Direct Marketing Lexicon

I - from Illustrated letter to ISP (Internet Service Provider)

Illustrated letter

Illustrated advertising letters that are quick and cheap to produce and direct the reader's attention to the offer.

Image

All subjective opinions and attitudes a person holds about something. In a marketing context, it is the picture that a consumer has of a product and/or a company.

Impulse buy

Denotes a case where a customer spontaneously buys the offered product even though the purchase was not planned- In direct advertising, suitable offers are often placed on the envelope or the order card.

Incentive

A targeted encouragement that is intended to lead to the customer requesting or purchasing a product or service. Gifts, give-aways and prize games are often used as incentives.

Inch

British imperial measure of length that is used for continuous printing purposes and laser-printed forms. Standard measurements are 8 inches (= 20.32cm), 12 inches (= 30.48cm) and 24 inches (=30.48cm). Widths are expressed in mm.

InfoCard

InfoCard is a letter, response card and return envelope all rolled into one. Thanks to a patented double-layer address field, InfoCard carries two addresses already when it arrives at the recipient's address. The return address is already printed onto the card. It is covered by a large, easily removable label showing the customer's address. This label is removed by the recipient and placed in the field reserved for the sender's details.

Initial contact

The first step towards launching a dialogue with prospective customers.

Initial mailing

Introductory Mailing; the first step in the dialogue.

Inkjet addressing system

'Inkjet' denotes a computer-controlled addressing system whereby addresses are printed directly from the storage medium onto individual labels without involving a subcarrier. The method is mainly used to address newspapers, magazines and advertising material.

Inserts

The term is used as a synonym for Blow-ins and may also denote other companies' Advertising material that is enclosed with one's own mailing (see also Multi-mailing).

Inside cover gatefold

An advertisement, placed on the inside cover of a magazine, whose pages open outwards on the centre. An attractive option for direct advertising campaigns is the version incorporating pre-addressed order forms that is used only in subscriber copies.

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

The simultaneous use of several media, resulting in a mutually enhancing mix: e.g. Mailings combined with telephone marketing, adverts, radio ads or billboards.

Interactive media

Media offering a dialogue option (e.g. reply options via telephone or fax, coupon, order cards, E-mail).

Internet

A worldwide web of public and private computing networks. Many companies use the internet to offer new products. Some newspapers place up-to-date versions of their print editions on the internet. Their internet editions can contain both editorial content and adverts.

Internet cafe

A cafe with an Internet connection and several PCs that the guests can use to surf the Web.

Internet server

A computer that is connected to the Internet and can be accessed by external Users wishing to download HTML and other Internet documents onto their own local PC.

Internet users

People who surf the Internet, also called Surfers.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

A service provider that enables companies and private individuals to access the Internet. Aside from providing access, many ISPs offer additional services such as Web design, Web consulting and so forth.