In a business-to-business environment direct response is the next best thing to in-person sales visits. Direct response "uses one or more advertising media to effect a measurable response and/or transaction" with an individual. The operative concepts are "measurable response," "transaction," and "individual." Business-to-business direct response campaigns are typically executed by mail, telephone, or both.

Direct Response is set apart from general advertising in that:

1. A definite offer is made to a prospect identified by name.
   
   
2. All the information necessary to make a buying decision is furnished to that person.
   
   
3. A response mechanism is provided (toll-free number, mail-in coupon, etc.)

Building an effective direct response program involves:

• List Research and Acquisition
• Relational Database Creation and Management
• Marketing Campaign Design, Production, and Roll-out

The three essentials for success in direct response are (in order of importance) the list, the offer, and the creative. A recent campaign we created for an architectural hardware distributor resulted in a response rate of more than 30 per cent. It is important to recognize that the ability to predict rates of response still rests solely with the gods. However, a direct response professional schooled in the essentials will invariably produce a greater response for you.