Released on = January 31, 2006, 7:48 pm

Press Release Author = Florida Direct Marketing Association

Industry = Management

Press Release Summary = Direct Marketer to Share with the FDMA How He Generated 33%
Response, Key Data and 30% More Sales by Doing Different Direct Mail for Land
O'Lakes.

Press Release Body = FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Direct Marketer to Share with the FDMA How He Generated 33% Response, Key Data and
30% More Sales by Doing Different Direct Mail for Land O'Lakes.


Fort Lauderdale, FL January 21, 2006, "How Land O\'Lakes Got 33% Response, Key
Data and 30% More Sales by Doing Different Direct Mail." is the topic for the FDMA's
monthly luncheon on Thursday, February 16th at the Westin Hotel on Cypress Creek
Road and I-95 in Fort Lauderdale from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. The meeting is open to
the public with registration and networking beginning at 11:30 am. Advance
registration for the February 16th meeting is $35- $45, including a FULL lunch.
Register by contacting Laura Silverman, FDMA Executive Director at 954-724-3662 or
info@fdma.org. You can also register online at www.fdma.org.


Les Layton will share with the Florida Direct Marketing Association on February 16
at the Westin Hotel how his company got 33% direct mail response rate from 3,000
Land O'Lakes key prospects without giving away the farm.

Layton, president of Whitney Worldwide Inc. and Whitney Marketing, has been helping
Fortune 500 and other leading companies produce exceptional response rates for 20
years. His company also acquired 3M's Direct Response business. Clicking on Client
Testimonials on his marketing division's Web site (www.whitneymarketing.com)
demonstrates the results his company has produced.

"I've always said that we don't use the "J" word in our family," Layton said, "but
when I look at today's direct mail being sent out I feel like calling it junk. I
wonder if people are even measuring and tracking response rates."

Over-sized postcards, #10 window envelopes with small fonts and no teasers and #10
closed-face envelopes with small white labels just don't work very often in today's
hectic environment, Layton said.

"The world has changed and direct marketers need to change with it," Layton said.
"We're all on information overload, and it's not as easy to get our prospects'
attention as it was in years past."

Layton said e-mail, cell phones, the Internet, more automobile gadgets and microwave
ovens were supposed to make our lives easier, faster and give us more discretionary
time.

"Despite these great conveniences, I don't know many people who work shorter days
and weeks," Layton added. "People are hurried and stressed. It's tough to get
their attention. We all get more e-mails, phone calls, ads and direct mail directed
to us than we would like."

While the list is still the most-important part of direct mail, Layton says people
aren't spending enough time on the next most significant element - the offer.

Having spoken to many conventions about database marketing, customer retention and
marketing measurability, Layton said he rarely has spoken to database marketing
professionals who say they spend as much time on the offer and list as they do on
creative.

"And the creative they are mailing out needs far more time," Layton added.

Layton will show our Florida direct marketers how his company has used creative
offers and packages to get response rates that have surprised many clients.

Advance registration for the February 16th meeting is $35- $45, including a FULL
lunch. Register by contacting Laura Silverman, FDMA Executive Director at
954-724-3662 or info@fdma.org. You can also register online at www.fdma.org.

About the Florida Direct Marketing Association

The FDMA has nearly 200 members, including catalogers, Internet retailers, financial
services providers, publishers, book and music clubs and retail stores. "Direct
marketing" is the art and science of sending one-to-one promotional messages
directly to consumers, which allows marketers to measure response rates and campaign
effectiveness. The FDMA was a chapter of the national Direct Marketing Association
from late 2002 until August 1, 2005, when it once again became an independent
organization.

FDMA luncheon meetings are typically held on the third Thursday of each month at the
Westin Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. New members get their first lunch free when they
join. Special membership rates available for non-profit organizations as well.

Contact: Laura Silverman, 954.724.3662


Web Site = http://www.fdma.org

Contact Details = Keith Fletcher
FDMA President
Florida Direct Marketing Association, Inc. (FDMA)
Attn: Board of Directors
7154 North University Drive, #241
Tamarac, FL 33321
E-mail: info@fdma.org