What Is Direct Response Marketing?
Since even a mature business like advertising is not clearly understood by many of its practitioners you can hardly be surprised that few understand what direct marketing is.
Indeed, whilst preparing this article, I saw that, in a survey of 133 leading American direct marketers, no clear agreement on what the business is emerged.
When the phrase direct marketing comes up, most people, in my experience, immediately think of the medium of direct mail.
Others think of direct marketing as a method of selling, like off -the-page selling.
Others confuse it with a channel of distribution, like mail order.
Producing a definition as simple as ‘Salesmanship in print’ for advertising proved an insuperable task for the industry’s pundits. So much so that (in what I can only assume was a moment of despair) Direct Marketing magazine – then the industry’s leading American organ – summoned not one, but three experts to do so.
The result of their labours was placed at the beginning of every issue of the magazine.
It occupied two half pages, featuring one of those gloriously complicated flow charts which always throw me into a state of utter confusion.
You may consider the need for a simple definition unimportant; indeed, few people using direct marketing bother to speculate on what it really is.
But I consider it crucial.
Imagine spending millions of pounds without clearly understanding what you are spending them on.
Not an imaginary scenario, I assure you.
In fact, not long ago, I recall a debate taking place with a leading automobile company, which we shall call Ford for the sake of argument, covering many countries and multifarious marketing problems.
Was direct marketing an advertising activity?
In that case the people in charge of advertising should make the decision.
Was it ‘below the line’? In which case that company’s policy meant that a different department, usually concerned with purchasing everything down to stationery, would deal with it.
I will not go into detail, save to say that in the end different decisions were made in different countries for different reasons – most to do with these varying views of direct marketing.
This is obviously stupid.
And it is not likely to become any more intelligent if everybody involved has to understand and memorise a long, illustrated definition before they start work.
Moreover, the pool of understanding has been muddied further by the fact that many practitioners are not even agreed that direct marketing ought to be called direct marketing.
As a result, combined with the desire to give brand names to particular companies’ approaches to the business, all sorts of names have cropped up: terms such as ‘curriculum marketing’, ‘dialogue marketing’, ‘personal marketing’, ‘database marketing’ and – currently the most fashionable one – ‘customer relationship marketing’.
But the most common term remains direct marketing.
It is certainly the one I propose to stick to.
Nevertheless, these terms do reveal important facts about the nature of the business.
Certainly direct marketing revolves around the building and exploitation of a database – though there is more to it than that.
Equally, building a relationship is one of our objectives – but only one.
The approach is personal; and in the process of building a relationship, you can guide your prospect through a curriculum whereby you learn more about them and they learn more about you.
But my simple definition of direct marketing is: ‘any advertising activity which creates and exploits a direct relationship between you and your prospect or customer as an individual’.
If you and I can agree that we ought to call direct marketing ‘direct marketing’, and you accept my simple definition, then you will immediately appreciate that a wide range of activities is encompassed.
I am sure you have been stopped by people standing on street corners with questionnaires bearing such inane queries as: ‘Are you able to save as much money as you’d like?’ If you are not careful, these will lead to a visit from an insurance salesman.
Clearly these people are engaged in direct marketing: they are making a direct contact and trying to initiate a relationship with you as an individual.
In the same way, somebody who offers you a leaflet inviting you to go into your local hamburger joint and win a prize; or the ad for the introduction agency offering love everlasting; the note in the shop window selling a used ghetto blaster; the ad suggesting you apply for shares in British Telecom; the leaflet coming through your door in praise of your local Conservative Party candidate – they’re all direct marketing.
In fact the most popular section in many papers – the classified section – is nothing but direct marketing.
And almost everything that happens on the internet involves direct marketing.
Perhaps it is worth stating here what I believe to be the differences between direct marketing and some of the other communications tools. (This is not made any easier by the fact that in the case of sales promotion, people are no more agreed about what they do than are direct marketers.)
How Does Direct Marketing Differ From Other Disciplines Like Advertising?
- Advertising usually speaks to people en masse, not as individuals. Although today the vast majority of ads do allow people to respond, especially by going to a website, advertising does not usually aim above all for an immediate response. It seeks to influence customers so that they choose your brand when they reach the point of decision – the shop, for instance.
- Sales promotion is normally designed to get action at the point of sale. Often it uses the same methods as direct marketing. It can also generate lists. But rarely is there a continuing effort to build a lasting relationship with respondents by exploiting the full possibilities of a database.
- Public relations employs media controlled by others to create a favourable climate of opinion. It too can create a database, for instance of replies to editorials, which are usually of very good quality.
- Packaging protects and draws attention to the product. It can also strengthen people’s belief in your product, reassure them, make offers, and collect names cheaply for the database.
- Experiential marketing, a fashionable new name for what used to be called events, certainly creates opportunities for building relationships, although few are doing this with it. Certainly practitioners in all disciplines are increasingly aware of the potential of the direct relationship, but very few appreciate its full possibilities.
The above is an excerpt taken from Drayton Bird’s book, ‘Commonsense Direct & Digital Marketing’.
To discover how direct and digital marketing can — and most probably will — make a difference to your business, click here.
Best,
Rezbi
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com
P.S. I just found a great article by Seth Godin where he also talks about the difference between direct marketing vs. mass market thinking. You can read that article here.
Filed under direct marketing, direct marketing business, Direct Response Marketing, internet marketing, marketing by on Aug 10th, 2010. Comment. 
Every time I receive a critique request from a
mentee I’m also asked this. What’s my overall
opinion on the copy?
To be of most help to my clients, I must point out
an important aspect of copy that in my experience
is not discussed by others. And it’s perhaps the
most elusive aspect of copy to ever grasp.
However, no matter how creative the copy may be,
unless this aspect is present the copy simply will
not work.
The best way I know to understand this element is
to think about it in a special way.
Every student of a musical instrument knows this.
You need a tuning fork to accurately vibrate with
to capture the exact level of any particular sound.
When writing copy, it’s as though there are two
tuning forks that must exactly match their sound.
We must get the tuning fork within us to vibrate in
harmony with the tuning fork within those to
whom we are making an offer.
Otherwise, if you are not vibrating in tune with
prospects, they simply will not act on your copy.
However, if you are vibrating in tune, a majority
of your prospects will relate with your message.
And many will act on it.
How do I know if I’m vibrating with and on the
same page as my prospects?
It’s really quite easy. If the response is heavy in
both orders as well as comments and feedback, I
know whether I’m on the same page.
Response is the telltale sign. This is, of course,
the main beauty of direct response marketing!
When you completely miss the mark, it’s also
not hard to tell. There is very little response of
any kind.
So, when writing copy, your challenge is this.
To get your tuning fork vibrating in tune with
the majority of your prospects.
Admittedly, to make the judgment initially is
more of an art than a science. But you do get
better with experience. And actual results will
confirm whether your judgments are correct.
In any case, to succeed big, your copywriting
efforts should be directed toward really getting
in tune with your market.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under copywriting, Direct Response Marketing, Ted Nicholas by on Mar 12th, 2010. Comment.
A dear friend of my family, Andonis Getsos, was a
huge influence in my life.
Mr. Getsos gave me some invaluable advice.
I’ll share it with you in a moment. Allow me to tell
you a brief story.
I was a teenager when I became very close with
Andonis Getsos.
A good friend of my parents, for some reason he
took a great interest in me. We spent quite a lot of
time together. He asked me to call him Uncle Tony.
He was an outstanding amateur wrestler in his
youth. I also love wrestling. He used to enjoy
wrestling on the beach with me.
We talked a lot. Uncle Tony was easy for me to
communicate with. I felt he understood me better
than anyone. He was a terrific active listener. A
quality all too rare in most people.
Uncle Tony was a multi-millionaire in the fur
business in New York City.
But before he achieved his remarkable success, he
had many setbacks, as do most entrepreneurs. But
unlike others who give up, he kept trying after he
experienced three business failures.
One day, Uncle Tony asked me what exactly I
wanted to do with my life. I was 16 years old. I
answered this way.
“I want to start and build my own successful
business. But I know there are no guarantees. I
may or may not be successful as you first time
around. So, it’s very important for me to possess
fantastic survival skills. Then I’ll be able to start
over if I have to.
“Of course, I also know my father is not in any
position to help me start over if I were to
experience a business failure. Nor do I want to
expect anyone else to help me.
“In fact, Uncle Tony, I want to be so good at
something that even if I were to wash up on Miami
Beach naked without contacts and without a penny
to my name, I’d still become a millionaire like you
in 5 years or less. To become expert in the most
important wealth-building skill would make me feel
financially secure.
“I’m willing to apply myself and learn whatever it
takes. What’s best for me? Accounting? Manage-
ment? Law? Sales? Finance? What? I really could
use some guidance.
“Is this an impossible dream? What is your advice
for me?”
Uncle Tony smiled and said, “Ted, it’s not
impossible at all. The solution is quite simple.
There is just one skill you need to develop to
accomplish your goals. All the other areas you
mentioned are costs to any business. And you can
easily hire talented people for these functions.
“You must become really good at what few ever
master–sales and marketing! It’s the only business
skill that brings in cash flow and funds all other
departments and talents the business may require.
That’s why it’s appropriately the highest paid
skill.
“But there is one big catch. You must learn to
ignore the many critics you will inevitably come
across. You need to learn how to think and act
independently.
“Most people never begin to understand or relate
to what it takes to become wealthy.
“What you need to discover is how to successfully
market your product or service. You can become
fabulously rich, have a lot of fun, and have a great
life along the way.”
This was the best advice I ever got.
Uncle Tony went on to say, “But I must warn you.
Don’t be surprised by lots of negative comments
and unsolicited advice.
“Many people, including your friends and family,
will try to discourage you from becoming a great
salesman and marketer. So will your teachers and
professors. Foolishly, most view sales and
marketing as a low-class career.
“They will instead encourage you to get a ‘good
education’ and later a ‘good job.’
“But while a paycheck-to-paycheck existence, even
as an executive or professional, may suit some
people, it doesn’t sound like what’s best for you.
And, in my opinion, is not nearly as satisfying as
having your own successful business either.
“And what would surprise the average Joe, it’s not
tougher to be a successful entrepreneur. In fact, you
will not have to be politically correct with so many
people, including incompetent bosses. And,
contrary to commonly held views, entrepreneurship
may be an even easier route than what a successful
executive or professional must take.
“Even books, movies, and plays are extremely
unflattering to sales people and business owners.
For example, the famous ‘Death of a Salesman’
written by Arthur Miller. The lead role is depicted
as an unhappy, money grubbing, dishonest person
without morals. Such a view of nearly all
salespeople and entrepreneurs is completely
erroneous.
“While there are some crooks in the business
world, they are the exception.
“You can’t succeed in a business in a big way for
long unless you are persuading many people to
voluntarily trade with you.
“Listen to those who criticize. Understand their
views, but pay them no heed.
“While they may or may not mean well, here is the
point. Their advice is meaningless. Don’t be
influenced by anyone else except highly successful
entrepreneurs.
“Instead of being a villain, the entrepreneur is
really the unsung hero of any society. For it is the
entrepreneur owners of small businesses, not big
business, who create over 75% of all new jobs.
And, of course, the majority of the wealth.
“In fact, 99% of all the world’s self-made
millionaires and billionaires are entrepreneurs.
And they all started with a small business.”
Uncle Tony was a very wise man. By age 18, I
became an independent salesman with Kirby
Vacuum Cleaner Company. I was fortunate to be
trained by an outstanding sales manager.
Within a few weeks, as a young kid I was earning
more in a week than most top executives earn in a
month. (The best sales and marketing training in
the world may well be door-to-door sales.)
At age 21, I began a business of my own -
Peterson’s House of Fudge. I was a millionaire at
age 23. The business grew to 31 successful stores
of my own in six U.S. states.
Later I wrote my first book and began my
information publishing empire including books,
home study courses, and seminars, etc.
I won’t go into all the details here as I’ve
written about it elsewhere.
This early sales and marketing training was a
great foundation for my direct marketing
activities. It enabled me to eventually
successfully market all of my own products and
those of clients around the world. I’ve achieved
sales exceeding 4.9 billion dollars in 49
industries. And the revenues continue to increase
each day.
I became what I advise anyone who seeks to
become a wealthy and successful entrepreneur -
an effective salesman and communicator. The key
skill is to be able to position products effectively.
Then to express persuasive ideas either personally,
one on one, or in writing, online and offline. And
also from the public speaking platform.
Uncle Tony’s recommendation given me as a young
teenager was by far the best advice I ever got from
anyone. Because it’s a universal truth in this
changing world, it’s just as valid today as it was
then. And you can rest assured it will continue to
be 50 or 100 years from now.
Professional sales and later direct marketing
taught me the fundamentals. I continue to employ
and refine these skills today.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under advertising, copywriting, direct mail, Direct Response Marketing, Magic Words, marketing, Marketing Tips, Motivational, Ted Nicholas by on Mar 4th, 2010. Comment.
