Direct marketing budgets are increasing

Published May 7, 2014 at 8:56 am

Marketing is all about reaching an audience to deliver a message about a product or service. By using a variety of strategies, marketers can tailor their efforts to create the most effective mix to reach customers. The Direct Marketing Association predicts that by 2016, direct marketing budgets will increase to $196 billion.

Although some might think that digital strategies involving social media and viral campaigns have come to dominate the marketing scene, this is not entirely true. When done well, these types of campaigns do a lot to generate buzz, but the fact remains that other strategies that have been around longer are still effective and necessary to a successful marketing plan.

Direct marketing has always been one of the most effective ways to reach customers. Email, social media and other types of digital marketing can be an integral part of a campaign. However, since not everyone is using these channels, other marketing methods like direct mail are highly-effective when reaching a specific audience.

For example, direct mail allows marketers to create a specific goal to reach a target audience with their mailing. The design of the mailing can include an offer and a call to action, and copy that is tailored specifically to show the recipient how the offer will meet their needs. Attractive design can also make a piece of direct mail stand out, making it more likely that the intended audience will take advantage of the offer.

This is just one example of a direct marketing method that has a high impact. Direct mail can also be used to draw attention to other marketing materials and content on the web. By incorporating traditional and digital methods, marketers can create more effective marketing strategies.