Question

What is Direct Marketing and how is it used? Cite and reference any sources used.

Answer 1

Direct marketing involves establishing direct communication between the seller and the individual customer using methods other than face to face personal selling. The main feature of direct marketing is that they are designed to receive immediate direct response from the customers. Direct marketing is used through telephone, email, websites, broadcast and interactive video. The customer response may result into a purchase, a question, or request for more information as result of the promotional efforts through direct selling. The websites incorporate direct marketing by allowing responses through single mouse click to access more information, click to add the item to shopping cart or a click to purchase the item. Using telephones, customer responds by calling the toll free numbers and indicates the information required by pushing the buttons on the telephone. Emails and faxes also help in giving response and the sales person calls to follow up the response. Direct marketing is used to target specific individuals who respond directly to the promotions and the Customer Relationship Management database helps to target specific customer by providing the necessary customer details.

Please refer Basic Marketing 15E by Perreault.