What can be considered a measure of the effectiveness of direct marketing?

The effectiveness of direct marketing can be primarily measured by the number of responses or transactions generated. This metric is critical because direct marketing is inherently designed to elicit immediate reactions from the targeted audience. The primary goal is to motivate recipients to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information. Thus, measuring the responses or transactions enables marketers to assess how well their campaign is performing in engaging the audience and prompting action.

High response rates indicate that the marketing message resonates with the target demographic, while low response rates might suggest the need for adjustments in the campaign strategy, targeting, or messaging. This focus on quantifiable responses is a key characteristic of direct marketing, distinguishing it from broader brand-building efforts that may not have immediate measurable outcomes. The other options, while relevant in certain contexts, do not serve as direct measures of a campaign's effectiveness in eliciting immediate responses.