Direct Marketing

Direct marketing has been established through the increasing development in database and communication technology and is a desirable form of marketing communication as the needs and expectations of consumers become more individual. Masterman (2011) stated that the main methods within direct marketing include personal selling, direct mail, e-mail and telesales. All of these methods are crucial to developing a long term relationship with consumers. It also allows organisations to develop commitment, loyalty and involvement form consumers. Direct marketing allows organisations to view their consumers as individuals rather than a group of unified people and allows an individual response to be given as feedback to the organisation meaning that they are kept constantly up to date on the needs and expectations of the consumers. This allows for constant adaptation.

Personal selling involves face to face contact with consumers and is known as one of the most persuasive methods of communication.Personal selling is not used to create awareness or initiate interest within consumers as the cost is too high, instead it is used as a follow up method to generate preference, conviction and a purchase decision within consumers.

Telesales is used to target larger audiences as it is less costly than personal selling. Telesales consists of telephone contact between an organisation and individual target audiences. It has the advantage of quick response, flexibility and person to person contact. But as Masterman (2011) stated telesales can be viewed by consumers as intrusive and with suspicion. Which is why telesales are more likely to have a negative response which is why they are not generally used as a form of direct marketing.

Direct mail is a rapidly growing medium within direct marketing and marketing communications over all. Direct mail relies on mailing lists and databases that have been accumulated by organisations. Leafleting is also included within direct mail as it is a form of direct contact with consumers. It involves mailing relevant information to all the selected audiences.

E-marketing involves mediums such as SMS, video messaging and e-mail. This is one of the most commonly used mediums due to the advances in technology and societies behaviour with technology. Messages and information are sent to consumers through SMS when they sign up and wish to receive updates through that medium. E-mails are also done the same way. Video messaging is not used as commonly depending in which way it is used e.g. through the web or mobile technology.

London Fashion Weekend & International Confex 


London Fashion Weekend have used direct marketing as a part of their marketing communications campaign. They have done this by using the method of direct mail that will be sent to 10,000 of the highest spenders that are within their records. Therefore increasing the probability that those consumers will attend the event again and spend a large amount of money. Alongside this London Fashion Weekend have devised an extensive targeted leafleting campaign of over 150,000 postcards that have been distributed to consumers within the London Fashion Weekend database through existing sponsors and partners of London Fashion Weekend such as Toni&Guy salons and Elizabeth Arden concessions. International Confex have taken a similar decision and chosen to use the method of direct mail which will begin 4 months prior to the event itself and is sent to 150,000 contacts from the International Confex database and external lists. Alongside this they have all specified their direct mail to over 200,000 events organisers in order to gain the most exposure through direct marketing. Within the direct mail tickets and insert will be present in order to ensure that the right message is received from the direct mailing by the right audience. Both event have also used e-marketing extensively by sending out emails to consumers that register with them for news letters and updates. This ensures that both events are continuously at the fore front of the consumers mind due to being updated by e-mail.

With both of these event choosing direct mail as their method within direct marketing it highlights that both see it crucial to directly contact their consumers within their target audiences in order to generate a relationship between in order to create loyalty and commitment to the events which then creates repeat custom and visit .

References


Bowdin,G. Allen, J. O'Toole, W. Harris, R. McDonnell, I. (2011) Events Management Third Edition. Great Britain. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.


International Confex (2012) Marketing Campaign [online] Available from: http://www.international-confex.com/Content/Marketing-Campaign/3/ [Accessed 12th March 2012]


London Fashion Weekend (2012) London Fashion Weekend sponsor & show [online] Available from: http://www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk/ [Accessed 12th March 2012]


Masterman,G. Wood, E. (2011) Innovative marketing communications strategies for the events industry. New York. Routeledge