Direct Marketing
Submitted by StuartDH on Sat, 02/03/2007 - 17:39.
Direct marketing involves making a two-way communication between you and your customer. Direct marketing can include telemarketing, mail order, direct mail, and any advertising that asks for a direct response.
Any form of direct marketing, requires an effort to develop a one-on-one relationship with the customer. By establishing a database of information about each customer and constantly updating this information, you can establish a complete picture of a customer's history and future aspirations and thereby identify the prospects and leads for future sales.
Direct marketing covers a wide variety of media and communication methods that each present specific opportunities and potential pitfalls. Telemarketing, competitions, direct mail, coupons and catalogues etc are all forms of direct marketing and yet they have varying levels of popularity amongst the public. As many as 9 out of 10 people people object to being telephoned at home and do not like to receive unsolicited mail. 7 out of 10 people object to unsolicited telephone calls and mail received whilst at work. Half of all people to find advertising mail to be useful, but less than half will ever enter a competition, and only 2 out of 10 regularly cut out coupons or vouchers.
You've researched your market and identified a group of potential customers that could prove to be very lucrative in producing sales and further developing your organisation. The last thing you want to do is give them a bad first impression that will alienate you from ever being able to work with them in the future. Of all forms of marketing, direct marketing, probably has the greatest potential to produce this unwanted effect. Many customers identify direct marketing as being very intrusive, and soon you will need to take extra care to ensure that you do not fall within this category. Essentially, you need to identify which of these prospective customers are most likely to be responsive to your direct marketing campaign. This information can be obtained by setting the respondents receptiveness to past campaigns, either within your organisation or from other companies.
Relationship marketing.
Any form of direct marketing, requires an effort to develop a one-on-one relationship with the customer. By establishing a database of information about each customer and constantly updating this information, you can establish a complete picture of a customer's history and future aspirations and thereby identify the prospects and leads for future sales.
Attitudes to Direct Marketing
Direct marketing covers a wide variety of media and communication methods that each present specific opportunities and potential pitfalls. Telemarketing, competitions, direct mail, coupons and catalogues etc are all forms of direct marketing and yet they have varying levels of popularity amongst the public. As many as 9 out of 10 people people object to being telephoned at home and do not like to receive unsolicited mail. 7 out of 10 people object to unsolicited telephone calls and mail received whilst at work. Half of all people to find advertising mail to be useful, but less than half will ever enter a competition, and only 2 out of 10 regularly cut out coupons or vouchers.
Irritating Your Customers
You've researched your market and identified a group of potential customers that could prove to be very lucrative in producing sales and further developing your organisation. The last thing you want to do is give them a bad first impression that will alienate you from ever being able to work with them in the future. Of all forms of marketing, direct marketing, probably has the greatest potential to produce this unwanted effect. Many customers identify direct marketing as being very intrusive, and soon you will need to take extra care to ensure that you do not fall within this category. Essentially, you need to identify which of these prospective customers are most likely to be responsive to your direct marketing campaign. This information can be obtained by setting the respondents receptiveness to past campaigns, either within your organisation or from other companies.
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