In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing channels, email and social media often hog the spotlight. However, the continued resurgence of mail is also hitting the headlines. In Q2 2023, the effectiveness of the mail channel reached its highest point in a year and a half, with an impressive 31 percent of mail driving positive commercial outcomes for brands.
Mail’s Remarkable Resurgence
One of the most striking findings of Q2 2023 is that mail’s effectiveness as a commercial marketing channel saw a year-on-year growth of nine percent. This growth propelled the proportion of mail items prompting actions among consumers to its highest level. This surge in effectiveness reaffirms that mail is far from obsolete in the digital age.
A Comprehensive Customer Journey
Additionally, mail proved its effectiveness at every stage of the customer journey. From driving brand discovery through brand discussions (which increased from 14 percent in Q2 2022 to 16 percent in Q2 2023) to engaging customers through website visits (eight percent of mail) and facilitating purchase fulfilment (up to five percent from the previous year), mail’s versatility shines through.
Boosting Footfall in Physical Stores
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the challenges faced by the British high street, mail recorded a significant 30 percent increase in its ability to drive consumer footfall in physical stores. This statistic underscores the enduring power of mail in driving real-world interactions.
Opportunities for Retailers
While some retailers like Morrisons, Hillary’s, Marks and Spencer, and Farmfoods have already seized the opportunity presented by the mail channel, there’s still a vast potential for others to boost their visibility in consumer households via mail for the remainder of 2023.
Fueling Sales Promotions
The most recent IPA Bellwether study reported record levels of growth in sales promotions during Q2 2023, and JICMAIL’s data corroborates this by highlighting the vital role of mail in delivering vouchers and special offers. A noteworthy two percent of all mail prompted the use of a voucher during this period, with an uptick in engagement for special offers and vouchers delivered via Door Drops and Business Mail.
Growing Consumer Engagement
Consumer engagement with mail also continued to grow in Q2. Frequency of interaction increased year-on-year across Direct Mail, Door Drops, and Partially Addressed Mail. Furthermore, the reach of mail items expanded across all types, indicating its enduring relevance among diverse audiences.
A Captive Audience
For the fourth consecutive quarter, mail open, read, and retention rates improved year on year. These statistics reveal the importance consumers place on brand messages delivered through the mail channel, particularly during challenging economic times.
Capturing Attention
Mail’s attention-grabbing capabilities are on full display, with Direct Mail being looked at for an average of 122 seconds across 28 days, Door Drops for 55 seconds, and Business Mail for 159 seconds. This underscores the potential for high-attention mail items to have a significant impact on consumer engagement, with a multiplier effect of two to three times the effectiveness that advertisers can capitalise on through creative design.
Data hygiene is the key to continued effectiveness
As brands look for innovative ways to connect with consumers, the mailbox is continuing proving to be a powerful ally. Yet, maintaining the effectiveness of mail marketing hinges on a crucial factor: data hygiene. In the digital age, where data reigns supreme, the accuracy and cleanliness of your mailing list can make or break your campaign. Data hygiene ensures that your mail reaches the right audience, reducing wasted resources and improving your return on investment. Outdated or incorrect addresses can lead to undelivered mail and frustrated recipients, damaging your brand’s reputation. Moreover, precise data allows for personalisation, tailoring your message to each recipient’s preferences, increasing the chances of engagement. Moreover, given stringent data privacy regulations, maintaining data hygiene also helps your brand remain compliant, avoiding costly legal consequences. In essence, data hygiene isn’t just a technicality; it’s the foundation upon which the success of mail marketing campaigns are built – and must continue to be so if the mail is going to continue its run of effectiveness.
