New York—The Direct Marketing Association on May 29 laid off 14—or 7%–of its headquarters staff. President/CEO Bob Wientzen calls the layoffs “not a big deal.” Most of the DMA’s operating units had only one or two layoffs; the conference/seminar department had the majority of casualties.
Specifically, the staff cuts were caused by three factors:
* a downturn in attendance at some of its seminars—and the subsequent cancellation of some seminar dates;
* the conversion of some seminars to the Internet; and
* the outsourcing of some of its conference registration.
Wientzen wouldn’t reveal the names of the laid-off staffers due to privacy considerations, nor would he specify which seminars were being cancelled. But he noted that most of the cancelled dates would be repeats of earlier seminars, such as the Basic Direct Marketing class, which has been the DMA’s most popular seminar. As for those seminars cut altogether, Wientzen says, “We’re always adding and subtracting titles—nothing out of the ordinary.” He adds, however, that “we’re adding fewer new subjects because of the softness in the economy.”
The DMA will also try to hold more seminars outside the New York area “to reduce the amount of travel that people have to do to get to our events,” Wientzen says. Instead, more seminars will take place in such cities as Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Washington.
Wientzen says he doubts another round of layoffs will be necessary. “If the economy goes in the tank, we’d have to rethink it. But we have no plans for further reductions. We feel this is adequate to get us through the current fuss, and if the economy comes back, we’ll either rehire these people or fill these jobs if they’re not available.”
On the flip side, Wientzen says, the organization’s membership growth “is terrific.” With more than 5,000 members, the DMA has increased membership more than 8% during the past year, slightly ahead of the agency’s target for the year.