The history and practical application of effective direct marketing techniques
Direct marketing aims to directly reach customers without middle man media interference and focuses on promoting purchases with a “call-to-action.” This means that businesses speak directly to their potential consumers and strive to present them with an immediate connection to make purchases.
Direct marketing’s early history began in 15th century Europe with Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of moveable type printing. Shortly after Gutenberg’s invention, trade catalogs began appearing around 1450, presenting direct marketing examples from printer-publishers.
The term direct marketing was officially coined in 1961 by Lester Wunderman. Wunderman went on to utilize revolutionary direct marketing techniques with companies like American Express and Columbia Records. Modern American direct marketing began much earlier than Wunderman, coinciding with the invention of the typewriter in 1867. Aaron Montgomery Ward developed the first mail-order catalog in 1872, marking the first piece of real direct marketing technology to hit the country.
The Direct Mail Advertising Association formed in 1917 as a result of these advances in new marketing techniques, in an effort to facilitate the new marketing schemes. The DMAA eventually became the Direct Marketing Association, which currently leads and manages the industry today.
There are many different forms of direct marketing, the most common being direct mail. However, direct mail is slowly loosing market share to similar internet and email techniques. Direct mail systems use a diminished postal rate for bulk mail to send letters to postal customers in a given area or marketing list.
Telemarketing is another popular form of direct marketing where businesses call telephone numbers either randomly or from a specific list and try to sell their product directly to the client over the phone.
Infomercials serve as an important form of direct marketing as well. Companies use infomercials to provide powerful “call to action” campaigns by creating an appealing visual representation of their product, along with contact information directly leading to the root company. Infomercials often give special offers that promote immediate response and improved business sales.
Other media forms, such as mass email notifications, door hangers, newspapers, internet banner ads, and billboards, serve as alternative direct marketing examples. Basically, any ad that asks potential customers to take immediate action, such as calling a free phone number, placing an order, or visiting a web site, are examples of direct marketing.