Final answer:
False
The popularity of direct marketing has not been steadily decreasing; rather, it has evolved with technological advances and globalization. Businesses utilize new online and digital strategies for targeted direct marketing, benefiting from improved data analytics and a more interconnected world market.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Worldwide, the popularity of direct marketing has been steadily decreasing in recent years' is false. Although conventional methods of direct marketing may have faced challenges due to the rise of digital media and changing consumer behaviors, direct marketing itself has evolved rather than diminished.
Today, businesses are exploring new strategies to reach consumers, such as personalized digital marketing, and leveraging business-to-business (B2B) websites and social media to create targeted campaigns that can reach a global audience.
Further, the advent of sophisticated data analytics has improved the ability of companies to target potential customers more accurately. Companies can customize their marketing efforts to individual preferences and behaviors, which enhances the efficacy of direct marketing efforts.
Additionally, the intersection of technology and globalization has transformed market dynamics, leading to increased competition and the need for more innovative marketing techniques that often involve direct engagement with customers.