Direct marketing campaigns get launched for many reasons, some of them better than others. The pace of today's business world, particularly in the high-tech sector, often requires reacting instantly to market opportunities, competitive claims, sales targets, and a hundred other short-term factors.

Though this type of quick, "fire drill" campaign can help address short-term objectives, the inevitable lack of planning is often reflected in the overall success of the program. With that in mind, here are three questions to ask when planning your next campaign, regardless of how much (or little) time you're given.

1. Who's My Audience?

You've heard it before: targeting the right audience is the #1 success factor for any campaign. Asking this question early in the planning process, however, does more than ensure you choose the right list, publication, or Web site. If your media research and creative development launch concurrently, having an early consensus as to your audience means that copy and design will be on target also. (Hint: don't always assume the best audience is the individual that buys your product. Often, end users and other key influencers can be more responsive because they're the ones actually "feeling the pain". So test.)

2. What's My Objective?

Having a precise objective for your campaign accomplishes many things: it focuses the creative on a particular call to action (see "offer", below), it helps you make more intelligent media decisions (since certain media are better-suited for some purposes more than others), and it gives you a benchmark against which to measure your campaign's success.

A campaign objective isn't just about numbers. It's also about determining a more qualitative measure of success. For example, is your campaign designed to drive sales, generate qualified leads, or simply fill the database? Each option demands a very different creative, offer, and media strategy.

3. What's My Offer?

An effective offer reflects both your target audience and your objective. Too often, however, when campaigns are rushed, the offer is the first casualty. Either the offer is whatever the copywriter could come up with, or there's no offer whatsoever, just some vague call to action ("call us for more information".)

Next to audience, offer is the most critical factor in a successful campaign. To be most effective, an offer has to 1) appeal to your specific audience, and 2) reflect a precise objective. (If your objective is to drive leads, not sales, don't make the offer "buy now and save 30 percent.")