You might have noticed in your journey on the web that some organisations websites look so professional, while others come off very amateurish. These organisations might even have similar looking websites. So how can two organisations with similar, professional concepts be so different?

Do you think twice now before buying that gorgeous new pair of jeans you don’t really need? What about your customers? If you’re worried whether you should be reacting to lower sales by slashing budgets, read on.

In periods of economic downturn, many businesses respond to the dilemma, somewhat desperately, by cutting huge chunks from their marketing budgets. They do this in the false belief that marketing dollars are not warranted, because marketing - as a means of gaining business - is rendered ineffective in such a climate. It’s the wrong response, and can often begin an ironic spiral downward - an act of saving money that leads to making less money.

It seems a month can’t go by without another major conference. This time, it’s the turn of the annual ADMA Forum, the expo of the Australian Direct Marketing Association taking place this week from Wednesday July 8th to Friday July 10th.

The ADMA Forum has become one of the most engaging and informative marketing conferences in the calendar, and certainly goes much further than traditional direct marketing. These days, as much attention is given to online marketing, social media and email as it is to the ingenious ways some companies get advertising into your mailbox.