Enterpreneurship Development

Entrepreneurship Development

Lesson 16: Advertising

Direct Advertising Media

Direct advertising is one of the oldest methods of reaching the consumers. It covers all forms of printed advertising delivered directly to the prospective customers instead of indirect distribution like newspapers and magazines.

It is also known as direct mail advertising, as the advertiser keeps in contact with the customers or the public, who are supposed to have interest in the product, through mail. Its main object is to create a direct contact with the customers. It is a written form of communication.

The different forms of direct advertising are –

1. Circulars
   It carries communication to a number of addresses. It contains information about the product. It is generally and also gets an enquiry letter from the reader.
2. Sales Letters
   Sales letters are persuasive in nature. It aims at an opportunity to sell the firm’s product or to earn goodwill for the firm. The purpose of sales letters is similar to the functions performed by a salesman. Drafting a sales letter is in the forms of advertising, to create an interest in the mind of the reader. Sales letters are cheaper and convenient. The advantages are to confer faith in the product, to get an enquiry letter from the reader, to create an interest in the recipient’s mind and to create sales and goodwill.
3. Booklets and Catalogues
   These contain more particulars of the product and the firm. It is in the form of a small book. A catalogue contains more information than a booklet. They contain illustration of the products with details and price lists.
4. Folders
   These are letters or cards containing details of the product. They can be sent without an envelope. These are generally adopted by publishers, medical firms, industries, etc. the folders must be attractive.
5. Package inserts
   This is a system through which leaflets about the products are inserted in the packets of products. The package insert may contain details about the same product or other products of the same firm.
6. Store publications
   This is also known as ‘house organs’. Certain firms may publish periodicals or magazines which contain information about the development of the firm. These will be distributed to wholesalers, retailers, etc., free of cost.

Advantages

The advantages of direct advertising are

1. A personal relationship with the customers can be maintained.
2. Detailed information can be conveyed.
3. Effectiveness of this system can be measured.
4. This system is elastic as addition or deletion is possible.
5. It is highly selective, i.e., sending the letters to those, whom the advertiser selects.
6. It is a cheap medium.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of direct advertising are –

1. In drafting mail, specialized skill is needed.
2. It is difficult to maintain an up – to – date mailing list.
3. The success depends upon the reaching of the recipient.
4. In many cases, it fetches no attention of the receiver.