REASONS FOR DIRECT MARKETING

Imagine this scenario: a personal trainer decides to start and open his very own health and fitness center in the heart of downtown Chicago. As he is putting together the marketing and business plan, he questions how he will be able to achieve his membership level goals. He determines that one way is through the use of a direct marketing campaign.

As he is contemplating his needs, he is quickly establishing the reasons for direct marketing - find fitness club members and continually increase his membership base.

While this is a very specific reasons for direct marketing, there are several reasons for direct marketing a business owner might have. One such very basic reasons for direct marketing is to generate sales leads. If we refer back to our example, the fitness club owner is looking to generate potential fitness club members. One way to generate this is to design a letter including a postcard. The letter should contain brief information including a call to action (i.e. request additional information). The postcard should then be returned in the mail. In order to motivate the potential customer, often a free trial period or discount may be offered with an expiration date – this is the response mechanism.

All of these tools combined or utilized in tandem have not only successfully generated a sales lead, but have also successfully completed one of the other main reasons for direct marketing. This second reasons for direct marketing is to establish name recognition. By returning the postcard indicating that they have interest in the product or service, you have the opportunity to increase name recognition and successfully complete a third reasons for direct marketing. This reasons for direct marketing is to offer information.

Another of the many reasons for direct marketing is to build a client list. By sending mass direct mailings with multiple product offers, you can find out which potential customers are interested in which products. You can then use these lists generated from the mass mailings to compile targeted lists.

While there are many reasons for direct marketing, the first thing that a company has to determine is what they are trying to accomplish through the direct marketing, there reasons for direct marketing. It is only then that you can find the best way to be effective.