Direct Marketing: An Underdeveloped Marketing Frontier

Abstract

When Peter Drucker claimed that distribution was the last frontier for marketers, his claim was dramatic and broad. One distribution and promotion approach that has not achieved the sophistication of other aspects of marketing is an underdeveloped marketing approach referred to as “direct marketing.” Direct Marketing is non-personal selling, where merchandise is purchased without seeing the actual product or negotiating the price or delivery terms. The offering is made by direct mail, television, telephone, or printed ads in newspapers, magazines and catalogs. It is estimated that over 6,000 firms do direct marketing and spend about $18 to $20 billion annually.