Last time, we talked about indirect marketing and how it can be beneficial for your business. And now, let’s look at the other end of the spectrum: direct marketing.
Compared to the indirect approach, direct marketing addresses your audience, well more directly. Here, the purpose is crystal clear: you’re out to generate new business, to promote your product or service, or to make a sale.
Read on to find out more.
Benefits of Direct Marketing
Aside from fast and measurable results (if done right, that is), direct marketing also brings in a lot of other benefits such as:
Personalised Messages
Some of the most common forms of direct marketing include email, telemarketing, and traditional mail. Unlike social media posts, you can send personalised messages through these channels.
Netflix, for instance, targets specific users with emails about upcoming shows based on its AI algorithm that identifies users’ viewing patterns and engagements. Isn’t that cool?
Flexibility
Since you can reach out to your target audience directly, you also get to know firsthand what works for them – and what doesn’t. This gives you room to pivot and experiment with which email copy or subject lines receive more clicks or responses.
Once you identify what works, it will be easier to sell or promote your new products and services moving forward.
Hypertargeting and Better Filtering
Unlike indirect marketing which targets almost everyone, direct marketing is extremely specific to your target audience. And if you’re running a small business, this is good news because it allows you to maximise your limited resources.
For example, when you focus on the right people (i.e., a potential market), your conversion rates will be higher. Advertising to a small yet targeted group of leads makes your campaign message more relevant – and your products easier to sell.
Challenges of Direct Marketing
As for the challenges of direct marking:
Legal Considerations
Since direct marketing activities are personalised and targeted, they are usually subject to privacy or spam laws.
Hence, aside from developing your marketing content, you must also make sure that they comply with guidelines to avoid legal ramifications. Moreover, you have to constantly monitor and update your communication channel settings to make sure that these adhere to the regulations provided by law.
Intrusive and Unwelcome
If you’re not careful, your audience may find your advertisements intrusive. Thus, you must always ensure that your messaging and targeting are spot-on.
Unsure about how to do it? You can always hire a skilled content writer. *wink*wink*
High Environmental Costs
Another downside is the environmental costs that accompany offline activities. Mailing out traditional brochures, for example, generates a lot of unnecessary waste. Most of these also eventually end up in landfills.
To offset this, some companies use environmentally-friendly materials or biodegradable packaging like recycled paper or even reusable cartons.
Despite its challenges, direct marketing remains to be an effective way to promote businesses and generate sales.
Need additional help in getting started? We’ve got you covered!
Remote Staff has been providing support and assistance to Australian SMEs and entrepreneurs for the last 15 years and counting. With the help of our skilled and talented remote workers from the Philippines, you can find the right team to help you execute your ideal direct marketing plan.
Call us today or schedule a call back so we can get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
