The purpose of this paper is to discuss the complementary effect of relationship marketing and direct marketing and outline the foundations of direct marketing that can be enhanced by relationship marketing principles.
This is a personal viewpoint based on many years of working in, teaching and research of direct and relationship marketing.
The paper finds that both disciplines of direct marketing and relationship marketing have something of value to the other. The combination of the two strategies can only be of value and benefit to both customers and organisations.
The value of this paper is that it outlines the symbiotic strength of direct marketing and relationship marketing that allows contemporary marketers to utilise the best of both disciplines to establish and maintain strong relationships with their customers
