Direct Marketing - What is it? types, objectives, and examples

Direct marketing

Type of marketing that seeks to communicate with a target audience.

What is direct marketing?

Direct marketing is a type of marketing that seeks to communicate directly with a target audience, in order to obtain a measurable reaction. 

One of the methods most used by direct marketing, for example, is email marketing, through which an email is sent to the consumer to get a reaction, be it a purchase, filling out a form, or visiting a website.

Types of direct marketing

The different types of direct marketing are as follows:

• Advertisements: place an advertisement or advertising banner in any medium, whether in newspapers, magazines, websites, among others. This is usually the most used type of direct marketing.
• Coupons: offer benefits to the consumer, for example, discounts, in order to secure a customer, obtain their data, or check whether or not an advertisement is having the expected impact.
• Mailing: advertising through emails.
• Telemarketing: select target consumers and contact them by phone, in order to receive a reaction, usually a purchase.
• Letters: send an advertising brochure to all addresses in a target area.

Direct Marketing Objectives

Direct marketing pursues two main objectives:

1. Obtain more potential clients, who may be partners or sponsors, and contribute to the development of the organization.
2. Build customer loyalty, get a consumer to repeat the purchase of a product or maintain its permanent purchase.

In addition, direct marketing not only attracts new customers, but also provides relevant information about a product: its benefits, features, any promotion or offer, and shipping conditions.

In this way, from direct contact with customers, companies can improve their products and satisfy the consumer.

Advantages and disadvantages of direct marketing

Direct marketing has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

Some advantages of direct marketing are as follows:

• It concentrates on a  target audience, so the results are accurate.
• Sales can be confidential and personalized.
• Develop good communication between the client and the company.
• It is a marketing strategy that is not visible to competitors.

Disadvantages

Some disadvantages of direct marketing are as follows:

• The databases may be outdated and therefore not reach 100% of the target audience.
• It can be considered spam by the consumer, which generates a negative effect.
• The costs are higher because mail services, telephone services, internet services, and others are used.
• There is a lack of security in the collection and storage of consumer data.

direct marketing examples

Here are some examples of direct marketing:

• An internet service company wants to publicize a new product, so it sends an email to all its users to advertise it.
• A new pizzeria seeks to make itself known in the neighborhood where it is located, so it makes 1,000 brochures and distributes them to nearby homes.
• A political party wants to make its political proposals known, so it makes phone calls to communicate them to people.

 

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