Businesses, both online and those still in brick and mortar locations, rely on marketing to bring in new customers and keep sales flowing. In case businesses did not have enough going on, there are multiple types of marketing, with each type having the best use situation. You should not use SEO marketing if you want fast results, and generic marketing blasted across the board will not yield the specific results with trackable data that businesses love.
Thankfully, there are other marketing methods, namely direct response marketing, that offer fast results and customer data businesses can use for the next marketing push. Direct response marketing might not be the only marketing method for businesses, but there are undeniable benefits to this method that make it worth using today, even if the method is somewhat older. Below is everything you need to know about direct response marketing and how it can help your business.
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What Is Direct Response Marketing
Direct response marketing is one of the oldest marketing methods that are still highly successful today. In simple terms, direct response marketing is an ad that solicits an instant action from the customer and gives them the tools to claim the deal, offer, or invitation right away. Direct response marketing mainly focuses on the speed of the results or reply from customers rather than a method like SEO that can take weeks or months to see measurable differences. Much like other types of marketing, direct response marketing is not limited to any single industry or offer type as it is the fast call to action that defines the method more than the content.
Critical Benefits Of Direct Response Marking
Every marketing method has its own perks, and direct response marketing is no exception. Direct response marketing’s most appealing feature is the speed at which results will come back. The return on investment is fast, the business gets trackable data on the customers who accepted the ad’s offer, businesses can retarget specific customer groups gathered from past campaigns, and measure the results of an ad that makes direct response an appealing marketing method.
Most Popular Types Of Direct Response Marketing
Most people have seen a direct response ad at some point in their life as it is a common and easy-to-make marketing tactic. Technically, all the paper flyers with tear-away numbers you see are a form of direct response marketing as the flyer is making an offer or proposition, and the customer has the phone number they need to accept the offer instantly.
Many single image ads you see in paid slots on social media are also direct response ads. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and more offer a service, training, or product with a single button there to take you to the right page. Direct response is even faster online because it only requires the customer to press one button rather than call a number or write a separate email.
Examples of Direct Response Marketing
You will also find examples of direct response marketing that are not obviously or directly selling anything. Direct response marketing without directly selling something that would bring in a profit for your businesses might sound odd, but that ad is about the long-term more than short-term money. If you can get customers to click for a free trial or consultation, you already got the customer in your system and collected their data, which means you can try to remarket and sell to them in the future. Direct response marketing without a direct sales pitch is another way to endear people to your brand by offering free services as an introduction or asking for comments on your blog so that you can get free feedback.
Conclusion
Direct response marketing is not the flashiest marketing tactic as it is one of the oldest and simplest methods still in use today, but it remains highly effective for businesses of any size. The ingredients that make up direct response marketing are also simple, which is part of the method of genius. All you need is an offer or desired action you want customers to take and a way for customers to complete said action. You can sell products or services with a direct response ad or use it as a way to gain engagement and customer data without a direct sales pitch.