• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 4, 2008

According to the Direct Magazine annual forecast survey, E-mail has become the top medium choice for direct marketers, supporting yesterday's Research Brief on consumer's attitudes about marketing communications modes.

Of the firms polled, 72% send e-mail to customers, a 10% increase over 2007, and 50% to prospects, a 9% hike. In addition, 55% of those who use the medium plan to increase their budgets for it next year.

Direct mail, while declining, remains a strong second, says the report. Of those polled, 66% are sending mail to customers this year, a 4% drop from 2007, and 59% are mailing to prospects. That number is 1% lower than last year. In addition, 37% of those companies plan to spend more on mail to customers in 2009, and 39% on mail to prospects.

Other online channels have also gained in usage. The survey shows that 39% of those polled conduct search engine marketing, a 10% increase over 2007 and 41% advertise on other Web sites. However, that number is flat from last year. In addition, 25% conduct affiliate marketing, a 4% increase over last year.

Traditional media appear to in decline. Only 7% advertise on radio (down from 10% last year). And 16% buy direct response space (down from 23%).

Inbound telemarketing is used by 17%, down from 21% in 2007. And 20% conduct outbound calling-the same as last year.

Card pack usage rose four percentage points to 10%. But statement stuffer use fell by half to 9%.

Read more about this report here, or, the full survey appears in a supplement with the June issue of Direct.