Direct selling companies refer to retail organizations that distribute services and goods to people in non-traditional environments. Rather than maintaining permanent retail locations, these businesses engage some independent consultants who sell directly to customers by developing one-on-one relationships with them. There are many benefits of direct selling, read on to understand more about direct selling and the techniques you can use for your company.
1. Text Marketing
One of the direct selling methods you can use for your company is Text messaging. This technique allows you to contact customers through text messages. It has a higher response rate than others because of how often people use their phones. Text marketing may include a link to your business website where the recipients can receive more information. You can add push notifications, where recipients get alerts from your company. Text marketing can also include back-and-forth messaging and short message service (SMS). Back-and-forth messaging allows the recipients to respond to short questions, providing your company with information about customer preferences.
2. Use Free Samples and Giveaways
Many small businesses and startups rarely have enough funds to finance big marketing initiatives. And convincing people to buy products they haven’t heard of can be challenging without brand recognition. Free samples can be an effective strategy for direct selling because they allow people to try your service or product before purchasing it.
You can utilize this strategy to create loyalty with your existing customers and introduce your products to new people who are not familiar with your company. Besides, you can also expand prospective buyers’ knowledge about your offerings and get more paying customers.
Free samples or giveaways can significantly impact your revenue and company. They develop connections and trust between your customers and the organization. Furthermore, giving free samples allows you to get feedback and identify potential problems in product development.
3. Social Media Marketing
Companies can also use social media to create successful direct marketing campaigns, thanks to the popularity of online platforms. Social media marketing utilizes different social networks to connect with customers, popularize your brand, promote special offers and initiate business transactions. It’s a cost-effective method to market your company since many social media networks are free to join and use. You can also buy advertisement programs to boost specific posts to reach more consumers and get more sales.
Due to the business structure of the direct selling model, many companies have faced challenges in emerging and new markets. Many people do not understand how direct selling works. As a result, many companies usually become victims of unending online complaints, media accusations, and speculations. For instance, there were a lot of Qnet complaints doing rounds in the social media some time back. However, the company has proven time and again that not everything you read online is true.
When faced with online complaints or bad press, take the complaints seriously and respond promptly to successfully rise out of that situation. Even with all the complaints and bad press Qnet still maintains a strong client base across the globe with more than 1.2 million active members.
4. Telemarketing
You can also use telemarketing to build a direct selling campaign. Here, you contact customers over the phone to market and sell a service or product. This direct selling method allows automated machines or employees to reach out to many people simultaneously, which can significantly boost productivity. If you prefer this method, you can use outbound or inbound calls to reach consumers. Outbound calls, also known as cold calling, are when your organization calls consumers directly. On the other hand, inbound calls are initiated by customers. A customer can set up a specific time for the organization to call them or call your company directly.
5. Direct Mail Marketing
Direct mail advertising is where you contact your prospective customers through the post. Companies can use AusPost or other private delivery vendors to deliver mails. You can use this strategy to deliver seasonal magazines and product catalogs to customers who have signed up to get your correspondence. Additionally, you can use direct mail to deliver packages, brochures, leaflets, postcards, and letters communicating delivering notices, subscription details, service changes, and company updates.
Wrapping up
Companies can utilize direct marketing to present their offerings in advertisements, communicate about their services or products and respond realistically to customer feedback. The strategies discussed above will help you create an effective direct marketing campaign, build a strong customer base and grow your sales.