ABSTRACT
Within the sales paradigm direct communication was regarded as an effective way of reaching the target group, both unaddressed through leaflets and door-to-door distribution, and later also addressed via labels and address databases. Automated systems made it possible to communicate in a highly personal manner. At the start, relationships were not built, as this required fully fledged interaction. The interaction within direct marketing is the response to a mailing or telephone promotion. The purpose is not to build a relationship but to bring about a transaction; the profit per transaction is still an important measurement criterion here. (Direct marketing was part of the sales paradigm and a component of the promotion and communication marketing instruments.) This changed only once the paradigm, the total concept, changed from a sales-oriented to a demand-oriented concept. This would only take place, however, if full communication was possible, as was previously the case with customization and the personal contact between manufacturer and buyer. Technology was necessary for this; initially telecommunication (telephone) and later the Internet.
