According to the recently released Epsilon Targeting 2011 Channel Preference Study direct mail continues to deliver as consumers' preferred means of receiving marketing messages from brands.
The 2011 research shows that despite direct mail's reputation for being "old school" or expensive, it is the top choice of U.S. consumers for the receipt of brand communications in almost every category, ranging from health to household products, to household services, insurance and financial services, including credit card offers. The preference for direct mail also extends to the 18-34 year old demographic.
Interestingly, U.S. consumers report an emotional boost from receiving direct mail, with 60% agreeing they “enjoy checking the mail box for postal mail.”
Not only are consumers receiving marketing information via multiple channels, they increasingly are deluged with information, leading to greater selectivity in determining what merits attention. Capturing the attention of today’s consumer demands more relevance than ever before. Effective marketers apply custom designed research approaches to better understand and leverage consumer relevance when spending their communications dollars.
Attitudes Toward Postal Mail and Email (U.S.Market; % of Respondents Rating 1 or 2 on 5 Point Scale) | |
Attitude | % Rating 1 or 2 (High) |
Postal Mail | |
Enjoy checking postal mail box | 60% |
Postal mail gets more attention | 50 |
Enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products | 43 |
Receiving postal mail makes me feel valued | 36% |
Postal mail information is more trustworthy | 26 |
Get a lot more emails that I do not open | 75% |
Receive too many emails in one day | 65 |
Spend time searching online for new products | 43 |
Enjoy getting email from brands on new products | 43 |
Source: EpsilonTargeting, December 2011 |
The 2011 study highlights the latest national survey results from Epsilon Targeting on preferred communications channels for consumers to receive marketing messages. Survey results show direct mail continues to serve as the channel of choice and most trusted for receipt of marketing information in many categories.
However, there are exceptions, such as travel. When asked about travel communications, 32% of U.S. consumers prefer the Internet, though 21%, which is not an insignificant population, prefer direct mail.
Consumers today have access to and are using an increasingly wide range of media to gather and receive information. Just a few years ago the key channels included TV, radio, newspapers, direct mail and email. Now the range of choices extends to mobile, third-party websites, social media and location-based services.
Successful marketers utilize a multi-pronged approach. Marketers do so for three logical reasons:
Consumers vary in the channels they use regularly
Consumers vary in the channels they prefer
U.S. Consumer Channel Preference Based on Type of Material Received (% of Respondents) | ||
Type of Material | Prefer Postal Mail | Prefer Email |
Sensitive health | 41% | 8% |
Prescription | 37 | 9 |
Insurance | 36 | 9 |
Financial services | 36 | 8 |
Mail order shopping | 34 | 13 |
General health | 33 | 9 |
Food product | 31 | 10 |
Charitable cause/donation | 30 | 9 |
OTC medication | 30 | 9 |
Personal care | 30 | 9 |
Cleaning product | 27 | 8 |
Retail information | 25 | 12 |
Household services | 25 | 7 |
Travel | 21 | 13 |
Source: EpsilonTargeting, December 2011 |
In the age of information overload, consumers prioritize what they read based on their level of trust in the source, says the report. The survey shows that across categories, direct mail, brochures or flyers continues to be a trusted source of information, with social media currently the least trusted in the United States and Canada.
Exceptions to note are health care, where U.S. consumers place the most trust in their health care professionals (74%), and in family and friends (47%), a decrease from 2010 (55%). Another personal filter impacting channel preference is the perceived maintenance of privacy.
For example, when comparing email and traditional direct mail, 37% of U.S. consumers feel traditional mail is more private than email. Supporting this view is data showing a decrease in the perception of maintaining anonymity. Specifically, fewer U.S. respondents, 8%, feel that the Internet “is more anonymous,” compared to 11% in 2010.
Channel or Media Trustworthiness (Top 3 on 10 Point Scale) | |
Media | % Giving Top Trustworthy Rating |
Newspaper | 21% |
Company website | 21 |
Television | 15 |
Brochures/Flyers/Direct mail | 16 |
10 | |
Online forums | 6 |
8 | |
Blogs | 6 |
YouTube | 6 |
6 | |
Other social Media | 6 |
Source: EpsilonTargeting, December 2011 |
There are a number of good reasons to continue the use of email as an effective marketing communications tool. Key among these is the ability of the consumer to receive email on their own terms including:
Top Reasons for U.S. Channel Preference | |
Postal mail |
|
Already get too much email | 32% |
Prefer not to have to print info | 30 |
More private than email or online | 37 |
Info can’t be trusted | 24 |
Don’t have computer at home | 2 |
| |
Can print info | 41 |
Can read when most convenient | 39 |
Can choose which info to be sent | 42 |
More easily share info with others | 23 |
Can save on paper | 34 |
Source: EpsilonTargeting, December 2011 |
The report concludes by noting that, in today’s information-rich, multichannel marketplace, marketers must understand and leverage the sources that consumers trust and prefer. To make sure the message reaches its target, it’s all about location, location, location! And the channels used to get there.
For more information from Epsilon, and access to the free PDF report, please visit here.