The key to getting ahead of business rivals is not by outspending them on advertising, but rather from outmanoeuvring their competitors.

According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), one way for companies to do this is through the use of direct mail.

Experts are predicting that direct marketing executives will focus on client engagement in email marketing campaigns throughout 2010.

They will increasingly look beyond email-open and click-through rates to determine the level of client engagement, with measurement data set to significantly develop in 2010 to allow email marketers to analyse how a client interacts with a company website.

Businesses seeking a great return on investment should consider investing in customer relationship management (CRM).

This claim follows a study by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) that found the process is particularly popular among industry professionals.

Despite postal strikes, technological advancements, environmental concerns and the recession, direct mail has retained its appeal to executives and marketers alike.

This is supported by Marketing Week’s recent survey that revealed direct mail continues to have the ear of the board.

New research has revealed that a number of companies have increased their use of online direct marketing channels such as email.

The study by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) found that 83 per cent of marketers upped their spend on web-based channels during 2009, while many will continue this in the next 12 months.