Direct Mail Advertising | Preparation | Growth | Merits & Demerits
Table of Contents
How is Direct Mail prepared?
A direct mail is prepared by the advertiser who knows how to prepare and present the communication to make the advertisement more effective. The producer mentions about the attributes of the product and explains the method of using it for advertising purposes. The advertiser, on the basis of the information he receives, determines the type of direct mail to be used, writes the copy, decides on the printing method, prepares the mailing list and works out mailing costs and schedules.
Reasons for Growth of Direct Marketing
The reasons for the growth and success of direct marketing are as follows:
1. Lack of personal services in self-servicing stores and supermarkets.
2. Problems of car-parking and traffic congestion.
3. Popularity of credit cards.
4. High cost of employing sales representatives, whether in consumer or business-to-business marketing.
5. Arrival of new products or services which are sold direct.
Merits of Direct Mail Advertising
1. They are highly selective
The advertiser can cull out a few from numerous prospects and focus his message only to them. In other words, this is the best medium to contact those people who are otherwise most difficult to reach in person.
2. It has personal touch
Newspapers and magazine advertisements are generic and impersonal. However, direct mail publicity is personal and specific as it is addressed only to selected individual prospects.
3. It creates deeper impact
The prospect receives the advertising message in his own name, at his office or home and goes through it at leisure hours. The effect is bound to be deeper to go for the product. It is the best method to remind people of a product.
4. Its results are measurable
Direct advertising media results can be measured precisely. How far the advertisement has influenced the prospect can be known by the replies or from the responses received.
Demerits of Direct Mail Advertising
1. It suffers from high cost
The cost of direct mail per recipient works out much higher than advertising in mass media like newspapers, magazines, radio and television as it is sent only to a selected few.
2. It has low reader interest
Much of the material sent to the prospects is cast aside as they regard such mail as sheer junk.
3. It warrants a specialized skill
Most of the advertisers feel discouraged to use this media as it warrants a highly specialized skill in preparation. The advertisers may not have the perfect knowledge of the materials to be used, extent of response, postal regulations, its cost in terms of money and time.
4. Frequent change of address
Prospects may change their addresses frequently. Hence, updating the mailing list becomes a difficult and time consuming exercise.
