Understanding consumer database marketing

Abstract

As consumer marketers have become increasingly disenchanted with traditional “shotgun” mass‐media approaches to reaching customers, database marketing has emerged as the answer to marketers’ woes. Despite its widespread use by direct marketers, database marketing is relatively new to consumer marketers and, as such, leaves some consumer marketers confused as to why it works and how to implement a database program. Presents a managerially relevant introduction to database marketing. Defines database marketing, outlines its advantages and disadvantages and describes application examples. Provides managers with a practical approach to developing a database marketing program. Reviews some trends in database marketing to prepare the consumer marketer for changes in the database marketing program.