Direct Marketing and it's Prospects in Pakistan

Abstract

In recent decades, direct marketing has been remarkably successful in the United States and Europe, particularly as new technologies have emerged to assist firms in the distribution of information and goods. Most important has been the development of computer-generated mailing lists of potential customers, pinpointed as to income, occupation, interests, or any of a number of other characteristics that define a target market. Today direct marketing is conducted through numerous media, including mail, telephone, and such new vehicles as infomercials, home shopping networks, and the Internet. Regardless of the medium, the goal of direct marketing is always a response; a successful offer persuades prospects to return a coupon or dial a telephone number or place an order online using a personal computer (PC). While both general marketers and direct marketers use many of the same media, the direct marketer uses and evaluates their effectiveness differently. 1. Telemarketing 2. Direct-Mail Marketing 3. Catalog Marketing 4. Database Marketing 5.Online or Internet Marketing Direct marketing is a way of personalizing a marketing effort. On the surface direct marketing seems like just another method of promotion. For example, some might think a catalog sent to a house is just another way to advertise. The fact that it may be sent to a house with a person's name on the address label makes direct marketing different from advertising, which does not attempt to personalize the message. The main intent of direct marketing is to reach the customer "directly" by designing the communication in a way that makes it appear to be special to the customer. Direct marketing has become a very popular method of promoting to customers with the mail being the most used form. Obviously, many customers do not like this due to issues such as junk mail and privacy concerns. However, for certain types of businesses using direct marketing is the company's most successful promotional method. Through Direct Marketing we generate a dialogue between our prospect and ourselves. Direct Marketing is Relationship Marketing. It is affinity marketing. "Before approaching a customer or a prospect, we gather enough information about him or her, We have the profile of the customer before us. By knowing as much about him as we should we trigger the right response from our prospect. Direct Marketing should be used, as a key component for developing and designing the total Marketing Strategy of an organization. Mass marketing has its own value Direct Marketing helps mass marketing in measuring results. One don't tell our clients, do this but don't do that'. It's not at all like that one have to see everything in its totality, and always keep the consumers interest supreme. The human element is very important that gives the desired depth and dimension to effective marketing, and this comes about through Direct Marketing" direct marketing can flourish in a society such as ours. The future is bright. It is going to grow with the economy.