What is Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is a promotional method that involves presenting information about your company, product, or service to your target customer without the use of an advertising middleman. It is a targeted form of marketing that presents information of potential interest to a consumer that has been determined to be a likely buyer.

For example, subscribers to teen magazines might be presented with Facebook ads for acne medication which, based on their age, they are likely to need.

Form of Direct Marketing

1. Brochures

2. Catalogs

3. Fliers

4. Newsletters

5. Post cards

6. Coupons

7. Emails

8. Targeted online display ads

9. Phone calls

10. Text messages

The Goal of Direct Marketing

While some marketing techniques aim to increase awareness or to educate markets about a company’s products or services, direct marketing’s sole goal is to persuade the recipient to take action. While getting a sale is the ultimate goal, some customers will not be ready to buy on-the-spot. But they might:

1. Visit a website

2. Call for more information

3. Return a postcard requesting a quote

4. Enter their name and email address

5. Make a purchase

Reasons why it's successful

Unlike mass advertising, which is presented to everyone, direct marketing is presented only to people who are suspected to have an interest or need in your company’s product, based on information gathered about them.

For example, graduates of Princeton University might be sent an email announcing a new cashmere sweater now available for sale with the school’s logo on it. Only students, graduates, and their parents are likely to be interested in owning such a piece of clothing, so by limiting who receives the announcement, the manufacturer saves money on distribution costs and increases the odds of reaching people who might make a purchase.

Other reasons direct marketing is more successful are:

1. You can make the message personal, making the recipient feel it is meant just for them

2. It is more cost-effective to market to buyers who have been identified as likely to buy

3. For that reason it also has a higher return on investment, since the likelihood of making a sale to a targeted customer list is higher to begin with.

4. It is measurable. Direct marketing uses a number of built-in ways to track the success of each campaign, allowing you to improve with each mail or email cycle.

What is Creative Marketing

 is the process of selling things using creative talent in areas such as art, design, music, interior design and architecture. It evolved with industrialization as early as the 1820s as a way to wrap commoditized products in an inspiring experience. The following are illustrative examples of creative marketing.

Branding

Branding is about wrapping product and services in an identity. this identity is often highly visual with other senses such as sound playing a role. as such, branding relies heavily on visual arts and other creative content such as music and copywriting.

Promotion

Advertising and Promotion relies on creative talent such as graphic designers, photographers, videographers, musicians and copywriters toproduce communications that gain atention and convey a message.

Product and Services

The design of products and services to have a look and feel that appeals to a target market. This can be extensive process that includes things like physical products, user interfaces and packaging. In some cases, the product itself is a completely creative item such as fine cuisine.

Customer Experience

Customer experience often includes creative elements such as the interior design of a product showroom. Firm may also invest in architecture such as flagship location designed to represent a brand.

Visual Merchandising

The design of retail environments such as display windows is considered a creative field onto itself.