Possibly the most controversial form of advertising there is within the industry and I have heard endless arguments on both sides from clients and advertising 'generalists' (those who only consider press, TV, radio etc.) who still consider the Direct Mail package as a waste (destined for the bin) and from the DM expert who believes it to be the most powerful form of marketing communication available.

The truth is that in the wrong hands the former has a point, and in the right hands the latter is undoubtedly correct.

Direct Marketing can be distinguished from all other 'generalist' media (press, TV, radio, outdoor) for two main reasons: firstly that it conveys its messages DIRECT to the Target Audience, usually without the use of any intermediary media, by using e-mails, telemarketing, broadcast faxing, DRTV (Direct Response TV, often produced as 30 minute 'infomercials'), Voicemail messages, Mail Order Catalogues, and, the most commonly used method, Direct Mail, and secondly that it is focused on a very specific Call to Action that can create very accurate and trackable response figures, unlike most other forms of advertising.

The term Direct Marketing was probably first used in 1967 by Lester Wunderman who pioneered such techniques with brands such as American Express, although the practice of 'mail order selling' (selling direct to the Target Audience via the mail) goes back a lot further.

The first 'mail order catalogue' was created back in the 1870s, and the earliest known 'trade catalogue' was produced in Europe in the 15th century by the original 'movable type' printers, and since then, particularly over the last 30 or 40 years, a huge, highly specialised industry has developed that can accurately target a very specific prospective customer via the ultra elaborate (and rather spooky) modern invention - the electronic database.

The database system, together with advanced print and email technology, means that you can target hundreds or even thousands of people or companies who are certainly (or almost certainly) your Target Audience, with the minimum of wastage to your advertising budget, and with the facility to accurately monitor the response - and, with that, monitor the 'worth' of your campaign.

The elaborate make-up of a Direct Mail pack has now reached extraordinary levels with highly sophisticated copy structure focusing heavily on benefits, using key words and phrases, understanding the power of the headline (even in a letter) using particular typefaces and typography, and even the colour of the envelope can affect response!

The alleged downside of Direct Marketing is that it's 'unsolicited' (not requested) which brings on cries of Junk Mail and SPAM from its critics - although personally I see no difference at all to the many 'unrequested' (and poorly conceived) press ads that can disturb my newsreading nor the sometimes irritating and often tediously repetitive TV commercials that punctuate a damn good programme.

However, to repeat myself (which friends tell me I do often!) in the wrong hands DM can be a complete waste of your budget - yet in the right hands, with the right expertise, can be your most powerful advertising campaign ever.