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Direct marketing allows you to generate a specific response from targeted groups of customers. It's a particularly useful tool for small businesses because it allows you to:

• focus limited resources where they are most likely to produce results
• measure the success of campaigns accurately by analysing responses
• test your marketing - you can target a representative sample of your target audience and see what delivers the best response rates before developing a full campaign

A direct marketing campaign can help you to achieve the following key objectives:

• increasing sales to existing customers
• building customer loyalty
• re-establishing lapsed customer relationships
• generating new business

Direct marketing methods

There are many different approaches to direct marketing, including:

• mailshots and telemarketing
• email marketing
• SMS marketing
• social media 

The method most appropriate for your business will depend on who you are targeting, the message you want to get across and the response you want to generate.

However, the results of direct marketing are not guaranteed. A poorly planned or targeted campaign can waste money. For example, a badly designed mailshot might simply end up in the bin, potentially irritating recipients and damaging your business’s reputation.

Best practices for direct marketing

To maximise effectiveness, direct marketing campaigns should be well-targeted, personalised, and measurable, allowing you to track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. This data-driven approach helps small businesses make informed decisions and improve future campaigns.