Direct marketing sends your marketing message directly to a group of consumers or businesses on a personalized level (such as a phone call or a personal email message). It is a form of marketing that provides the recipient with a direct call to action. The following are the three main types of direct marketing.
Mailing lists
Direct mail is one of the most common forms of direct marketing and an essential part of an integrated marketing campaign. Companies promote their products and services with a provocative advertisement. Direct mail campaigns give your potential customers a tangible piece of mail to read at their leisure. Direct mail campaigns are extremely effective and when customized and tailored to a specific target audience they can have excellent response rates.
Telemarketing lists
Telemarketing is the process of calling potential customers on the phone to promote your products or services. This can be done by using your own sales staff or by outsourcing to a call center. Telemarketing is vital to building brand awareness, building customer relationships, nurturing leads, and of course closing sales.
Even with its bad reputation, telemarketing still plays an important role in any direct marketing campaign. Telemarketing is personal and interactive and capable of providing an immediate response. As effective as telemarketing is, you must be sensitive to your potential customers’ willingness to receive unsolicited phone calls.
Telemarketing campaigns work best when your telemarketing lists are very specific, with accurate data that matches the profiles of your current customers.
Email lists
Email marketing is an effective way to reach new prospects or follow up on existing customers. Email marketing is extremely versatile and you can easily customize your marketing messages for various market segments or potential customers at different stages of the sales funnel.
Email marketing can be used to build customer relationships, provide company and product information, drive website traffic, and promote direct sales. Emails can be as elaborate or as simple as necessary.
Most people check their emails on a daily basis, which makes email a very effective marketing method for your business. However, email marketing should be used responsibly and it is extremely important to have the consent of your customers before sending emails.
The most successful direct marketing campaign will use a combination of marketing methods. Repetition is very important in any type of marketing effort. The more you can present yourself in front of your prospects, the greater the chances that they will remember you. Try a direct mail campaign with a telemarketing follow-up or an email blast alongside a direct mail campaign. A multi-channel campaign also allows your prospects multiple ways to communicate with you.
Regardless of the method, the key aspect of any direct marketing campaign is the ability to target the marketing message to a specific audience. With a properly defined target market, you can deliver your message directly to those who are most likely to buy from your business. This allows companies of all sizes to focus their marketing budget and resources where they are most likely to get results.
It is very important, before starting any direct marketing campaign, that you understand the different regulations that govern each method of communication. The responsibility is yours to make sure you meet the requirements. Legitimate list brokers and managers must be able to confirm that the lists they provide comply with various rules and regulations. If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask.