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193Chapter 13: Mailing Direct to Your Market

Direct Mail Mass Media
Your cost per contact is higher than with
mass media, but your cost per response is Your cost per contact is very eco-
lower than with any other medium. nomical, but many unqualified or
uninterested consumers are included
Has a predictable response period, with in your audience.
most responses occurring within ten days
of a mailing. Has a slower and less predictable
response period, especially when
Response rates are easily measured. using magazine or outdoor
advertising.

Response rates are difficult to
measure.

Direct Sales: The Do-It-Yourself
Distribution Channel

Just as you’d guess, marketers who employ direct sales strategies sell to con-
sumers directly, without involving middlemen, retailers, agents, or other rep-
resentatives. Instead they use direct response ads, direct mailers, catalogs,
and e-commerce (see Chapter 16) to communicate one on one with prospec-
tive buyers. Following are three examples of how direct marketing tools can
generate direct sales:

ߜ Direct response advertising: A jewelry maker advertises his wares by
placing small black-and-white magazine advertisements. But instead of
aiming to build general awareness, the ads invite readers to call toll-free
to purchase the featured item or, alternatively, to visit the jeweler’s Web
site to view and order from his complete line. Either way, the instruc-
tions in the ad lead straight back to the jewelry maker and not to any
retailer or other intermediary.

ߜ Direct mail: The self-publisher of a book featuring lists and ratings for
summer youth camps promotes the book by sending direct mailers to a
subscriber list rented from a major parenting magazine.

ߜ Catalog distribution: A kitchen accessories company generates direct
sales by mailing its catalog to the households of current and past cus-
tomers, ad respondents, and subscribers of gourmet magazines.