Strengthen Company Sales with Effective Direct Marketing

With a recognised need for a more personal touch in B2B marketing and communications we asked Emma Blewitt to look in to what companies need to do to stay ahead of the competition.

Are you losing hope when it comes to direct marketing? Is your company experiencing a decrease in mail returns? Then take note of results from a recent Direct Marketing Association (DMA) report encouraging companies to add the personal touch.

A recent survey conducted by DMA attributes £40 billion in sales each year to business to business direct marketing. But, due to a significant rise in the range of ways through which commercial messages are sent out, it has become increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd.
So how do you get your message across in an age where most commercial mail ends up in the bin without so much as a glance? Or when people hide behind voice mail to avoid calls from pushy telemarketers, not renowned for their manners or delivering a message on target.

At a time where most direct marketing is soulless and impersonal, the key to success is to know your customer. The DMA report lists ‘powerful consumer insight’ as a key factor in marketing success; that building a rich picture of existing and potential customers allows ‘a better understanding of when to make which offers to whom.’ Economising direct marketing to companies you have taken the trouble to properly qualify and gain further insight to produces advantages for both the marketer and the customer.

DMA’s report also stresses the need to understand different methods of marketing before investing in them. 2007 was the first year in which email marketing surpassed direct mail in Britain, marking the rise of the digital-marketing era. Yet adopting such methods before recognizing how they produce income, not only potentially wastes money, but can also be harmful to a company’s reputation.

As we are increasingly subjected to cases of identity fraud and mass loss of personal details, customers need the reassurance they deserve. Knowing that a company understands and cares for its customer generates trust. Trust is paramount to loyalty. And loyalty, as we all know, makes for successful business.

Incognate understands the need for more effective and efficient marketing. Whether your company profile needs a boost through improved telemarketing, or your mail-shots need that personal touch to generate higher returns, Incognate has the answer.

Written by Emma Blewitt