Trust in Direct Marketing

Direct Marketing, a marketing sector where you first collect informations of your target group and than talk directly to them and their needs. Sounds easy right? Especially in the time of the world wide web and social media. A place where nearly every person shares everything with everyone. 

But is this really the truth? Do you really tell everything online? Don´t use some people an avatar to communicate some topics at the web? Or do they just share some topics with the people they trust? Maybe with their friends?

Information is everything.

The Problem is, to organize a successful and real personalized direct marketing campaign, you need the informations no one wants to share. But what are your opportunities to get these informations without getting to close to your potential costumers privacy? The clearest and most elegant way is to let the costumer tell it by choice. Just because you are someone he trusts.

To earn trust is a lot of hard work. That´s what most of the people and especially your boss will say. But that´s not true. For example there was a electricity producer who just called his existing costumers if there was a cheaper way to get the same performance and asked if they don´t want to change their contract. This is a simple example how you are able to let the people know you don´t just want their money. And believe me, they will understand the massage. 

But this is only one example how to earn your (potential) costumer´s trust. There are lot more. Did you ever thing of just to call you costumer, but not to sell something. Maybe you just inform him about the newest progress, or you just ask what has to be fixed on your product in his eyes. Of course you got to be careful and listen how often he want´s to be called. But it is also a kind of way to show your costumer you are more then just a company. And if you got communicated this massage ones it will make his way through the community and trough your target group.

Fans where ever you look.

On the other hand the way to become more than a company isn´t the easiest, and you always have to remember: Costumers not become fans over night. But if you really made it, there are a lot more positive effects, than just some informations. Your costumers will have a positive image in mind if they think about you and you are able to talk to them on a completely different level. Because now you are not just a business partner. You are the guy they trust.

So maybe we just should overthink our thoughts from a short-term relationship orientated course of action to a more long-term relationship minded one.