Direct marketing occurs when the “producer” connects with the end user. The end user may be a consumer or a business.
Direct marketing applies to product and service-oriented businesses, and to nonprofit organizations. In all situations, there is no intermediary involved. Direct marketing describes this interactive communication with the end user.
Direct marketing is not synonymous with mass marketing. The most effective direct marketing takes place when there is a clear connection to reach the target market.
Organizations may use several ways to leverage direct marketing as they communicate with and deliver products to their customers. This may include using a direct sales force, catalogs, websites, email, direct mail, telemarketing, seminars, trade shows, and other “one-to-one” techniques to communicate and sell to their customers and clients.
Some of these direct marketing methods have grown dramatically, especially with the growth of marketing over the Internet. There is evidence that other direct marketing approaches have diminished, such as reports that the response to direct mail is often below one percent compared to the five percent+ response rate numbers more commonly experienced in the past.
The Internet has revolutionized direct marketing for promoting the sale of products and services to targeted audiences. Access to the Internet provides users with services in four basic areas:
- Information
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Individual and group communication
Online channels can eliminate geographic barriers. With this capability we people across India have the same access as the person across the street. Many businesses that can sell their products and services through downloading, or who can economically ship those products, have discovered an entirely new way to market.
The Internet makes and database marketing and direct marketing easier, more targeted, more flexible, more responsive, more affordable, and potentially more profitable than ever. Virtually every business should seriously consider the Internet as a part of their marketing mix and determine if it is a viable fit for their direct marketing efforts.
