Canadian Marketing Blog

What is Direct Response Anyway?

Too often old attitudes about what constitutes Direct Response (or Direct Marketing) drive business decisions. As a marketing community, we should be opening our minds more to the possibilities presented by channels beyond what is thought of as traditional direct marketing. And I know what you're thinking. Pretty obvious. But I've heard too many clients and agency folks say they don't believe in Direct Marketing, then ask for a banner ad to be produced. What is banner advertising if not (admittedly) a hybrid of mass and yes, direct? Are you not intended to feel a certain way about the product or service promoted in the banner (mass), then click on it (direct)? It doesn't get any more Direct than that. Rogers On-Demand? Direct. Text message advertising? Direct. Email blasts? Direct. Viral video. You bet! Heck, even this blog to which you're hopefully going to post something. Yup. Direct. If you're asking for an action, regardless of the channel, it's Direct. Push the envelope...over and make room for direct thinking in your business plans. It's time to catch up to the way the world has moved.

Would Telesales be in lines with direct marketing? From every conversation i have with fellow business owners, more business is generated by themselves over the phone booking themselves meetings. Yes no monies are being exchanged at this point. But have we considered VoIP Marketing? 10-15sec ads over the phone with interactivity built into the stream? Would you consider this as Direct Marketing?