Health services companies spent $2.4 billion on direct marketing advertising in 2007, resulting in $28.7 billion in sales, or an ROI of $11.86 for each dollar spent.

They also allocate one-third of their ad budgets to direct marketing campaigns, according to a new report by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), writes MarketingCharts.

"The online channels — internet marketing and commercial email — will grow considerably during the next five years, with double-digit increases predicted for each year through 2012, both as promotional tools and as sources of sales," said Anna Chernis, DMA senior research manager.

But the largest portion of spending and sales revenue go to offline channels, especially telephone marketing and direct mail, she said.

The first-ever Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Health Services Industry report "found priceless facts specific to this vital American industry," Chernis said.

"For example, it found that 90 percent of direct marketing advertising investment is aimed at consumers and returns the same proportion of sales, but the business-to-business market has an even higher ROI."

MarketingCharts has more findings from the DMA report.