Direct Marketing report
Journal article report
An experiential, social-network based, approach to direct marketing
By Palmer Adrien
Mainstream print and broadcast media have faced major challenges in the recent years, with many newspapers facing closure and television channels suffering shortfalls in revenue. Audiences and attention is shifting to online channels. The proliferation of low-cost internet access opened up opportunities for companies to deal directly with millions of individual customers in a way that was previously unimaginable, and only manageable through the use of intermediaries. Direct marketing is a channel free approach to marketing communications. Companies using this strategy deal with customers directly. This journal takes the perspective of direct marketing by asking why and how a message sent by a company may be more effective if it is targeted at individuals through social network media.
The author introduces this perspective by stating that there is a dilemma faced by companies planning to interact with social networks. On one hand, companies may seek to control the communication with customers in the network to make sure that their brand message comes through clearly. Social networks can also attract companies by the availability of demographic and lifestyle information available. However, on the other hand, a social network implies members feeling a sense of ownership of the community. Therefor, individuals may be resentful of brands overstepping into what is perceived to be their own community space.
The journal proposes a model to guide direct marketing in the assessment of online social networks. The model is based on three elements of the social network environment: the seller, the customer and the community. Sellers need to interact with selected communities to achieve a variety of benefits; including spreading positive word of mouth and gathering information about buyers’ need s and preferences. The challenge for direct marketing is how to achieve a
An experiential, social-network based, approach to direct marketing
By Palmer Adrien
Mainstream print and broadcast media have faced major challenges in the recent years, with many newspapers facing closure and television channels suffering shortfalls in revenue. Audiences and attention is shifting to online channels. The proliferation of low-cost internet access opened up opportunities for companies to deal directly with millions of individual customers in a way that was previously unimaginable, and only manageable through the use of intermediaries. Direct marketing is a channel free approach to marketing communications. Companies using this strategy deal with customers directly. This journal takes the perspective of direct marketing by asking why and how a message sent by a company may be more effective if it is targeted at individuals through social network media.
The author introduces this perspective by stating that there is a dilemma faced by companies planning to interact with social networks. On one hand, companies may seek to control the communication with customers in the network to make sure that their brand message comes through clearly. Social networks can also attract companies by the availability of demographic and lifestyle information available. However, on the other hand, a social network implies members feeling a sense of ownership of the community. Therefor, individuals may be resentful of brands overstepping into what is perceived to be their own community space.
The journal proposes a model to guide direct marketing in the assessment of online social networks. The model is based on three elements of the social network environment: the seller, the customer and the community. Sellers need to interact with selected communities to achieve a variety of benefits; including spreading positive word of mouth and gathering information about buyers’ need s and preferences. The challenge for direct marketing is how to achieve a