Role of Direct Marketing in IMC

According to the Direct marketing Association (DAM),” Direct marketing is an interactive marketing system that uses one or more advertising media to affect a measurable response and/ or transaction at any location.”

It is the oldest form of communication where organizations directly communicate with end-users through emails, telephone, fax, text messages, catalog, brochure, and promotional letter.

Nowadays people buy more online, so marketers help consumers in the buying process by sending those catalogs and other marketing material which makes the process easier for consumers.

Historically, direct marketing is the first area of marketing communication that adopted an integrated marketing approach. In fact, it would be in appropriate to rename the direct marketing as integrated direct marketing.

One reason that integration placed so well in direct response marketing is because of its factors on the customers. By using databases, companies can become more sensitive to customers warns & needs & less likely to bother them with unwanted commercial message. An authority on the subject has defined Integrated Direct Marketing as a systematic method of getting close to your best current potential customers.

Direct marketing enables organizations to communicate directly with the end-users. Various tools for direct marketing are emails, text messages, catalogues, brochures, promotional letters and so on. Through direct marketing, messages reach end-users directly.

Direct Marketing is a form of advertising through mail, print or TV- Direct response ad.

Combining Direct Marketing with Internet/Interactive:

Direct marketing makes use of online promotions through websites, interactive CDs/DVDs/kiosks to seek a response or complete a sale. Online catalogues promote the product/service to elicit a response.

Combining Direct Marketing with Public Relations/ Publicity:

Public relations activities and Publicity oriented activities employ direct marketing & direct response techniques.

Combining Direct Marketing with Personal Selling:

Telemarketing & direct selling is an aspect of Personal selling. In multi-stage selling, direct mailers are used to invite prospects or after direct selling efforts, direct mailers are sent as a follow-up & reminder.

Combining Direct Marketing with Sales Promotion:

Direct mailers inform a prospect of sales promotion events/activities or invites a prospect by way of contests & prizes & gifts as incentives. In sales promotion implementation, direct marketing tools are employed to inform customers.

Benefits of digital direct marketing:

• High segmentation and targeting. One of the great advantages of this type of marketing is that you can reach your specific audience segments with personalized messages. If you want to succeed, you should invest time to research and identify the consumers most likely to convert and thus direct your efforts to actions that really work.
• Optimize your marketing budget. Addressing online direct marketing to a specific audience allows you to set realistic goals and improve your sales on a tight budget. If you properly optimize your direct campaign, you will achieve results with only a small percentage of the cost of traditional advertising.
• Increase your sales with current and former clients. Digital direct marketing lets you communicate with your current customers to keep the relationship alive while continuing to bring value. It also allows you to get back in touch with old customers and generate new sales opportunities.
• Upgrade your loyalty strategies. Direct contact with your customers allows you to customize your promotions, emails, and offers to create an instant bond. To maximize results, you can combine your direct marketing methods with your loyalty program.
• Create new business opportunities. Direct marketing allows you to adapt to market demands at all times and respond more effectively.
• Tests and analyzes the results. Direct response campaigns give you the opportunity to directly measure your results. Take the opportunity to squeeze the most of your tests and make decisions in real time.