Ibrahim Sameer

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What is Direct Marketing One-on-one communication in which offers are tailored to the needs of

narrowly defined segments.

According to Chris Fill, a best selling author on marketing communications,

describes direct marketing as: “Direct marketing is a strategy used to create a

personal and intermediary free dialogue with customers. This should be a

measurable activity and it is very often media based, with a view to creating

and sustaining a mutually rewarding relationship.”

Company may have a strategy of dealing with its customers 'directly,' for

example banks computer manufacturers (such as Dell)

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Direct Marketing is Not New Direct marketing is not new; many companies have sold their

products direct to the public for many years.

Direct mail through the post or even mail order catalogues have

been around for a long time and are all a form of direct marketing.

Direct marketing became an important force in the UK in the 1950.

Today the scope of direct marketing has expanded dramatically

largely due to the use of the telephone and in particular the use of

the internet.

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Not all Direct Marketing is IT Driven

However not everything in the modern direct marketing

world is IT driven.

Some of the more traditional direct marketing methods are

still employed and are still effective; door to door selling for

example is still widely used by many companies.

Modern direct marketing is by no means all ‘hi tech’, but as

with many other areas of marketing and business in

general it is tending to move in that direction.

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Not all Direct Marketing is IT Driven (cont…)

The development of direct marketing overtime:

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The Objectives of Direct Marketing • Direct ordering.

• Providing information.

• Visit generation.

• Trial generation.

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The use of Direct Marketing using different Media

Telephone Marketing

Telephone marketing has been used as a direct marketing tool for

many years, although mainly in business-to-business marketing.

Many routine reordering situations can be handled over the telephone

without the need for an expensive personal visit.

Many services, such as banking, are now offered over the telephone and

customers can give instructions to pay bills and get a balance on their

account by using special access codes.

Many companies use the telephone as part of a direct marketing programme.

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The use of Direct Marketing using different Media (cont…)

Telephone marketing can be divided into incoming and out-going call

marketing.

the prospect makes the call to the marketing firm, usually in response

to a direct-mail advertisement or direct response television

advertisement giving a ‘free-phone’ or ‘toll free’ telephone number.

The call is logged and often recorded. The caller is then followed up by

an outgoing telephone call sometime later or sent information through

the post. They may even arrange to have a personal visit, from a kitchen

surveyor for example.

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The use of Direct Marketing using different Media (cont…)

The advantages of telephone marketing are as follows:

Cost savings: Telephone selling provides a customized means of

communications.

Supplement to a personal visit: Professional sales people use a

system of ‘differential call frequency’ to plan their visits to customers.

Gaining market intelligence: Marketing firms can speak to their

customers on a regular basis, not only to maintain relationships but

also to ask questions about their needs and wants and purchasing

intentions.

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The use of Direct Marketing using different Media (cont…)

Supplement to direct mail and other advertising:

Many direct mail and other forms of direct-response

advertising, on the television, press or radio for example,

will carry a ‘free phone’ or ‘toll free’ message. This enables

the prospect to make telephone contact at no cost to them.

The prospect can make an immediate commitment to

purchase whilst the advertising message is still fresh in

their minds.

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Direct Mail What is direct mail?

Direct mail is considered by some to be an advertising medium,

but by others to be a quite separate element of the marketing

communications mix. Direct mailing is the use of the postal

service to distribute a piece of informative literature or other

promotional material to selected prospects.

Direct mail is a method of communicating a message directly to

a particular person, household or firm.

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Direct Mail (cont…) Uses of direct mail

To help define it more fully, it is appropriate to deal with direct

mail to consumers and businesses separately.

Consumer direct mail

Selling direct: If a company has a convincing sales message, any

product or service can be sold by direct mail. It is a good medium

for selling a product directly to the customer without the need

for middlemen.

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Direct Mail (cont…) Sales promotion: Direct mail can send promotional messages –

‘money off’ vouchers, special offers, etc. to selected targets. This can be

a useful way of encouraging people to visit a shop or exhibition.

Follow-up mailings: The company’s name can be promoted to the

customer by following any kind of sales activity with a mailing, e.g.

checking that the customer is satisfied with their purchase or

reminding them that their car is coming up for its annual service.

Customers can be kept informed of new developments, latest products

and improved services.

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Direct Mail (cont…) Business Direct Mail

Business markets are made up of closely defined, discrete groups of

individuals. These groups may not be best reached by mass advertising

media. Direct mail can be used to accurately identify different market

sectors and provide messages appropriate to each sector. Some of the

more common uses in this context are:

Product launch: Often the launch of a new industrial product or

business service entails getting the message across to a small, but

significant, number of people who will influence buying decisions

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Direct Mail (cont…) Dealer support: Direct mail makes it easy to keep dealers, retail

outlets, franchise holders, etc, more fully informed of tactical

marketing promotions and plans.

Conferences and exhibitions: Business and trade conferences

and exhibitions are well-established means of communicating

with potential customers and business colleagues.

Marketing research/product testing: Direct mail can be used

for marketing research, especially amongst existing customers.

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Direct Mail as part of the promotional mix

In both consumer and business markets, direct mail must fit in

with a company’s other promotion efforts. For example, a

television or press campaign can reach a broader audience, and

raise the level of general awareness of the company and its

products. If such a campaign is added to a direct-mail campaign

aimed specifically at groups of people or companies most likely

to buy, or to people particularly wanted as customers, the

effectiveness of the overall campaign can be significantly raised.

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Q & A

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