TheBigBuzzBlog

Grab The Information that Is Buzzing Around The Web

Life Stages of a Mail – How Successful is Direct Mail Marketing?

by · Published · Updated

Companies are consistently fraught with complex marketing decisions. With the advent of digital channels, marketing experts are constantly debating whether to migrate to these newer arenas or to keep up with traditional marketing campaigns. The Life Stages of Mail, a research conducted by Royal Mail MarketReach, aims to explain how direct mail marketing is still playing an important role in influencing consumers.

Defining Age Groups

Every research needs a constant against which the variable is judged. In this research, it was the age groups of respondents. In fact, to make the situation more relatable, life stages were considered instead of age groups. The population was divided into the following seven categories:

  • Fledglings: Young adults who are still living with their parents.
  • Sharers: Adults living in shared accommodations but without partner.
  • Couples: Adults living in shared accommodations with partners.
  • Young Families: Families with school-going children.
  • Older Families: Families with at least one child in secondary school.
  • Empty Nesters: Old couples living together whose children have left home.
  • Older Retirees: Old couples who are predominantly dependent on pension on interest income to make ends meet.

How was the Research Conducted?

As in the case of most marketing research studies, qualitative data was collected from respondents in the form of interviews, camera recordings, and online diaries. To meet the scale of this research, Royal Mail MarketReach employed the help of independent research agencies Quadrangle and Trinity McQueen.

direct mail marketing

Findings

There are a few key takeaways from this research that need to be highlighted. So here it goes:

  1. Direct Mail Influences In-Person Store Visits

Most of the groups responded positively to direct mail. 31% Young Families, 27% Older Families, 22% Couples and 18% Sharers admitted to having visited a store after receiving marketing collateral in their mails.

Businesses need to design their print advertisements in a way that encourages viewers to visit the store in-person.

  1. Direct Mail Encourages Purchase

Direct Mail can influence purchase decisions. In fact, 30% Young Families, 26% Couples, 26% Empty Nesters, 23% Fledglings and 22% Sharers revealed they had purchased something from direct mail advertisements.

A successful Direct Mail strategy entails showcasing the most popular or most valuable products in these campaigns to encourage sales.

  1. Print is More Effective than its Digital Counterparts

Messages are better recognized when they’re sent in the mail. 11.1% Young Families and 11.3% Older Families reported paying more attention to advertisements they received in mail. For other groups, although the percentages were lower (Couples – 9.3%, Sharers – 6.8%), it nevertheless shows how print media, if employed correctly, can prove to be a better channel than digital media.

Businesses that are hoping to leave an impact on viewers should invest in well-thought print adverts. For smaller budgets, lower the frequency at which the message is sent.

  1. Print is More Trustworthy

People find it easier to trust the printed word instead of digital bits and bytes. 32% Fledglings, 26% Couples, and 15% Sharers placed higher trust in print advertisements instead of advertising messages received from other channels.

This sufficiently explains why businesses can’t go all-digital. It is essential for all businesses to build and maintain trust via print adverts, even if their marketing strategy is predominantly digital.

direct mail marketing

Img Src: Flickr

  1. Online Channels for More Details

Most people regard online channels as a source of getting additional information about print adverts. 16% Young Families, 16% Couples, and 9.2% Sharers admitted to having searched for information online after receiving direct mail.

Targeting this group with specifically designed landing pages will not only satisfy the user and encourage sales but also impart a positive image of the company.

Your choice of Direct Mail Marketing Collateral portrays an image of your company in front of your target audience before they have a chance to interact with you. Precision Printing gets on top of the game with their Direct Mail Services that are both witty and original, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Tags: