the hiring index is showing improvement, and planned layoffs are continuing their trend lower,” said Bernhart.

According to the survey, 20% of the respondents said they will be adding to staff during the current summer quarter, up from 16% in the spring. Layoffs declined for the third quarter in a row, with 8% planning to reduce staff compared with 13% last quarter and 20% at the start of 2009. The number of companies reporting hiring freezes held steady at 30%.

The hiring freeze figure was even higher for agencies, with 44% reporting that they’re holding the line on hiring.

Bernhart said responses to the hiring freeze question underscores the prevailing mood
of uncertainty. “We always ask when they plan to lift their hiring freezes, and the vast majority said they expected those freezes to remain in place through the rest of 2009,” said Bernhart.

Bernhart noted that business-to-business direct marketers are faring better overall in the key employment indicators compared with their business-to-consumer counterparts.

For example, when asked if they plan to reduce staff 13% of business-to-consumer direct marketers said they expect further layoffs this summer compared with 9% among business-to-business respondents.

Despite the uptick in the survey’s overall results, Bernhart foresees no significant comeback in direct marketing hiring until at least 2010.

“You can’t stage a recovery with only one in five direct marketers planning to hire, and one-third of the others holding on to hiring freezes with no plans to lift them until at least the end of the year. In my conversations with senior level executives, there is no consistent level of optimism in the current economic environment for them to jump into the employment market. I’m also seeing that same caution in executive search. Companies are telling us they’re thinking about making staffing changes, but they are slow to pull the trigger.”

Despite the abundance of job seekers, the survey also shows that filling open direct marketing positions is not always an easy task. When asked if they were experiencing difficulty hiring new talent, 42% said it was either “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to fill certain positions.

When asked what specific positions will be in greatest demand this summer, Bernhart said the list of job categories named was across the board including analytics, sales, creative, technical and marketing. “There was lots of mention of analytics from agencies, service providers and marketers,” said Bernhart.

A record 402 companies responded to the random survey which was emailed the week of June 22.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, marketers – commercial and nonprofit - spent $176.9 billion on direct marketing in 2008, which accounted for 52.1 percent of all ad expenditures in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated approximately $2.057 trillion in incremental sales. Last year, direct marketing accounted for approximately 10 percent of total US gross domestic product. Also, there are today 1.6 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly support 9.3 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 10.9 million US jobs.

Results of past surveys can be found in the DMA’s Statistical Fact Book and on the website of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC.

Companies interested in participating in the Bernhart Associates Quarterly Direct Marketing Employment Report should send an email to survey@bernhart.com with “Opt-In” in the subject line, or they can sign up directly on the Bernhart Associates website.

About Bernhart Associates:

Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, is owned by Jerry Bernhart, a leading and nationally recognized direct marketing recruiter, writer and speaker focusing on senior level Multichannel Direct Marketing, CRM, ECommerce, Database Marketing, Business Development and Quantitative Analysis positions. Jerry has been a leading direct marketing recruiter since 1990, and specializes in direct marketing positions, online and offline, at all levels. The Bernhart Associates Employment Survey, now in its eighth year, has become the most widely followed employment report in direct marketing. In February, Bernhart Associates partnered with the Direct Marketing Association in providing exclusive analysis for the DMA’s 2009 Employment Outlook Report, a comprehensive study of trends in hiring and employee retention in direct marketing and available for sale at the DMA Bookstore. Viewed as a leading authority on issues related to direct marketing recruiting, Jerry is a frequent speaker at national direct marketing conferences and is often quoted by the direct marketing news media. Jerry has written dozens of articles for all leading online and offline direct marketing publications and conducts a widely followed employment survey for EM+C covering internet marketing and ecommerce.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Why Direct Marketers Switch Jobs- Often. A Study by Jerry Bernhart

Written by Richard Levey, DIRECT magazine, February 1, 2009

The average time spent in a direct marketing job? Just a little more than a presidential term:
4.05 years. So says Bernhart Associates Executive Search LLC, a recruiting firm specializing in direct marketing and related positions.

That's not the only surprise Bernhart uncovered in a study of 1,000 randomly selected
resumes. Another is that entry-level people work for 10 to 12 companies. Granted, there were
exceptions. “As amazing as it may sound, there are some direct marketers out there who have
been with the same company long enough to get their 25-year watch,” says the firm's principal Jerry Bernhart.

To reach these findings, Bernhart focused on the most recent position listed on each resume
with a definite beginning and end date. The pool represented job categories at all levels.
To compensate for the fact that some people stay on the job for decades, Bernhart also
calculated a median number — a figure that more accurately reflects the tenure of a greater
number of individuals. This came out to 2.82 years, prompting him to note that movement has
become the norm. It's what an individual does with that movement — how wisely he or she
follows a career path, or is willing to learn new skills or take on new responsibilities — that
makes the difference over the long haul. Bernhart also attempted to determine the reasons
behind the turnover rates. The answer is in the number of job titles listed under a single
employer. There was only one position per firm listed on 73% of the resumes. Two per
employer appeared on 12%, and three on 11%. This may indicate that people jump for promotions.
“This comes as no surprise,” Bernhart says. “Career advancement is among the
main reasons candidates give us for wanting to begin a search.”

What does this mean for CEOs and business owners? First, that direct marketers are spending
less time with their employers than they did 10 or 15 years ago. This means that turnover costs
are much higher than one might realize. And the cost of these actions may be harder to
recognize. Then consider the full impact when you lose a valued employee: There are the
costs of hiring and training a replacement…not to mention lost productivity, business,
knowledge, experience and skills. The list is long. “Imagine the savings a typical direct marketing company
could realize if it could improve its average turnover rate from 4.05 years to 4.25, or even 4.5,” Bernhart says.


The takeaway for marketers, according to Bernhart, is simply this: Think more about how important
it is to retain top performers. Between skills and legacy knowledge lost, the cost of replacing them is higher
than what's reflected in a hiring search.


Visit our website at www.directmarketingrecruiter.com

Monday, February 9, 2009

Direct Marketing Hiring Outlook Reflects Economic Landscape

Released by Bernhart Associates and the Direct Marketing Association, January 27, 2009

Owatonna, MN — Direct marketers may expect more layoffs, hiring freezes and cutbacks in hiring until at least Spring, according to the first 2009 Employment Outlook Report, based on findings from a recent study conducted jointly by the Direct Marketing Association and Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC.

“Each of our key employment indicators are at all-time lows, with almost half of all participants telling us they currently have a hiring freeze,” said Jerry Bernhart, who has been conducting quarterly employment reports for the DM community since 2001. “The worsening economic climate is taking its toll on direct marketers just like everyone else.”

Among those responding, 21% said they will be adding to staff during the first quarter of 2009, down from 31% last quarter. The percentage of companies planning to reduce staff rose from 17% last quarter to 20% this quarter, and 48% report they currently have a hiring freeze, up from 34% last quarter.

When asked when they plan to lift their hiring freezes, nearly two-thirds said they don’t know.

Bernhart said that despite all of the economic pain, direct marketers appear to be doing better than the U.S. economy as a whole.

“According to the latest Employment Outlook Survey by Manpower Inc. in December, 16% of U.S. employers said they anticipated an increase in their staff levels during the first quarter of 2009, compared with 21% among direct marketers who responded to our study.”

“A closer look at our numbers also shows that while quarter-to-quarter changes in planned staffing and hiring freezes are both sharply deteriorating, layoffs are going up at a much more moderate pace,” said Bernhart. “All of this suggests that direct marketers are being spared the massive job cuts that we’re seeing in some other sectors of the economy.”

Bernhart also observed that among companies planning to hire this quarter, new jobs will out-number replacements 5-to-1.

“Recent published surveys show that many businesses are actually planning to increase their direct marketing budgets in 2009 while reducing their spending on less targeted advertising campaigns, and I think that is helping to ease the blow,” said Bernhart.

A total of 264 companies participated in the detailed employment study, which was emailed in mid-January to a combined list of DMA members and past participants of the Bernhart employment survey.

Complete survey results, with expert commentary on direct marketing hiring trends by Jerry Bernhart, can be found in the 2009 Employment Outlook Report. This report will include information on hiring patterns within the direct marketing arena, new employee compensation, bonuses, and incentives used to attract new hires. This report can be ordered via the DMA Bookstore. Click here to pre-order now through 2/13/2009 and use discount code EMP001 to receive a 10% discount.

In 2008, direct marketing accounted for approximately 10 percent of total U.S. gross domestic product, employing more than 10 million people in the United States.

Results of past Bernhart Associates employment surveys can be found in the DMA’s Statistical Fact Book. The 2009 Edition of DMA’s Statistical Fact Book is scheduled for release in February 2009.

Companies interested in participating in the next quarterly Bernhart Associates Direct Marketing Employment Survey should send an email to survey@bernhart.com with “Opt-In” in the subject line.

Visit our website at www.directmarketingrecruiter.com