Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is a staple for businesses -
especially for nonprofits. If you have ever
been called during the dinner hour by a
telemarketer you have been the target of direct
marketing.
Often considered annoying and invasive by
consumers, direct marketing is an aggressive
form of marketing that only works when
carefully planned and implemented.
1. What is Direct Marketing?
Direct marketing is just what it sounds like -
directly reaching a market (customers and
potential customers) on a personal (phone
calls, private mailings) basis, or mass-media
basis (infomercials, magazine ads, etc.).
Direct marketing is often distinguished by
aggressive tactics that attempt to reach new
customers usually by means of unsolicited
direct communications. But it can also reach
out to existing or past customers. A key factor
in direct marketing is a "call to action." That
is, direct marketing campaigns should offer an
incentive or enticing message to get consumers
to respond (act).
Direct marketing involves the business
attempting to locate, contact, offer, and make
incentive-based information available to
consumers.
2. Types of Direct Marketing
Three main types of direct marketing include:
Other types of direct marketing include:
distributing flyers; door-to-door solicitations;
curbside stands; FAX broadcasting; television
marketing (i.e., infomercials); coupon ads in
print media; and voice mail marketing.
3. Does Direct Marketing Work?
That depends on how you define "work."
Direct marketing does ensure people know
about your business. But aggressive,
misleading, or annoying direct marketing can
leave people with a bad impression about your
business.
Be sure to adhere to privacy and contact laws
because there are stiff fines and penalties for
direct marketers that violate direct marketing
laws.
4. Should I Consider Direct Marketing?
Every business owner should consider direct
marketing. However, the type of direct
marketing that will work for your business
depends on your industry, your business
ethics, and your budget.