• What Is Direct Marketing
  
• 5 Popular Methods of Direct Marketing
  
• 5 Simple Tips For Direct Marketing
  
• The Don'ts of Direct Marketing

 

And more new tips and information always being added to this list.

 

 

What Is Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is determining exactly who your target market or customers are and applying focused marketing strategies there. Simply put, it is taking a precise, accurate aim with your marketing and promotions, not a wide, inaccurate shotgun approach.

This is a very popular and effective marketing method due to its focused or "direct" process and cost effectiveness.

Example: If your customers are doctors of psychiatry, you could purchase a database list of psychiatrists names and addresses and generate a personalized newsletter or sales letter which you send directly to them versus advertising in a costly, big city daily newspaper.

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5 Popular Methods of Direct Marketing

• Develop a newsletter with informative articles that you mail to potential customers.

• Publish a flyer or coupon and deliver them through a direct marketing distribution channel.

• Telemarketing to potential customers in a specific geographic location or industry.

• Fax broadcasts through a list to specific target groups based on income, age, location, etc.

• Personal marketing/sales visits to potential customers in your community, local church or club.

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5 Simple Tips For Direct Marketing

Entrepreneurs around the world are discovering the power of direct marketing. The following tips are general guidelines to follow when implementing your direct marketing plan:

• Start a file for keeping good ideas in. Keep your eyes and ears open and save direct mail pieces or ideas that you find effective. Ask to be put on the mailing list of all your competitors. This will keep you informed on what your competitors are up to.
  
  
• Test different ideas and build on success. Don't change your entire marketing strategy overnight, evolve slowly. If you're currently sending out generic sales letters to your prospects, try personalizing them. Find out their names and build them into letters.
  
  
• Measure everything you do. By developing and maintaining a solid tracking process you'll soon know if personalizing your letters increases your business. Always allocate exact costs to each of your tests and code your order forms so that you can monitor costs and response rates from each test. The information you get from this will help focus your marketing even more and maybe reduce costs.
  
  
• Less is more; so keep your designs simple. Don't think that four-colour brochures are better than two-colour ones, and don't let your graphic designer detract from your main message with elaborate designs or overly creative artwork.
  
  
• Don't send out anything without an order form or call to action. Make an order form easy to read by making the questions simple, you'll get higher response rates.
  

The key to successful direct marketing campaigns is careful planning and solid research. By beginning slowly and analyzing your results carefully, you'll be able to evolve and build a strong, successful program.

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The Don'ts of Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is a powerful marketing tool to reach a specific target audience. However it does have its negative aspects. People respond negatively to constant bombardment of sales information if they are not interested. To limit the negative feelings and enhance your response rate, avoid the following mistakes or problematic situations:

• Don't spell the recipient's personal or business name wrong on personalized correspondence. It may be considered an insult or at least reflect unprofessionalism, and may do damage to your chances of sales success.
  
  
• Don't continue to mail literature if you've been requested to remove that name from your list. Angry people may take steps through agencies, business bureaus, etc that could damage your business credibility.
  
  
• Don't radically change your strategy if you don't see immediate results. Sales success may come after your repetitive (and slowly evolving) campaigns to customers has created an awareness. Timing is key; when they need you, they may not see your brochure, ad, etc.
  
  
• Don't make your sales presentation (written, tele-marketed or other) elaborate. "To confuse, is to lose", a potential customer. In particular, keep sales letters simple and easily read.
  
  
• Don't purchase or use just any mailing list for a direct mail marketing campaign. Ensure it contains your target audience, meets your demographic and/or psycho graphic criteria, and falls within your distribution network or geographic location.

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