Direct Marketing

Direct marketing encompasses more than sending messages through the mail.
The nature of your business might lend itself to allow direct delivery of promotional items, free samples or other marketing messages to prospects.

Direct marketing is growing exponentially with the emphasis on tightly targeted efforts. The growth in Internet use, e-mail, and media subscriptions, is making it an easier and more profitable way to market your product than it was in the past days of mass mailings.

With a database (either a purchased one or your own customer database) of names and very specific demographic information, you can select specific subsets of groups very easily and send very targeted messages about your product or service.

By finely targeting your marketing efforts, you'll also improve your response rates simply because you can come closer to reaching the exact profile of your best customers.

You'll also need to think about the purposes of your direct marketing efforts. Below are examples of what direct marketing can be used for:

• Building awareness
• Opening doors
• New product introductions
• Generating inquiries
• Fund raising
• Selling products
• Building traffic to your product or service.

Your direct marketing options can include:

• Exhibiting at trade shows or events.
• Offering seminars on professional services.
• Offering product demonstrations.
• Free samples
• Self-mailers
• Mailing packages that include a letter, brochure, and response card
• Post cards
• USPS direct mail
• Opt-in e-mail campaigns–This is where clients request your e-mails, otherwise it is considered spam.
• Telemarketing
• Mailing premium items and other types of gifts
• Fax campaigns–By law, you can only fax to existing customers. Faxing to non-customers is illegal. Research the laws concerning faxes.

Tips to Improve Direct Marketing >>

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