As you might imagine, it takes a lot of creativity to stand out from the clutter of other direct marketing materials sent to consumers on a regular basis. Creativity, however, will only take you so far. The solution for many direct marketers is to embrace the personalization of marketing materials. This push for greater personalization leads to a blurring of the line between direct marketing and database marketing as businesses pursue multi-channel marketing strategies. What does it look like? Check your mailbox. Odds are good that you’ve received some form of direct marketing in the mail. Common examples include coupons to your local pizza joint or a car dealership reminding you to schedule your next oil change. Where can I learn more? Direct Marketing News has created several useful guides related to direct marketing.