Direct marketing solutions are a great way to simplify your expenses while still effectively reaching consumers. Direct marketing is exactly what it sounds like: you market your brand or product or service directly to the consumer. This allows you to cut out the middleman–the advertiser.
If you are a smaller company or looking to be more frugal with your company’s budget, direct-to-consumer marketing is a fantastic place to start. There are countless different ways to do this, but here, we are going to save you some time by only covering the basics of the most effective forms of direct marketing and its solutions.
1. Social Media Marketing
Of course, everyone has heard about social media marketing. It is everywhere, and there’s a reason why that is. Social media marketing can be incredibly effective, and it is fairly easy to implement.
Social media marketing can be anything, on any platform, that allows you to spread the word about your site. It can include posts, stories, user-generated content, e-commerce accounts, and more. Here are just a few guidelines to follow within social media marketing.
First and foremost, you have to remember the importance of your brand. Social media is all about presentation and aesthetics. The way your Instagram looks is the way your brand looks. If your Instagram posts are sloppy and have no uniform colors, styles, or themes, users will not get a sense of your brand personality and will be turned off. It is crucial that you make certain each account, no matter what social platform it is on, has a cohesive theme and aesthetic that accurately represents what your brand stands for.
Secondly, you must make sure that you are following anyone and everyone on social channels. The goal is to build your following, but you are going to have to make the first move in order to gain traction and get consumers to notice you. Building your following is best done by, as mentioned, following many people, using hashtags within your captions, and using trendy songs, filters, and more so that people want to click on your account.
2. Email Marketing
Another one of the most common direct-to-consumer forms of marketing is email marketing. Though many people might assume email marketing is ineffective (because emails tend to be ignored or go straight to spam folders), the truth is, it still holds great value. One reason why email marketing is effective is that it is such an easy way to advertise your discounts. Every consumer loves a good deal or discount. But most are not going to do the research to find your coupon code or explore/remember your special deals. However, if they see a catchy email subject line from your company that offers some sort of promotion, the temptation to click on that link is stronger than you’d think.
Another major benefit of email marketing is the personalization element. With SEO software and special automation programs, making your emails personalized to each specific customer has never been easier. Simply putting the consumer’s first name at the start of your email can have a large impact on making consumers open your email. It also builds consumer loyalty. If consumers feel as if your company remembers them after they make a purchase, for instance, with a special birthday email/coupon, they are more likely to think favorably of your company.
3. SMS Marketing
Though SMS marketing can often be perceived as an annoyance to consumers, it is not without value. Depending on who you send your content to, it can be incredibly effective. The key to successful SMS marketing is making sure you are sending it to the right audience. This can easily be done by asking your customers to opt-in to receive text messages after they make a purchase on your site. In this way, you are ensuring that you are actually sending your text alerts to people who have bought and would potentially buy again from you. Not only that, but you are giving the consumer the freedom to choose whether or not they want your ads. Just by giving them this option, they are more likely to favor you and opt-in.
Additionally, it’s the easiest way for them to make a purchase. Impulse buying has literally never been easier to accomplish with SMS text marketing. Most consumers crave and love this convenience element when it comes to online shopping. If a deal sounds enticing, they simply have to click on a text message. Then, immediately they are sent to a page with a special discount waiting for them.
In summary, the best way to optimize your direct-to-consumer marketing efforts is to focus on these three forms. Older methods of direct marketing, such as direct mail, are outdated and far less convenient for the modern consumer. To find success in direct marketing, us solutions like utilizing social media, emailing, and SMS marketing.
