Direct marketing campaigns are most effective when combining email, social media and mobile channels, it has been suggested.

According to industry commentator Morgan Stewart, the technology sector is constantly worrying about what the next big thing will be.

This often leads to predictions that whatever it succeeds will be made obsolete – something Mr Stewart noted rarely happens.

He told MarketingProfs that the same was true in direct marketing – social media and mobile channels work best with email marketing, rather than instead of it.

"We are witnessing the same thing when it comes to the digital marketing trifecta of social media, mobile and email," Mr Stewart said.

"Instead of cannibalising one another, these three technologies are fuelling each other."

Earlier this month, Scott Buresh, chief executive officer of search engine optimisation company Medium Blue, stated that companies carrying out advertising campaigns should not forget about the high return on investment that can also be provided through direct mail messages.