LGB Direct: Why Direct Marketing Trumps Social Media Marketing

Living in a digital age, most brands believe that digital marketing platforms are the way forward. However, face-to-face marketing specialists LGB Direct reveal the disadvantages of social media and suggest why direct marketing is more efficient.

LGB Direct is a London-based outsourced sales and marketing firm. The firm help clients across the capital and nationwide to connect with their customers on a more personal level by taking the time to meet with them directly. Through face to face interactions, LGB Direct allows a wide range of businesses to build stronger customer relationships and improve the overall customer experience. With a wealth of experience in the direct marketing industry LGB Direct remain confident that despite the social media boom, there will always be a high demand for direct marketing. Although digital technologies and social media may be able to increase productivity for many businesses, LGB Direct believe that when it comes to customer service personal, one on one interactions are vital in order to ensure customers feel valued and well looked after. The firm has found that by meeting with customers directly through face to face interactions and promotions, they have been able to drastically increase their clients' acquisition and retention rates whilst also improving brand reputation.

To help others recognise the many benefits of direct marketing, LGB Direct have reviewed some of the common, yet overlooked pitfalls of social media marketing and studied how direct marketing can offer solutions to these issues.

Social media is often attractive for businesses as it offers an easy form of communication with potential customers, however communicating with leads through social media channels is incredibly time intensive, requiring constant updates and monitoring. Unlike face to face interactions, social media engagement doesn't always gain an instant response. But leaving a customer waiting for a reply for even a short period of time can make that customer feel unappreciated and lose the business a sale. Direct marketing garners an instant response and can address customer queries instantly, allowing them to make a fully informed purchase decision.

LGB Direct also believes that social media marketing is seen by some customers as too intrusive. Despite the popularity of internet technologies, recent security scandals effecting big corporations such as eBay have opened many customers' eyes to the dangers of sharing information online. With many businesses using the information available to them on social media to tailor their marketing to potential customers, an increasing number of customers are growing uncomfortable with online marketing. LGB Direct has found that because direct marketing only ever collects information face to face, and only ever uses that information to personalise the customer experience, customers are far more comfortable sharing information than those subjected to social media marketing.

Another pitfall of social media marketing that businesses have been experiencing more recently is the lack of control they have over feedback. Currently, any user can post negative feedback publically on a business's profile which can deter potential customers. Direct marketing offers businesses a safer solution, by generating instant feedback by meeting customers in person and asking about their needs and opinions. This allows LGB Direct's clients to adjust their service strategies to meet these needs and keep customers happy.

Lastly, direct marketing is an effective tool for spreading brand awareness and attracting new customers by allowing new customers to interact directly with a product or service. One of the major drawbacks of social media marketing is it tends to only attract current brand users and loyal customers. Although this does generate repeat purchases for businesses, it often stunts their future growth by failing to create a buzz around the brand name.