Direct marketing is one of the most dynamic marketing fields that has been continuously changing during its development. Terms such as directed marketing, one-to-one marketing or action advertising reflect the basic premise of direct marketing – direct, first hand communication with the buyer in the best possible way. Direct marketing is nowadays an extremely important form of communication and, as such, it is also a promotional mix element. Nevertheless, when we talk about conceptualization of the term, there is no unique or common definition. In other words, the historical development and the advancement of the concept has been influencing not only the determination, but also boundaries of the term. This final study gives a conceptualization of direct marketing, analyzing targets and users, as well as their benefits and disadvantages. Direct marketing channels are also media providing producers to market and sale goods and enabling them to communicate with customers directly. Direct marketing channels can be divided into traditional and contemporary direct marketing channels and such a division contributes to understanding of direct marketing development chronology.