Forms of Direct Marketing

Forms of Direct Marketing

Major forms of direct marketing are summarized below:
i. Face-to-Face Selling
The original and oldest form of direct
marketing is the sales. Today, many
companies’ still use salespersons or
representatives to reach their prospects,
develop them into customers, build lasting
relationships, and grow the business.
ii. Telemarketing
In telemarketing telephone is used to sell
directly to consumers. Two general types of
telemarketing include:
1). Outbound telephone marketing to sell directly to consumers.

2). Inbound toll-free 800 numbers to receive orders from television and radio ads, direct
mail, or catalogs.
900 numbers are used to sell consumers’ information, entertainment, or the opportunity to voice
an opinion on a pay-per-call basis. Many customers appreciate the offers they receive by
telephone, however, because of the recent explosion in unsolicited telephone marketing,
lawmakers are responding with efforts to control unsolicited telemarketing during certain hours of
the day. Most telemarketers support some form of legislation.
iii. Direct-Mail Marketing
Direct mail marketing involves sending an offer, announcement, reminder, or other item to a
person at a particular address. Direct mail is well suited to direct, one-to-one communication.
Advantages include:
1). High target-market selection
2). Personalized.
3). Flexible.
4). Allows easy measurement of results.
Even though the cost per thousand can be high, the people who reached through direct marketing
are better prospects than those who reached with other media. New forms of direct mail include:
1). Fax mail.
2). E-mail.
3). Voice mail.
iv. Catalog Marketing
Catalog marketing involves selling through catalogs mailed to a selected list of customers or made
available in stores. A catalog is a printed, bound piece of at least eight pages, selling multiple
products, and offering a direct ordering mechanism. Some stores offer a complete line of goods
through their catalogs. Most direct retailers have put their catalogs on the World Wide Web. Web
catalogs are passive and must be marketed themselves.
v. Direct-Response Television Marketing
Direct-response television marketing takes one of two major forms.
1). Direct-response advertising occurs when marketers air television spots or
infomercials.
2). Home shopping channels are entire programs or channels dedicated to selling goods
and services.
In the near future, two-way interactive television and linkages with Internet technology will make
television shopping much different from what it is today and it will become one of the major
forms of direct marketing.
vi. Kiosk Marketing
Some companies place information and ordering machines (called kiosks) in stores, airports, and
other locations (in contrast to machines which dispense products--vending machines). Business
marketers can also use kiosks (such as at trade shows). Kiosks are also going online as companies
merge real-world and virtual worlds of commerce. The Gap interactive kiosk is a great example of
this technology.
vii. Online Marketing and Electronic Commerce
Online marketing is conducted through interactive online computer systems, which link
consumers with sellers electronically.
There are two types of online channels:

1). Commercial online services offer information and marketing services to subscribers who
pay a monthly fee. The best known is America Online.
2). The commercial online services are now being overtaken by the Internet as the primary
online marketing channel. The Internet is a vast and burgeoning global web of computer
networks. The World Wide Web is a popular meeting place for consumer and business commerce