Direct marketing is a communication and sales strategy involving direct communication with potential or existing customers through different media, such as direct mail, telemarketing, email, text messaging, social media advertising and online advertising. The aim of direct marketing is to generate an immediate response from customers, be it a purchase, a request for information, a subscription or any other action. Some of the advantages of direct marketing include the ability to segment and personalise the message according to the target audience, the ability to measure customer response and the ability to establish a personalised relationship with customers.

However, it can also have some disadvantages, such as the possibility of being invasive or annoying to some customers, especially if you have not obtained the necessary permissions to contact them directly. In general, direct marketing can be an effective tool to achieve a new company's business objectives, especially if it is used strategically and focused on the right target audience.

Some common direct marketing tactics for a new business may include

Mailing, Direct mail (+):

Enviar correos promocionales o publicitarios a la dirección física de los clientes potenciales. 

Telemarketing (+):

Realizar llamadas telefónicas para presentar la propuesta de valor de la empresa y hacer ventas directas.

E-mail (+):

Enviar correos electrónicos promocionales o newsletters para mantener a los clientes informados sobre las novedades de la empresa y las promociones.

Text messaging:

Enviar mensajes de texto promocionales o recordatorios a los clientes para mantenerlos comprometidos con la empresa.

Social media advertising (+):

Utilizar plataformas como Facebook, Instagram o LinkedIn para llegar a una audiencia específica con publicidad personalizada. 

ONLINE Advertising:

Utilizar anuncios de búsqueda de Google o anuncios en redes de display para llegar a clientes potenciales cuando estén navegando por la web.

In short, direct marketing can be an effective tool to attract and retain customers, as long as it is used appropriately and takes into account the sensitivity and privacy of potential customers.

Advantages of direct marketing

Direct marketing can offer a number of advantages to a new business, including the following:

Focus on the target audience: direct marketing allows the company to address its target audience directly, through techniques such as customer database segmentation, which increases the chances of success in promoting a product or service.

Personalisation:

El marketing directo permite que la empresa se comunique de forma personalizada con sus clientes, utilizando su nombre, datos de contacto y ofreciendo productos o servicios que se ajusten a sus necesidades y preferencias.

Measuring results:

El marketing directo permite medir con precisión la efectividad de las campañas publicitarias, lo que permite a la empresa evaluar su retorno de inversión y realizar ajustes en tiempo real.

Flexibility:

El marketing directo permite a la empresa adaptar su estrategia en función de los resultados obtenidos y las necesidades del mercado, lo que significa que puede ser una opción muy eficaz para las empresas que buscan ser más ágiles y adaptables.

Cost control:

El marketing directo permite que la empresa controle sus costos de marketing, ya que puede seleccionar los medios y canales que mejor se adapten a sus necesidades y presupuesto.

Overall, direct marketing can be a very effective option for a new business, as it allows you to reach your target audience directly, personalise your message and measure your return on investment accurately.

Practical examples of successful direct marketing in new companies

Here are some examples of direct marketing tactics that can be used by new businesses:

Email Marketing:

Enviar correos electrónicos personalizados y segmentados para promocionar productos o servicios, informar sobre novedades o realizar ventas directas a través de una tienda online.

Mailing:

Envío de cartas o folletos promocionales a una base de datos de clientes o prospectos seleccionados por perfil y ubicación geográfica.

Telephone calls:

make telephone calls to contact potential customers and present the product or service offer.

SMS Marketing:

Envío de mensajes de texto con ofertas, promociones o novedades a clientes o prospectos interesados.

Direct advertising:

Distribución de publicidad en formatos como folletos, catálogos o muestras gratuitas directamente en los buzones o en mano a los potenciales clientes.

Marketing Events:

Organizar eventos promocionales y exclusivos para los clientes y prospectos con el objetivo de presentar productos, servicios y la marca.

Discount coupons:

Ofrecer cupones de descuento o promociones exclusivas a los clientes para incentivar la compra de los productos o servicios.

Affiliate marketing:

Trabajar con afiliados para promocionar los productos o servicios de la empresa a cambio de una comisión por cada venta realizada.

Chatbots:

Implementar chatbots en la página web o redes sociales para atender a los clientes y resolver sus dudas en tiempo real.

Social media targeting:

Utilizar herramientas de segmentación en redes sociales para llegar a un público específico en función de sus intereses, edad, ubicación geográfica, entre otros.

These are just some of the direct marketing tactics that a new business can use to reach its target audience in an effective and personalised way. It is important to select those that best suit the business objectives and the characteristics of customers and prospects.

Case study for an entrepreneur to use direct marketing in his new venture

Juan has just launched his catering company and wants to reach his target audience directly. Through market research, he discovered that his potential customers are companies that hold corporate events in his city. To reach this audience effectively, Juan decides to use direct marketing.

Here's how you might implement this tactic:

Identification of the target audience:

Juan identifies companies that hold corporate events in his city and obtains their contact information, such as email and phone number.

Creation of the message:

Juan creates a personalised message for each company, focusing on how his catering service can help them make their event successful and memorable.

Selection of the medium:

John decides to use email as the main medium to send his message. He also includes a printed brochure of his company and sends it by post to the selected companies.

Measuring results:

Juan follows up on the emails and phone calls received from the targeted companies. He also measures the return on investment of his campaign by calculating the campaign costs and comparing them with the revenue generated by the corporate events he was able to achieve through his direct marketing tactics.

With this tactic, Juan is able to reach his target audience directly and is able to close several contracts with companies that organise corporate events. Moreover, by measuring results, he is able to optimise his direct marketing tactics for future campaigns.