The importance of direct mail in uncertain times

We live in uncertain times with constant political, social and economic change; a high volume of commercial messages and `fake news’ which erodes consumer trust.

The last decade has seen an explosion of information, new marketing channels and more products and suppliers fighting for our attention to the extent that the average human brain consumes the equivalent of 34 gigabytes of data every day and makes 35,000 decisions!

In this world of information overload and with so much choice, consumers gravitate towards brands they trust. But it’s becoming more difficult to cut through the noise and be heard by the right audience at the right time. A personal, customised piece of mail that customers can hold in their hands, feel, store and share, provides a valuable opportunity to create credibility and reassurance for your brand.

The Royal Mail’s MarketReach research first looked at the difference between mail and email back in 2007. In a ten-year period, the percentage of people stating that mail “makes them feel valued and gives them a better impression of the company” has increased to 70%.

As digital channels become the most popular method of communication, there is more competition to get your message across. After all, how many emails, tweets and online adverts do you get from companies wanting to promote their products in a day?

Compare that number with how many letters, postcards or flyers you receive. Using direct mail means that yours may be the only one to land that day, or even that week – thus instantly grabbing the reader’s attention.

If you don’t have the time or resources to manage your own regular direct marketing campaigns Insight Data can help with its accurate and targeted marketing data and dedicated direct marketing team.

Jade Greenhow, Insight Data’s Operations Director, commented:

“The marketing landscape is changing constantly but the value of direct mail cannot be underestimated.

“Direct mail is something that can be easily forgotten due to the huge number of digital channels now available, but smart businesses are seeing its advantages in the post-GDPR world.

“Digital isn’t going anywhere, of course, but for a marketing strategy to be successful it needs to operate across all channels – digital, social and direct mail.”

Direct mail’s renaissance is also party due to GDPR, the new data protection regulations, which have made it harder for companies to gather data and sell it. Now customers can easily opt out of receiving messages.

As GDPR required a brief period of adjustment, smart businesses saw it as an opportunity to rethink their company’s marketing strategy, turning the spotlight back onto direct mail and its advantages.

A printed, personalised letter or leaflet can help to give a brand a level of credibility that few other channels achieve; few can dispute the importance of this in an increasingly uncertain world.

For more information contact Insight Data on 01934 808293 or via email at hello@insightdata.co.uk.