What is Direct Marketing?
Direct Marketing is a marketing method that promotes products or services directly to potential customers without going through third parties. Also known as direct response marketing, it seeks to provoke a result in a target audience.
Why is Direct Marketing Online important?
Developing an online direct marketing strategy offers multiple advantages to companies, among which the following stand out:
- Optimizing the budget: With this type of marketing, it is possible to spend less than with traditional advertising because by knowing the target audience, one can set real objectives and focus the available resources to achieve them.
- Increases sales: activating communication by sending specific campaigns selected by type of customer (new and old) allows to increase sales revenue quickly and with minimal expense.
- Personalized messaging: having information on the potential customers to whom all efforts should be directed allows segmenting the audience to send them personalized messages about the advertiser’s products or services, thus achieving greater effectiveness.
- Loyalty: digital direct marketing messages can be combined with loyalty programs to create a faster and more effective link.
- Timely analysis of metrics and results: this type of marketing offers advantages in making timely decisions in real-time. If, for example, direct response campaigns such as A/B testing are carried out, the results will be available quickly, and strategic decisions can be made to achieve specific objectives.
Which are the elements of Direct Marketing Campaigns?
For Direct Marketing campaigns to be successful, the following elements cannot be missing:
- Audience: Identify who your target audience or market is and what their needs are.
- Lists: Develop and manage lists with updated and accurate databases of potential customers.
- Graphic design: Create eye-catching designs that make a positive impression on potential customers so that they take the time to read the message you want to convey.
- Ad copywriting and editing: creating and editing good copywriting is essential to encourage the audience to take action, such as viewing a catalog, visiting a website, buying a product or service, subscribing, etc.
- Distribution: adequate channels must be established to distribute the advertising message in an effective and timely manner, such as phone calls, e-mails, etc.
- Follow-up: this last step and not less important is vital in a Direct Marketing Campaign, if a good follow-up is done, potential customers and sales will increase.
Which are Types of Direct Marketing?
Direct mail
This uses postal mail for advertising the products or services offered by the company; it can be directed to customers in a particular postal area, on a marketing list, or other segment.
Telemarketing
This type of Direct Marketing consists of making telephone contact with potential customers to offer them products or services. To be successful with this technique, it is recommended not to panic. carry a detailed investigation of the profiles of the potential customers that match the profiles of the products.
Email marketing
This marketing type is one of the most profitable, simple, and easy to quantify ways to approach customers. To do this, multiple types of content can be created, for example, emails with promotions, offers, e-news, announcements, tips, and more.
Text Marketing (SMS)
One of the cheapest forms of direct marketing, it is used by sending text messages (SMS) over the phone, for example, reminding appointments or deliveries, sending a link to a new product, or any other short message.
Direct selling
It consists of selling the product or service directly to customers, for example, selling door to door, holding a party to promote it, among others.
Social media marketing
Social networks are nowadays one of the most powerful tools when it comes to direct marketing, as they offer endless advantages such as being able to interact with customers, inform about how relevant are the products or services offered, and greatly increase the reach of a brand because the content published can be shared and disseminated massively.
Marketing with brochures through mailboxes and flyers
It consists of producing brochures with eye-catching designs and delivering them to mailboxes to attract customers.
Best Strategies of Direct Marketing
Among the best strategies that can be used to be successful in Direct Marketing are:
- Loyalty cards: this strategy consists of granting membership cards to reward customer loyalty, giving them benefits such as exclusive discounts or other offers.
- Issuance of coupons: this is done by giving tickets or some other document to customers to be exchanged for discounts or refunds when they make a purchase.
- Promotional gadgets: this consists of handing out devices to customers to test your products or learn about their benefits,
- Clothing: clothing can be made with personalized marketing messages and given to staff or customers to promote your brand.
- Guerrilla marketing: in this type of marketing, unconventional promotional strategies are used with minimal cost in order to achieve a great impact on the memory of potential customers.