After reading the first chapter and attending class the first few weeks I see that direct marketing really just replaces face-to-face selling process. I also thought that the books definition of database marketing was pretty good, "an extension of what direct marketers have been doing all along. The biggest difference is size or the amount of data that can be processed because of advancements in technology." I thought this was interesting because marketers have been wanting and trying to do the same thing, but have not had the technology to do so. Having read the first few assigned readings I'm really staring to see how important being able to gather such valuable information form customers. In class we discussed how interactive marketing refers to the evolving trend in marketing whereby marketing has moved from a transaction-based effort to a conversation, a kind of relationship. I also thought that the topic of Customer relationship management (CRM) was interesting because it is a comprehensive way to manage the relationships you have with your customers, including potential customers, for long-lasting mutual benefit.