When testing e-mail, OgilvyOne will typically develop at least two test executions for the same target group. We e-mail both to a small sample and monitor the response in realtime. The winning execution is then immediately delivered to the balance of the target audience. For some clients this has increased response rates by as much as 6%. So the old direct marketing maxim, "test, test and test again", is as true today as it ever was. There was a time when some clients would mistakenly shy away from testing on the grounds of additional costs or lost time; now there are no excuses on either count.

It is clear that the Internet has moved relationship marketing on a pace. Many can now enjoy brand and related service experiences that they themselves have configured to meet their own needs. The accessibility and utility, not to mention 'reward' of one-to-one customer dialogue can be improved dramatically. But this is just the beginning – a defining time when relationship marketing expertise really seems to be leveraging the unique capabilities of interactive applications.

Like learning a language, we still need to practice, to experiment and to study. We are not yet fluent but at least we can look forward to the pleasure of learning to become even more accomplished.

One thing's for sure, the language we speak in our imagination and therefore perhaps even in our dreams, is never going to be quite the same again – and they say that is just one short step away from being truly fluent.