Currently, advertising media are growing like flowers fed by rain, or rather, the money of advertisers. Well, of course, with the growth of the business, the advertising budget also increases. The advertisement itself is paid by a company selling a product (service). And when a potential buyer acquires an advertised product (service), he also pays for advertising, the cost of which was included in the price. It turns out a strange collision: a person pays to be pursued by advertising. On a global scale, this leads to the development in people of immunity to this kind of videos. They watch them on TV but do not see them. They listen on the radio but do not hear. We can say that the advertising market has overheated. Already few consider returns. Most advertisers have long come to terms with the fact that with a circulation of 1 million copies, no more than 200 calls go through, and in fact about 10 people buy the product. The remaining 999,990 customers are simply lost, although money was paid for them. That is why now more than half of advertising money has flowed into the field of direct marketing, or direct marketing. What is it?
Definition
Direct marketing is a personal and selective appeal to the consumer through writing (regular or electronic) or telephone communication. Some consider it an effective strategy for finding new customers. Direct marketing will inform you about new discounts, presentations, the appearance of a new product, etc. It also helps build the company's image in society and maintain relations with customers: their needs are clarified, as well as their attitude to the company and its products. Analysis of these data will best adjust the offer and increase the competitiveness of the enterprise.
Types of Direct Marketing
It is quite understandable that all possible means of communication (television, radio, magazines, etc.) are used for advertising purposes . But the most effective direct marketing technologies operate through telephone and mail. Let's take a closer look at them.
Telemarketing
In this case, a telephone is used to inform potential customers . It is clear that such a method costs money, but it makes it possible to focus on those to whom the advertising message needs to be transmitted.
post office
Direct mail marketing is the compilation, production and distribution of advertising messages to specific people of interest as potential consumers. In terms of one representation of the service (product) is quite expensive. On the other hand, the high selectivity of treatment makes this method a very effective tool.
Benefits
1. Targeted customer selection. Perhaps this is the most important advantage of direct marketing. No other advertising tool gives similar results.
2. The ability to "catch" customers at their location. When customers are at home, they can be "reached" using television. On the way from home to work and back, advertising signs and radio will help. At the work itself, you can work with business magazines. Direct and television direct marketing is the ability to influence the audience regardless of its location.
3. Fast response. Telemarketing allows you to check the effectiveness of an offer within a few hours. Advertising on radio and television makes it possible to evaluate only after a few days.
4. Psychological selectivity. Direct telephone marketing, examples of which are regularly found in business, allows you to reach certain psychographic groups. In simpler words, on people with a certain way and lifestyle. Magazines and newspapers are also published for specific groups of the population, but they do not provide high selectivity.
5. Various possibilities for an answer. The more customers have the opportunity to respond, the faster and more willingly they will place an order. When using telemarketing, they can order goods by phone. For electronic correspondence - send a request. Broadcast media do not provide such an opportunity. In most cases, only one way of contacting is offered. The problem with all broadcast media is the following: the viewer cannot go back if he does not have time to write down the phone number. In such cases, the response is zero. And when advertising on the radio, when a potential client is traveling in a car, it’s simply impossible to record a number, because this can provoke an accident.
6. Geographic selectivity. In most cases, certain direct regions are selected for direct marketing. And it is here that mailing and telemarketing are 100% valid. Indeed, you must admit that it’s stupid to advertise in a magazine distributed throughout the country if 90% of your audience is located in only one city.
Conclusion
For many people, direct marketing is associated exclusively with the work of call centers and the distribution of leaflets. But this is just a stereotype. In fact, direct marketing is a way of building long-term relationships with a client, and not at all the tactics of holding certain companies and stocks. In fact, this concept includes all means of advertising exposure using direct contact with the consumer.