Direct marketing is   a strategy based on sending individual communications targeted to a predefined audience. However, while the basic definition probably suggests that the main technique of this marketing strategy is direct mail, which you’ve often received as a customer at home, there are many more methods available for implementing it. We’ll list them below.

Direct marketing techniques

Mailboxing

Letters may seem like an outdated medium, but they’re still an easy way to reach your end customer and, above all, the most effective way for those reluctant to go online.

Email

It’s the equivalent of a letter on the internet. Direct marketing strategies can be combined here with content marketing techniques, which create complex email chains tailored to each user based on their interactions. Thanks to the Internet, measurements can be truly precise, and you can get a good snapshot of your audience.

Telemarketing

Direct marketing can also be carried out by telephone. Although this method is falling into disuse, if the most common times are considered and customer service is encouraged, it can still be successful with certain audiences. 

Brochures in print media

This involves contracting campaigns to send out informational or promotional brochures, similar to newspaper or magazine inserts. Although they aren’t included in the pages of the brochures, they achieve enormous exposure by distributing them in print runs that cover large areas. This is an attractive technique for gaining visibility, but it doesn’t allow for adequate audience segmentation.

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Direct communications on smartphones

These practices share the fact that they were designed to adapt the definition of direct marketing to a new way of communicating through devices we never part with. These can include sending classic SMS messages, push notifications, or even more advanced connection systems that involve device sensors and real-time communication.

New direct marketing techniques are emerging every day with new technologies  . The traditional distinction between traditional and non-traditional media is likely becoming insufficient to fully encompass them in this online age. The internet will likely continue to generate new opportunities for customer contact, and with them, there will be many more direct communication channels that allow for long-term relationships.

Steps to follow in a direct marketing strategy

• Plan the strategy : You must think about what actions you will carry out and how you will do them.

• Define your audience : You need to identify the profile you’re interested in sending direct marketing communications to. Narrowing it down is only the first step, as you’ll then need to find a way to obtain their postal addresses, email addresses, or phone numbers. You can do this by creating your own database or purchasing third-party databases.

• Set goals : As with other marketing strategies, these goals should be achievable with the media you’re going to use. At the same time, they should be valuable to the company and realistic without falling short.

• Develop the actions planned in the strategy : Once you’ve defined your audience and objectives, you need to implement all the actions established in the first point. With the direct marketing media already selected, all that’s left to do is launch the different campaigns.

• Measure the results and compare them with the stated objectives : A good marketing campaign cannot overlook the most important step: measurement. Depending on the technique or techniques chosen, you will need to analyze physical visits, web inquiries, telephone calls, etc. All of this data must be recorded to compile an assessment and decide whether or not the intended goals have been achieved. From here, you will need to maintain or change the strategy and start over.

As you can see,  direct marketing is a strategy  you can implement in your business. If you apply the plan we just explained and use the various techniques, you can communicate with your audience in a personalized way. But, above all, if things are done right, you should be able to establish a relationship with your customers that lasts over time. Have you already tried launching a direct marketing campaign in your company?