| Article Title : All you wanted to know about Direct | | | | advertising agencies with their rate cards, work |
| Mail and Newsletters Article Content: What is | | | | samples, etc. What are direct mail channels? |
| direct mail? Direct mail (or direct marketing) is a | | | | There are also many different direct mail |
| highly targeted method of marketing a service or | | | | channels, including: Catalogues. These are usually |
| product. In direct mail, communication is sent | | | | done to showcase a variety of products, usually |
| directly to a prospective consumer. This is unlike | | | | by the retail or fashion industries. Single-fold |
| mass media, where every viewer or reader of a | | | | mailers. These are one-sheet folded mailers. |
| particular medium is exposed to the | | | | Generally, they have a teaser message on the |
| communication, regardless of whether he or she | | | | outside and the main message within. They would |
| is a prospective buyer. Direct mail works over | | | | also include a reply coupon or some other call to |
| traditional mail as well as email. Newer channels of | | | | action. Postcards. These are simple and |
| direct mail include SMS and telemarketing. What | | | | inexpensive, yet highly effective. Envelope mailers. |
| are the advantages of direct mail? Lester | | | | Examples of these are seen with credit card |
| Wunderman is traditionally acknowledged as the | | | | companies. They usually have one message on |
| pioneer of direct marketing in the 1970s. It was | | | | the envelope and your card statement inside, |
| his success on brands like Amex and Columbia | | | | along with other material like gift brochures for |
| Records that pushed direct mail into the spotlight. | | | | reward points, etc. Innovative mailers. These are |
| Direct mail allows marketers to record, analyse, | | | | generally far more creative. For example, an |
| and track consumer responses with far greater | | | | office furniture firm once sent customers a small |
| accuracy than mass media. Marketers know very | | | | pillow, to highlight how their furniture provides a |
| quickly whether their communication is working or | | | | comfortable working environment. What is a |
| not. If, for example, a marketer gets a response | | | | newsletter? A newsletter is a distributed |
| from 1,000 consumers after sending out 20,000 | | | | publication targeted at a specific segment of |
| mailers, he knows it's because of the direct mail. | | | | society. Newsletters could be general interest or |
| Mass advertising, however, does not show such | | | | they can be specific. A general interest newsletter |
| immediate response. While direct mail can be | | | | could have articles about things such as: 1) Politics |
| highly personalised (based on past history of the | | | | 2) Sports 3) Weather 4) Opinions 5) Humour 6) |
| consumer), it also costs more (in terms of cost | | | | Fiction 7) And more A specific interest newsletter, |
| per thousand customers reached) than mass | | | | on the other hand, is generally about one topic |
| media. What are the downsides to direct | | | | such as: 1) Mobile phones 2) Writing 3) |
| marketing? The downside to direct marketing is | | | | Pharmaceuticals 4) Stamp collecting 5) Or |
| that there is so much of it being done by so | | | | whatever else the business is selling All articles in |
| many businesses. As a result, direct mail is often | | | | such a newsletter would revolve around the |
| seen as unwanted junk or spam by the recipient | | | | specific topic the newsletter caters to. Who uses |
| and most end up in the trash can. The same is | | | | newsletters? Newsletters are generally published |
| true in both the real world and the virtual world. In | | | | by clubs, societies, organisations and businesses. |
| fact, software filters make it very difficult for | | | | Companies generally place a lot of stock in |
| marketers to reach users via email anymore. | | | | newsletters. They send out newsletters to both |
| Generally, users online only read and respond to | | | | clients and employees. It isn't unusual to see |
| emails from companies they've interacted with | | | | every arm in a large company circulating a |
| before. What are the types of direct mail? There | | | | newsletter of its own. Web sites also send out |
| are three primary types of direct mail, these | | | | newsletters. These newsletters could be used to |
| include: Low-volume mailers. These are generally | | | | update subscribers about new content, new |
| used by niche products that cater to a select | | | | product offerings, etc. These e-newsletters are |
| target audience. For example, Rolls Royce would | | | | often viewed as spam, however, and often end |
| only send mail to former customers, celebrities, | | | | up in the trash can. Newsletters are a powerful |
| and very well-off businessmen, as these are the | | | | tool in connecting with consumers. A company's |
| only consumers who can afford their products. | | | | newsletter builds upon a relationship and urges |
| High-volume mailers. These are used by mass | | | | consumers to keep building that relationship. It is |
| marketers like clothing stores, malls, retailers, etc. | | | | an important tool in establishing a company's |
| They generally aim to reach as many people as | | | | credentials. For example, a newsletter from |
| possible to drive footfalls to their store. | | | | Johnson & Johnson talking about baby care |
| Business-to-Business (B2B) mailers. These are | | | | practices immediately establishes it as a leader |
| from one business to another, for companies that | | | | and expert in the field, thus building further |
| sell to other companies. For example, a digital | | | | consumer trust. |
| processing house would send a B2B mailer to | | | | |