Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to implement, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of direct marketing activities in accordance with an organisation's marketing plan.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to individuals working in marketing management roles who are responsible for managing a team to implement direct marketing activities for a product or service. They may work in small, medium or large enterprises and across a variety of industries.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Allocate responsibilities for direct marketing activities

1.1. Critically analyse criteria for setting priorities  for direct marketing activities, in accordance with marketing plan and organisational direct marketing requirements

1.2. Assemble required resources  to conduct direct marketing activities

1.3. Brief staff and suppliers on their budgets, time lines, roles and responsibilities 

1.4. Develop forms  for conducting direct marketing activities and recording responses

2. Implement direct marketing activities

2.1. Schedule work on each campaign element according to lead times required for different media  and in accordance with marketing plan

2.2. Ensure staff and suppliers meet agreed production schedule and budget

2.3. Identify any likely variations in production budget, raise with relevant persons as required and gain approval for variations

2.4. Make provisions to cover promotion over -performance 

2.5. Implement direct marketing activities in accordance with direct marketing plan objectives

2.6. Ensure activities are implemented in accordance with legal and ethical requirements 

3. Monitor direct marketing activities

3.1. Record responses at regular intervals  throughout the campaign

3.2. Identify and use evaluation criteria  to determine campaign effectiveness

3.3. Determine whether campaign is over-performing

3.4. Implement new targets and procedures to capitalise on positive over-performance

3.5. Modify direct marketing activities to extinguish non -profitable over -performance 

4. Determine continuous improvement opportunities

4.1. Analyse success indicators  of direct marketing campaign

4.2. Document campaign performance in accordance with organisational reporting requirements

4.3. Encourage team members to identify and propose ways to improve campaign performance

4.4. Determine, document and assign responsibilities for required improvements to future direct marketing campaigns

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication and negotiation skills to ensure required resources are obtained from team members and external suppliers
• literacy skills to prepare reports with complex concepts and ideas
• numeracy skills to analyse performance of direct marketing activities and to run campaign budgets
• organisational and time management skills to sequence tasks and to meet time lines
• teamwork skills to support a team involved in direct marketing activities.

Required knowledge 

• key provisions of relevant legislation from all forms of government, codes of practice and national standards that may affect aspects of business operations, such as:

• Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) Direct Marketing Code of Practice and 'Do Not Mail' and 'Do Not Call' service register

• Free TV Australia Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice

• privacylaws
• sweepstakes regulations
• Trade Practices Act

• organisational policies and procedures
• software applications used in direct marketing activities such as databases.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• allocate responsibilities to team members and external suppliers for at least one direct marketing campaign
• coordinate resources, tools and personnel required to implement direct marketing campaign
• monitor and evaluate performance of direct marketing campaign
• analyse campaign performance involving team at conclusion of campaign.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to office equipment and resources
• access to marketing plan and past campaign performance data and information.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• assessment of written reports
• demonstration of direct marketing techniques in a workplace environment
• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
• observation of presentations on campaign performance
• oral or written questioning
• review of authenticated documents from the workplace or training environment
• review of testimony from team members, colleagues, supervisors or managers.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBMKG410A Test direct marketing activities
• BSBMKG514A Implement and monitor marketing activities
• other marketing units.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Criteria for setting priorities  may include:

• what needs doing first
• what promises to deliver the highest return
• what requires the greatest financial, human and other resources

Required resources  may include:

• customer lists
• data
• databases
• financial
• software
• staff

Roles and responsibilities  may include:

• art direction
• chasing data that has not been provided
• development of copy
• development of design
• media planning
• media buying
• obtaining lists

Forms  may include:

• hard copy documents
• digital offline (email) records
• digital online (direct to database) records

Media  may include:

• cable or satellite television
• email
• facsimile
• free-to-air television
• phone
• print
• website

Provisions to cover promotion over -performance  may include:

• conducting thorough and rigorous sales forecasts
• ensuring website can cope with high volume
• having a buffer stock of product or service brochures or other promotional materials to cover better than expected response rates
• taking steps to ensure availability of adequately trained call centre staff

Legal and ethical requirements  may include:

• Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) Direct Marketing Code of Practice
• Free TV Australia Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice
• privacy laws
• state/territory regulations regarding sweepstakes
• Trade Practices Act

Regular intervals  may include:

• daily
• hourly
• three monthly
• weekly

Evaluation criteria  may include:

• average order size (units)
• average order value (dollars)
• calculating the total response in terms of:

• dollars
• orders
• units

• cost per response
• gross profit per attempted contact
• response rate calculated as a percentage of attempted contacts such as:

• copies of publication distributed
• emails actually sent
• phones actually answered
• phones actually rung
• pieces actually mailed
• right party contacted

• website click throughs
• website visits

Non -profitable over -performance  may include:

• customer service issues related to not following up leads quickly
• excessive processing and fulfilment costs
• low gross profit per contact
• low margin
• offer priced too low

Success indicators  may include:

• customer satisfaction levels maintained or improved
• materials delivered on time and within budget
• number of responses and cost per response meeting budget
• all tasks completed on time

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Business Development - Marketing

Co-requisite units