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The Power of Mail in Consumer Decision Making

By |2024-10-01T08:32:03+00:00October 1st, 2024|

In today's marketing landscape, focusing solely on the first and last touchpoints of the consumer journey is no longer sufficient. According to recent research by Google and The Behavioural Architects, the “messy middle” – the phase between awareness and purchase – plays a critical role in shaping consumer decisions. This chaotic, non-linear phase often involves complex decision-making processes filled with obstacles, such as evaluating numerous choices, comparing options, and validating decisions. The research finds that increasingly marketers are beginning to recognise the importance of guiding consumers through this messy middle to ensure they move toward a purchase. And of interest to all our clients, direct mail, which is often seen as a closing mechanism for direct sales, is proving to [...]

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Mail Volumes Surge again in Q2 2024!

By |2024-09-17T08:10:25+00:00September 17th, 2024|

The latest data from JICMAIL's Q2 2024 release paints a bright picture for direct mail once again, with a significant increase in both mail volumes and consumer engagement. Mail volumes experienced a 12% rise compared to the previous year. Political parties preparing for the General Election contributed 10% of this overall volume, representing a massive year-on-year increase of over 343%. But political mail was not the sole contributor to this growth. Sectors like retail and travel also capitalised on the mail channel, further reflecting the broad-based recovery and confidence within the industry. Alongside volume growth, consumers responded positively, with mail engagement metrics improving across the board. Direct Mail, Door Drops, Business Mail, and Partially Addressed Mail all saw increases in [...]

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Great News for the Direct Mail Industry: Time to Capitalise on the Boom!

By |2024-07-30T14:56:00+00:00July 30th, 2024|

The UK has witnessed its most significant upward revision to marketing budgets in a decade, with companies' financial prospects at their most positive in nearly three years, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. This positive trend presents an opportunity for the direct mail industry, which has emerged as a major beneficiary of this increased spending. Direct Mail: A Rising Star The report reveals that direct mail was the second-biggest growth area, trailing only behind events. Budgets for direct mail have been increasing for six successive quarters. The report found that almost a fifth (19.3%) of surveyed companies have increased their direct mail budgets for the next period, aligning with their preparations for Christmas 2024 activities. Capitalising on the Boom [...]

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61% of Marketers Increased Direct Mail Automation Investment in 2024

By |2024-07-23T11:19:50+00:00July 23rd, 2024|

Recent research by SeQuel Response reveals 61% of marketers increased their investments in direct mail automation over the past year​. This trend underscores the transformative power of automation in enhancing the efficiency, personalisation, and effectiveness of direct mail campaigns. Here are six ways automation is enhancing direct mail: Optimised Personalisation Through Data-Driven Insights The era of generic mail pieces is over; now, campaigns are leveraging sophisticated algorithms to analyse customer data, tailoring messages to individual preferences and behaviours. This approach involves more than just addressing recipients by name—it’s about creating content and offers that resonate deeply with each unique recipient. The result is a significant boost in response rates and customer engagement, driven by the precise alignment of marketing messages [...]

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84% of ecommerce marketers say Direct Mail delivers best ROI

By |2024-07-16T13:07:42+00:00July 16th, 2024|

According to a new report by Lob, 84% of ecommerce brand marketers agree that direct mail delivers the best ROI, response rate, and conversion rates compared to all other channels, a notable increase from 74% in 2023. The value of direct mail marketing for the eCommerce industry continues to grow, with 85% of marketers in the sector affirming that it offers the best ROI of any channel their organisation uses. An impressive 91% also agree that it delivers the best response rates. Increased Investment and Automation Reflecting this resurgence, 82% have said that they have increased their budget allocation for direct mail, up from 58% in 2023. The adoption of direct mail automation platforms has also seen a significant rise, [...]

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Direct mail now more impactful than ever!

By |2024-06-26T11:48:42+00:00June 26th, 2024|

The latest quarterly results from JICMAIL reveal another surge in the effectiveness of mail marketing in Q1 2024. The research finds that six percent of all mail types prompted a purchase, two percent higher than the same period in 2023. This increase underscores the growing impact of mail in driving consumer actions, with 46% of these purchases fulfilled online and 32% in-store, reflecting the omnichannel nature of mail. Increasing Mail Interaction and Attention Direct Mail, Door Drops, and Partially Addressed Mail saw a year-on-year increase in interaction frequency, resulting in more ad impressions in Q1 2024 compared to the previous year. Mail's attention efficiency stands out, with Direct Mail garnering 134 seconds of attention per piece across household members over [...]

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Think direct mail is too expensive? Think again

By |2024-05-15T05:31:13+00:00May 14th, 2024|

At the recent Ultimate Direct Mail workshop Lauren Mason, marketing director of Live Unlimited and Ro & Zo showcased the power of direct mail and smashed the perception held by some marketers that it is too expensive to add into the marketing mix. Talking about her first experiences of direct mail this year, Mason found that acquiring customers through direct mail was more affordable than digital methods. She was surprised to discover that not only did it drive higher retention rates but that it also boosted LTV (lifetime value) and AOV (average order value). This indicates that Live Unlimited and Ro & Zo customers acquired via direct mail are likely to stay longer and spend more, providing a solid and [...]

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Response rates, ROI, AOV and CPA of DM revealed!

By |2024-05-08T18:04:18+00:00May 8th, 2024|

The latest JICMAIL Response Tracker insights reveal that DM is still very much a marketing channel that achieves results…. Warm direct mail—mail shots sent to existing customers—command on average an 8% response rate. This level of engagement is not only on par with but often exceeds the effectiveness of other media channels. Warm direct mail's success, particularly notable in sectors like medical where it reaches a whopping 26%% response rate, underscores its potential in targeted communications. This method proves especially effective in maintaining and enhancing customer loyalty, offering personalised content that resonates well with the audience. The high response rates are indicative of the trust and rapport that brands have built over time with their existing customer base. Cold Direct [...]

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Direct mail set to grow… again

By |2024-04-24T08:55:10+00:00April 24th, 2024|

According to the latest IPA Bellwether Report, the UK's marketing landscape is witnessing a notable increase in direct marketing budgets – the 8th consecutive period of growth. This uplift is part of a broader positive adjustment in overall marketing spend, indicative of an improving economic backdrop and a proactive approach to recession recovery. However, as one of only two channels that posted significant uplifts the inference is that confidence in direct marketing, particularly direct mail, continues to flourish. Tangibility and Trust Direct mail possesses a unique attribute that many modern advertising channels lack: tangibility. This physical nature of direct mail creates a sensory experience for the recipient. It’s something you can touch and feel, often encouraging a more memorable connection [...]

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Direct Mail Continues to Deliver

By |2024-03-05T08:06:41+00:00March 5th, 2024|

The latest data from JICMail reinforces our recent article about the resurgence of print (which you can read here: https://www.thesoftwarebureau.com/print-the-comeback-kid/) The research shows that direct mail is not only holding its ground, but is playing a pivotal role in driving significant commercial returns for businesses. The Power of Mail in Numbers The Q4 2023 data reveals that 6.5% of direct mail prompted a purchase, marking a notable increase from 4.8% in the same quarter the previous year. This surge underscores the evolving consumer behaviours, particularly the increasing regard for direct mail as a communication channel and the shift towards e-commerce, with 3.3% of mail driving online purchases directly. The digital footprint of mail extends further, with 8.4% of recipients visiting [...]

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