Direct marketing is a form of advertising that allows business organizations to initiate unsolicited contact to reach the existing and potential customers.

Direct marketing is a form of advertising that allows business organizations to initiate unsolicited contact to reach the existing and potential customers. There are many different advertising techniques that are used in direct marketing that include; mobile phone texting, emails, direct mails, interactive websites, online display ads, flyers, catalogue distribution, promotional letters and other outdoor advertising. The most important element in direct marketing is the messages or the content of the advertisement. Basically the messages must emphasize the focus on the customer, content and accountability to generate leads that would bring in the intended traffic.

The main characteristics that distinguish direct marketing include making the marketing messages being directed or addressed to the customers. The advancement in technology especially information technology has greatly revolutionized direct mail with digital channels such as mailing list with mobile phone numbers, email addresses and online cookies. The ultimate goal of direct marketing consists of mobilization or call to action of the customers; it offers free communication, free gifts on responding to emails sent to persons on the acquired mailing list, or products on order, in telemarketing services the respondent is allowed to make toll free calls to the market for inquiries. It also gives emphasizes measurable and traceable, responses from customers without the concern on the media used.

In direct marketing there is no consideration on the size of the business; it involves the smallest start ups to multinationals in the Fortune magazines top 500. Proper planning of the direct mail activity can bring in positive leads and return on marketing investment by clearly indicating the number of customers or leads generated by the to action process. This type of marketing ply on the building of leads based on emotional awareness and engagement of the specific brand; not even the most well designed advertisement can create the same impact as the direct mail messages. The most common problem with the direct mail advertisement is soliciting for the direct mail contacts; sometimes the addresses are stolen thus the messages sent are regarded as spam hence immediately disposed without being generating any leads. If this happens the campaign gives minimal leads thus it’s a failure.

For many organizations direct marketing is by far the most cost effective marketing method of generating useful leads. From direct mail and leaflet drops to telemarketing services and email marketing, the process enables you to target the exact customers with precise accuracy than all other marketing methods. This saves a lot of money in the budget for only the interested customers will respond, if the digital direct mail is used the cost of the campaign is almost insignificant while it can yield very positive leads.

However, poorly done direct mail activity may be very detrimental to the future of the company. Direct mail puts the business on the risk of being sued for spamming, stealing contacts and creating a bad reputation for its products. Great care must be exercised to safeguard the company and the products being marketed at all times.

Resources:
Cole Flay is the author of this article on direct mail.
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Author: M. Stewart.

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