What is direct marketing?
Direct marketing is possibly the oldest way to establish branding and sell goods and services. In this technique, companies market themselves and their products directly to the buyer.
Potential customers are asked to buy products or get services directly from the company. This is in contrast to other forms of marketing which target a middleman company or platform or focus more generally on brand building over immediate sales.
In the 1900s, customers in rural areas around the world might be out of reach of direct selling. Homesteaders in America’s West and rural ranchers in Australia’s Outback might only make one trip a year to a distant town. How did companies market products to people who rarely set foot in stores?
Selling face-to-face or door-to-door wasn’t an option. Instead, businesses took advantage of improved printing techniques and lowered print costs. They created catalogs and sales brochures which were then delivered to even the most rural families. In this way, customers learned what products were available and could put in orders for eventual delivery.
We’ve come a long way from delivering catalogs and parcels via the Pony Express. However, direct marketing is still a powerful tactic for modern brands to connect with customers.
A well-chosen strategy for direct marketing is a cost-effective way to target the right people and get immediate feedback. Meanwhile, poorly developed direct marketing strategies may fall short or even expose your company to legal concerns.
