What does “direct marketing” refer to?

Direct marketing is advertising that encourages interested individuals to contact you directly. They might call, provide their email address, visit your store, or book an initial consultation. This transforms potential customers from an invisible group into a visible one. You no longer have to chase after customers or rely solely on referrals. Instead, new prospects contact you every day. The foundation is a clearly defined target audience and advertising that specifically attracts those individuals.

What examples are there of direct marketing?

A good example is my client, Dr. Philipp Maatz. He is a dentist specializing in treating patients with dental anxiety. He recently published a book titled “Fear-Free Smiles,” which explains his approach and aims to alleviate patients' anxieties. Patients read the book, gain confidence, and then contact his practice, pre-qualified to receive treatment. Individual treatments often cost upwards of €50,000. The book, used as a lead magnet, has completely transformed his business.

What is meant by direct advertising?

Direct advertising, to me, is advertising that triggers a direct response: the interested party gets in touch with you. To achieve this, it needs to be compelling enough that your target customers can't help but pay attention. The headline is crucial; it determines the type of customer who will get in touch. Advertising that uses the “I” perspective, such as “We are the best company,” often fails because people don't know you. A better approach is to offer a free offer that genuinely helps your target customers.

What is the difference between “pull” and “push”?

With “push” marketing, you actively present something to the customer, while with “pull” marketing, the customer comes to you. Push marketing uses the “I” perspective: “We are the best company. Call us.” The customer doesn't know you, doesn't trust you, and simply leaves. With pull marketing, you offer something that the potential customer genuinely wants. They reach out because they receive something that benefits them. You don't chase after them.

What is the push and pull principle?

The principle describes two approaches in marketing: “push,” which pushes your offer towards the customer, and “pull,” which draws the customer to you. I focus on the “pull” strategy. The most important tool for this is a lead magnet, something free that solves a real problem for your target audience. You can see the difference in the numbers. Without a lead magnet, only 1 to 2% of visitors to your website directly book an appointment. With a lead magnet, 30 to 45% register.

Direct Response Marketing: Let Prospects Come to You

Q: What examples are there of direct advertising?

Good examples are advertisements that offer something valuable, rather than simply promoting a product. Instead of saying “Buy from us,” they say: “Free book: The seven most common mistakes when selling a house in Düsseldorf.” This headline is intriguing and directly targets people who are currently looking to sell a house. Anyone who downloads such an offer has already demonstrated their interest.

By Artur Neumann. Published October 28, 2026, updated October 28, 2026. 6 min read.

Use direct response marketing to attract suitable prospects. My approach to free offers, paid ads and making it easy for customers to contact you.

I run my business in Germany. Monetary examples use euros unless another currency is stated.

Many businesses gain customers in two ways: they hope for referrals, or they use cold outreach, directly approaching strangers. Both methods require significant effort.

Direct marketing flips this approach. Your advertising is designed to attract interested individuals who reach out to you. They call, provide their email address, visit your store, or book an initial consultation. Invisible prospects become visible.

When you achieve this, your work changes. You no longer chase customers; instead, new prospects contact you every day. The foundation for this is a clearly defined target audience. You can learn how to narrow your target audience in the article Narrowing Your Target Audience. Here, we’ll explore the next step.

Referrals Aren’t a Plan

Most businesses rely on referrals. That’s good. However, referrals aren’t something you can plan. You never know if you’ll receive zero or five this month. That’s not growth; it’s hope.

Organic marketing can help, but only to a limited extent. It’s slow, and an algorithm determines who sees your content.

The greatest potential lies elsewhere. Most people who could benefit from your product don’t even know you exist. They are invisible to you, and you are invisible to them. Direct marketing makes these people visible. The most important factor is the headline of your advertising. It determines the type of customers who will contact you.

Push vs. Pull: The Crucial Difference

Many businesses advertise from an “I” perspective: “We are the best company. Call us.” This is push marketing. You’re pushing something onto the customer. They don’t know you, they don’t trust you, and they move on.

Pull marketing works differently. You offer something your potential customer truly wants. They come to you because they receive something that helps them. You don’t chase them; they contact you.

For example, instead of “Buy from us,” the ad reads: “Free Book: The Seven Most Common Mistakes When Selling a House in Düsseldorf.”

The first option is boring advertising. The second creates curiosity and targets people who are currently selling a house. With a single line, you control who responds.

Those who download this offer have actively expressed interest. They are now visible. You can stay in contact with them.

The Right Bait

The most important tool in direct marketing is a compelling lead magnet, something valuable that your ideal customer truly wants, for which they’ll provide their email address.

This could be a guide, a checklist, a diagnostic tool, a mini-training, or a short report. Two things are essential: it must solve a real problem for your target audience, and it should spark their interest in learning more.

You’ll see the difference in the numbers. Without a lead magnet, only 1 to 2% of website visitors book an appointment directly. With a lead magnet, 30 to 45% provide their email address. Many of these people will purchase in the weeks and months that follow, when the time is right for them.

I’ll show you, step-by-step, how to create a lead magnet and build a landing page to support it in the article Build an Email List.

Paid Advertising: A Predictable Source

Referrals might bring in zero to three customers per month, and you never know how many to expect. Paid advertising is something you can control. Even with small daily budgets, you can acquire new contacts every day. If the system works, you can gradually increase your investment. You don’t need to start with large budgets.

Start small. Measure your results. Improve what isn’t working.

The principle is key: a predictable source of new contacts is the foundation for everything that follows. When you know how many qualified contacts each euro invested brings, you’ll see advertising differently. You stop thinking about costs and start thinking about investments.

Advertising isn’t the only option. I’ll explain how I collect email contacts using simple videos, without spending a single penny on advertising, in the article Video to Email Contact.

An Example: Dentist Specializing in Anxious Patients

My client, Dr. Philipp Maatz, is a dentist. He has focused on a very specific target audience: people with dental anxiety. These patients often avoid the dentist for years, only seeking treatment when the situation becomes unbearable.

Dr. Maatz created a book specifically for these individuals: “Laugh Without Fear.” In it, he explains his approach and reassures anxious patients, demonstrating that a solution exists.

Patients read the book and gain confidence. Then, they contact his practice, already pre-qualified. Individual treatments can cost over €50,000. The book, as a lead magnet, has completely transformed his business.

Everything works together here: a clearly defined target audience, a compelling offer that addresses their specific problem, and prospects who contact him on their own initiative.

Your Email List Belongs to You

Every contact from your direct marketing should be added to your own email list. Social media doesn’t belong to you. An algorithm determines who sees your content, and your account could be suspended.

I know entrepreneurs who generated significant revenue every month with just 80,000 followers. Then, one day, their account was blocked. Their revenue plummeted to zero.

Your email list belongs to you. 30 to 50% of your readers open your emails. On social media, only 2 to 5% of your followers see a post. Your list is your foundation.

Where do you stand right now?

Read the four statements below and choose the one that best describes your situation:

You don’t have a reliable method for acquiring new contacts. You rely on chance and referrals.
You occasionally do marketing, but acquiring new contacts is unpredictable.
You have enough potential customers to improve your results, but it’s not yet a predictable process.
You can acquire new contacts at any time, in a predictable way, at a known cost, and as many as you want.

If you choose statement 1, you’re currently relying on referrals. Some months are good, others are slow. At the beginning of the month, you don’t know what to expect. Therefore, you can’t plan or invest.

If you choose statements 2 or 3, you might post regularly and occasionally receive inquiries. Perhaps you have a contact form on your website. However, you lack a lead magnet that automatically collects contacts. You’re experimenting with different channels, but none are consistently reliable enough to depend on.

If you choose statement 4, you know that new contacts are consistently coming into your business. Not through luck, but through a system that works for you, even while you sleep. Your list is growing, and you’re planning for growth, rather than hoping for it.

Your Task

Take a look at your current advertising or your website and examine three points:

Does your headline speak from the “I” perspective, or does it offer something that your ideal customer wants?
Do you have a free offer that solves a real problem for your target audience?
Does every new contact end up on your own email list?

Next, create a “pull” headline for your target audience. Write it in a way that attracts exactly the customers you want. Test it with a small daily budget. And then, count how many qualified contacts reach out to you.