HOW IS DIRECT RESPONSE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL MARKETING

HOW IS DIRECT RESPONSE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL MARKETING?
A Short Lesson

The purpose of traditional (or general) marketing is to create an overall knowledge and demand for a product or service - the idea being that the actual sales transaction will happen at a future time at a retail location. The location can be a grocery or drug store (e.g. Rite-Aid Pharmacy) or a specialized dealer (e.g. Lexus auto dealer). Traditional marketing relies upon Frequency (the number of times the ad is shown or displayed) and Reach (how many people actually view or hear the advertisement).

Through direct response marketing, the entire purpose of the advertisement is to get the sale or inquiry now. In this sense, direct response marketing is the flip side of traditional marketing. As soon as your target customer sees the offer, they are asked to respond immediately through a Call To Action (CTA). CTAs used to get immediate response may include, “Call this number now to receive your own Ab Master 2000” or “Don’t delay - Send in your response now with the enclosed postage paid envelope.” Direct response marketing either works immediately or not at all. Unlike traditional marketing that changes attitudes slowly and eventually leads to a sale, direct response marketing changes minds instantly and leads to an immediate sale or inquiry. The point is to get the customer to respond now on impulse, thus the name direct response marketing.

To better understand the differences, look at the following table:

TRADITIONAL MARKETING	DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING
* Sells product in future	* Sells product or service now

* Creates markets and brand names	* Creates immediate revenue

* Changes or instructs future behavior	* Models existing behavior and turns it into a sale

* Is emotional and broad	* Is specific and factual

* Primarily based on image and feeling	* Highly functional with only the end sale in mind

* Creates future sales and awareness	* Creates immediate customers and cash flow
Success with direct marketing relies upon many factors but among the most important are:

The Offer: Is this a product with enough benefit for the target customer to spend his hard-earned money? The offer must convey enough tangible and intangible benefits to make the customer place an order. The consumers constantly asking the question, “What is in it for me if I order this product? Do I really need this product? Will this product make my life better in some way?” The successful offer will always persuade the consumer toward an immediate sale.

The Price: Directly related to product benefit is the product’s price. Are the benefits perceived worth the price paid? Can your target customer find a similar product at a better price from another source? The target consumer runs a continuous test in his mind to determine if the product’s benefits equal or outweigh its price.

The Positioning: The product must be properly positioned both in relation to competitive products and in the target consumer’s mind. Is this the first product of its kind available? If not, is the product convincingly better than anything available in the consumer’s mind or at the local department store? Likewise, the offer must speak directly to the target consumer. It must have clearly stated benefits and demonstrate the results of owning the product by use of copy, visuals and/or sound.

The most important thing to understand about traditional vs. direct marketing is that an affirmative nod of the head just doesn't cut it in direct marketing. The target consumer must respond with an order now or the marketing effort is a waste.

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