How can direct marketing
help your small business?

One of the most accepted definitions of Direct Marketing refers to any media by which a seller uses to gain or maintain a direct relationship with individual customers. (Whew!)

This is not mass media, like television, radio or newspapers, which act as broad-based "buckshot" sources of potential leads.

Today's Marketing Data Drives Small Businesses

Put another way, "Direct marketing is the focus on individual consumers and using data effectively to know who they are and what they may want", says Jessie Kernan in a blog post on DMNews.com

Today, computers have the ability to assimilate all sorts of customer information, from geographical data to specific product purchases.

The data gleaned from the simple act of one person buying a specific product can be combined into massive storehouses of research knowledge.

The scope of data gathering is truly mind-boggling and grows more sophisticated by the click on the computer keyboard.

It is both a science and an art for computers (and those who manage them) to find similar customers and then predict buying patterns among audience segments.

Every market is made of groups of "specialty" audiences. Building  personal relationships with the individual customer who makes up these special interest sub-groups has become the focus of sales efforts. You may be interested in the latest direct marketing trends.

This is great news for small businesses because you can employ simple methods of contact.

You don't have to have massive amounts of data to plan a strategy to get productive results from this marketing technique.

Productive use of creates valuable 1-to-1 individual relationship between the advertiser and the customer.

Think of what you want to know about how your business generates profit from each customer.

You can collect, analyze and use your own "customer base" information right on your own so you can plan your direct mail package.

And it doesn't have to be a "big deal" because your target audience will become readily apparent.

Using a "rifle" approach to find more customers and keep those who have bought goods or services the small business owner can employ direct mail, postcards, Facebook pages, e-mail, catalogs, telephone, etc.

Get to know your customers from different points of view beyond just waiting on them and selling a given product.

Ask them what else they would expect you to do for them.

You may prefer to let a consultant or an agency provide helpful assistance if you get overwhelmed by all the data.

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