Exploring benefits of E-mail Marketing compared to traditional Direct Mail

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: MA, Bournemouth University, 36 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Introduction In the UK, slightly different definitions of direct marketing are made than the ones accepted by the US Direct Marketing Association (DMA). In the UK, it is a method of marketing which develops a direct relationship between the company and its customers in an individual base. Whereas, Stone and Jacobs (2001) define direct marketing as an interactive system of marketing, to effect a response which can be measured, recorded and analyzed on a database for further use. Roberts and Berger (1989) also affirm that it is an interactive system because both the marketer and the customer communicate with each other. In addition to this, the marketer gives a chance to the individual to respond and gets feedback from the individual. According to Roberts and Berger (1989), the measurability of direct marketing activities is very important. This can be obtained through the opportunity that the particular communication which develops a response from the individual can be identified. Moreover, the contact can be carried through any communications media. As Stone and Jacobs (2001) acknowledge, direct mail is just one of the media which is used for direct marketing among a wide range of other alternatives such as TV, radio, magazines and telephone. With the advent of internet, e-mail has become a new communication channel which is quicker, easier and cheaper. In addition to these, it is mostly interpreted as a media, which can gather more responses and these responses can be measured more easily (Tapp, 2000).