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Direct Marketing
Direct marketers use this process to build long term relationship with customers by occasionally sending
birthday cards, informational materials or small premiums to selected members amongst their customer.
For example: hotels, airlines and some other businesses through frequent award programmes, use this
procedure to create and maintain strong customer relationships – such process is referred to as DIRECT
RELATIONSHIP MARKETING.
COMMON CHANNELS FOR DIRECT MARKETING
Direct marketers use various channels for reaching their prospective customers. Such channels include:
- Face-to-face or Door-to-Door selling
- Direct mail marketing
- Catalogue marketing – mail order catalogue
- Telemarketing
- Television
- Direct response media
- Kiosk marketing
- Online channels
- Automatic vending machine
FACE-TO-FACE SELLING
This procedure uses sales call and door-to-door retailing approach. Companies rely heavily on a
professional sales force to locate prospects, develop them into customers and grow the business. They
also use manufacturer’s representatives, sales agents to implement direct selling plans. This procedure
enjoys wide applications such as – insurance agents, stockbrokers and sales agent working part-time or
full-time for direct sales organization.
DIRECT MAIL MARKETING
DIRECT MAIL MARKETING includes the dispatch of an offer, announcement, promotional message,
reminder or other material to a customer or prospect at a particular geographical location. The direct
marketer develops a selective mailing list, which can be used to dispatch letters, flyers, foldouts and
other materials such as audio tapes, video tapes, and in some situations, computer diskettes to prospects
and customers. The diskette’s menu which is used usually for high-tech products provides technical
information and visual graphics about the product with answers to frequently asked questions, relating
to the product.
Direct mail is a popular medium because it permits high target-market selectivity. It can be personalized
and is flexible – it allows early testing and response measurement, though it costs per thousand people
reached is higher than using mass media, the people reached are much better, quality prospects.