BUS203: Principles of Marketing

While direct marketing can operate as a stand-alone marketing campaign, integrating it with other channels, both online and offline will serve to reinforce the brand's message and increase responses.

There should never be a disparity between the content, tone or design of an email or SMS when compared to the rest of a company's offerings. In-store promotions can be reinforced and promoted to a direct marketing database, or website information can be summarised for email or SMS.

Custom landing pages, if required, should be created for any promotions being communicated by email. For the most part, marketing messages should aim to get the customer to the site; landing pages are therefore essential. They need to be optimised to close the call to action. So the message gets the subscriber onto the page and the landing page gets them to sign up, buy, or engage. The idea is to create a flow between the two that brings the 'selling' process full circle, whether it's actually buying something or just reading through the content to engage them with the brand.

Direct marketing and social media work very well together for cross-channel promotion. Where email and SMS can create a one-on-one feel between a brand and an individual, social media can move that attention towards a sense of community and keep your consumer involved in a dialogue.