Direct Marketing Types

Wikipedia defines Direct Marketing as " a form of advertising where organisations communicate directly to customers through a variety of media including cell phone text messaging, email, websites, online adverts, database marketing, fliers, etc.
In this post, some of the various forms of direct marketing will be discussed.
1. Telephone Marketing:  This is using the telephone to make direct sales to customers and consumers.It is a major direct marketing communication tool in the USA, the UK, and some other developed countries. However, it is not particularly popular in Nigeria, Ghana, and most African countries. This is most probably due to the fact that African countries don't view it as an economical method of marketing. Properly designed and smartly targeted telemarketing provides immense benefits to companies and even customers.
2. Catalog Marketing: This is a sales technique employed by businesses to group many items together in a printed peace or an online store. It is geared towards selling at least one item to the recipient. Once consumers are interested in the product or goods for sale, they buy directly from the catalog sender by telephone, return envelope or online using the information in the catalog. Catalog marketing has witnessed a phenomenal growth during the past 40 years especially in the USA, the UK, and the Peoples Republic of China. This is as a result of advances in technology, and the internet wave sweeping across the globe like a tsunami. As at 2018, annual catalog sales reportedly amounted to $300 billion.

3. Direct-Mail Marketing: This is a type of direct marketing in which businesses send letters, postcards, or other promotional materials to past, current, or potential customers or clients. It involves sending an offer, announcement, reminder, or other items to a person at a particular address. Using highly selective mailing lists, direct marketers send out millions of mail pieces annually. Direct mail campaigns may be targeted to either a consumer or business or both.

4. Kiosk Marketing: This is when companies place information and ordering machines called kiosks in airports, shops, and other strategic locations. According to Investopedia, a kiosk is "a small, temporary, stand-alone booth used in high-traffic areas for marketing purposes." Kiosk marketing is remarkably popular in the USA. Car Max, Hallmark and American Greetings and Kodak are some of the businesses which have successfully employed kiosk marketing.