What is Direct Marketing Channels ?

DIRECT MARKETING
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and non-profits organization to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional letters, and outdoor advertising. Direct marketing is practiced by businesses of all sizes — from the smallest start-up to the leaders on the Fortune 500. A well-executed direct advertising campaign can prove a positive return on investment by showing how many potential customers responded to a clear call-to-action. Direct marketing is concerned with establishing an individual relationship between the business offering a product or service and the final customer.

Direct marketing has been defined by the Institute of Direct Marketing as “The planned recording, analysis and tracking of customer behaviour to develop relational marketing strategies”
 

Direct Marketing Channels 

Any medium that can be used to deliver a communication to a customer can be employed in direct marketing and it includes:
1. Email Marketing: Sending marketing messages through email is one of the most widely used direct-marketing methods. According to one study email is used by 94% of marketers, while 86% use direct mail.

2. Mobile Marketing: Through mobile marketing, marketers engage with prospective customers and donors interactively through a mobile device or network, such as a cell phone, smartphone, or tablet. Types of mobile marketing messages include: SMS: (short message service) — marketing communications are sent in the form of text messages, also known as texting. MMS: (multi-media message service)

3. Direct Mail: The term "direct mail" is used to refer to communications sent to potential customers or donors via the postal service and other delivery services. Direct mail is sent to customers based on criteria such as age, income, location, profession, buying pattern, etc.
Direct mail includes advertising circulars, catalogs, free-trial CDs, pre-approved credit card applications, and other unsolicited merchandising invitations delivered by mail to homes and businesses.

4. Telemarketing: Another common form of direct marketing is telemarketing in which marketers contact customers by phone. The primary benefit to businesses is increased lead generation, which helps businesses increase sales volume and customer
base.

5. Voicemail Marketing: Voicemail marketing emerged out of the market prevalence of personal voice mailboxes, and business voicemail systems. Voicemail marketing presented a cost-effective means by which to reach people directly, by voice.

6. Direct Response TV : Direct marketing via television (commonly referred to as DRTV) has two basic forms: long-form (usually half-hour or hour-long segments that explain a product in detail and are commonly referred to as infomercials) and short-form, which refers to typical 30-second or 60-second commercials that ask viewers for an immediate response (typically to call a phone number on screen or go to a website).

7. Catalogue marketing: In catalogue marketing, an organization provides a catalogue from which customers make selection and place orders by mail or telephone. It involves selling of products through catalogues mailed to selected customers.