The direct marketing association in Turkey (TDMA) has completed in-depth research into its home market, via Yöntem Research Consultancy. The study shows that, despite the global financial crisis of 2008/09, direct has taken the biggest share of marketing budgets – and that share is increasing, with one in every four companies planning to up their DM spend.

Currently, the Turkish DM market amounts to more than US$1 billion. The researcher interviewed 55 direct marketing companies by email, telephone and in person – 35 of them members of the TDMA and 20 potential members – plus 81 client companies which use direct marketing methods. The report reveals that 45,000 people are working full-time in the DM industry in Turkey, with the figure rising to 75,000 when taking part-time staff into account.

Most popular services provided by marketing companies in Turkey are promotional and events marketing (both 80%), database marketing (76%), interactive (71%) and point-of-sales (69%). Interactive marketing services are often outsourced; for example the research showed that strategic partners were used in 65 per cent of search engine marketing campaigns and 62 per cent of mobile campaigns.

In the last two years, the sectors most using direct marketing services were food and beverages (53%), retail (26%) and the automotive industry (24%). The retailing sector’s DM usage increases to 40 per cent in companies whose turnover tops US$2 million per annum. 

Direct marketers in Turkey mostly serve local organisations (38 per cent) followed by foreign companies (29%) and local firms with foreign partners (25%).

Further information is available from the Turkish DMA (www.dpid.org.tr) or email the secretary general, Ayca Aytac: ayca.aytac@dpid.org.tr