The Flexibility Of Direct Digital Marketing

Updated: January 14, 2010

Here are some examples that demonstrate, regardless of industry, how a multi-channel direct digital marketing approach changes consumer perception for the better, increases brand awareness and loyalty, and - of course - boosts sales.

Direct Digital Marketing for Retail
Retail is ideal for a direct digital marketing strategy because consumers experience what they want to purchase through the primary channels of Web, mobile, and email. The marketer simply needs to find the best method for leveraging already open communications channels.

Sending a shopping cart to a mobile device uses two of the three primary direct digital marketing channels and creates a valuable user experience. Because statistics show that M-Commerce is a long way away from reaching mass adoption, the Web is used primarily for shopping. Many consumers research products of interest online, then make a purchase in a bricks and mortar store. Shoppers that browse online and buy offline are difficult to measure. Enabling the shopper to browse as much as they want and build a cart - then send that cart to their mobile device - is an effective way to employ a multi-channel direct digital marketing strategy that connects the dots between online browsing behavior and offline buying behavior.

Direct Digital Marketing for Hospitality
Hospitality is an example of an industry where consumers are very welcoming of a direct digital marketing approach. Hospitality consumers already expect their needs to be addressed in a timely and effective manner, and direct digital marketing helps enhance the effect.

Incorporating all three pillars of direct digital marketing delivers optimal results in hospitality, too. A hospitality marketer is able to use onsite targeting - technology that plugs into any existing webpage's framework to transform formerly static space into a "live zone" that rotates dynamic, personalized, and relevant content. Ofr example, onsite targeting creates up-sell opportunities within a booking engine. If a guest indicates they will depart on a Friday during the booking process, onsite targeting is used to rotate content into a designated space on a webpage that displays a discount for extending a stay through the weekend. Then, the same space in the same booking engine is used to display content encouraging a guest who is booking an arrival on Monday to arrive the previous Friday. The online booking process is also an opportunity to allow guests to opt-in and receive mobile text message alerts about on property restaurant specials and amenities during the course of their stay. Express check-in and checkout options may also be offered to guests through email or mobile to complete the direct digital marketing loop and greatly enhance the guest experience.

Direct Digital Marketing for Restaurants
From fine dining to casual dining to fast food, restaurant marketers place a great deal of emphasis on creating a positive experience for their patrons.

Email and mobile marketing efforts are ideal for restaurant marketers, provided each communications channel is used properly. For example, mobile communications are more personal than email. Therefore a mobile message must be timely and relevant for the recipient. Mobile also has the enhanced benefit of delivering messages locally to achieve immediate business goals. For example, if a restaurant manager is having an unexpectedly slow lunch hour, they may want to increase foot traffic for the dinner rush. A good mobile marketing tactic is to send a time-sensitive mobile meal special to the list of guests opted in to receive updates and messages from the restaurant. While mobile can generate instant results, email is also useful for increasing store traffic. Sending guests a monthly coupon via email is effective for generating traffic and sales while also boosting loyalty.