Michael Castello

Michael also helps clients solve their creative challenges. For example, one firm was getting declining direct mail response rates but doing well on conversions. Michael asked to see the piece, and found that, among other things, the offer wasn’t highlighted enough.

“The following mailing they received one of their highest response rates,” he says.

He also helps with copy.

“People tend not to read things that have a lot of verbiage on them—they scan for the high points,” Michael says. “That’s what I look for. If there are eight bullet points, I suggest that they cut it down to three main ones.”

Michael, an Edith Roman broker specializing in the seminar and newsleter publishing fields, applies the same kind of DM horse sense to email. The message might need more links, or a registration button. In one case, the client included staff photos but no bios. The clickthrough rate jumped when they were added.

The lesson? B2B companies have to adapt to interactive media.

“Cell phones are miniature computers and laptops are smaller than ever,” Michael notes.” The ‘office’ can be put in your pocket or clipped to your belt. Marketers need to be aware of this and adjust accordingly.”

He also urges clients to try things like co-registration and other forms of b2b lead generation.

A Rockland County native, Michael studied architecture at New York Tech, but eventually found another career path—he went to work for Compilers Plus, a b2b compiling firm acquired by infoGroup. He learned there about compiled direct mail lists, and to this day is astounded by brokers who scoff at them.

“Every list is compiled,” he says. “It’s just a question of how it’s compiled. “What’s changed is that technology allows companies to gather more pieces of information.”

Having been schooled in direct marketing lists, Michael worked at Venture Direct and the Lake Group, and two years ago rejoined the infoGroup family at Edith Roman Associates.

Who’s Michael’s most important mentor? Ed Mallin, president of infoUSA Services Group, of which Edith Roman is a part.

“I worked for Ed at Compilers Plus,” Michael says. “There were some lessons he taught me that I doubt I would have learned anywhere else—a certain understanding he has of our industry, and how we should be dealing with our clients. Ed was always preaching, ‘Treat even the smallest customer like they’re your best customer.’”

Michael lives in Pearl River, New York, five minutes from the office. He and his wife Fran three children: Natasha (13), Michael (10) and Oriana (9), and a pooch: a Shi Tzu named Cinnamon. It’s an athletic family, and Michael has served as a coach and manager for nine years with the Nanuet Little League, the last three on the Board of Directors.

His marketing experience has helped him get his points across to other parents. “Conversely, my dealing with these folks over the years has helped me in terms of dealing with my customers,” he says.

Want to talk to Michael? Call him at 845-731-2690, or email him at michael.castello@edithroman.com.