Hello!
I’d like to take a moment to bust what I’m calling ‘the great mail myth’.
Mail can be seen as a high cost channel with good ROI, but lower reach and engagement in comparison to other media channels. We have always known that mail has a far bigger role in the customer journey and now by working with Kantar TNS we sought to prove this through in- depth research.
Over a 21 day period, TNS Kantar asked participants to take a picture of all the mail they received and then record what they did with it. The research went beyond ‘did you or didn’t you look at it’. The results gave more detail on mail, showing where participants were led by mail whether it was a web site, call centre, ordering or something else.
In doing so we found that mail had a far more interesting trajectory than from mat to bin. In fact the research showed that mail has a reach of 1.36 and a frequency of 7. This means that on average, each piece is shared with an extra 36% of people, outside the addressee. In addition, each item is revisited up to 7 times.
Furthermore, mail hangs around. It’s always there, sitting on the dining table, inviting response. Actions from direct mail can come in anything up to six weeks later.
AdAge estimated[1] that 93% of all CMOs are under more pressure to deliver ROI than ever. With brands needing real world justification for any strategic decision and each channel fighting its corner, with this research we truly believe that mail will be a valuable part of that mix.
Kantar TNS’ research has been vital in revealing the real role of mail in the customer journey, a role that is far more influential than we could have discovered from standard tracking metrics.
For more information about mail’s contribution to driving the customer journey forward, check out our Insight Engine, www.mailmen.co.uk/toolkit.
And to further boost your expertise we’re giving you a chance to win an exclusive IDM qualification and Award in Direct Mail for FREE (worth £595 each). For a chance to win 1 of the 10 places available, email Sandrine.sienche@royalmail.com with your answer to the question: What is your greatest marketing challenge?
Until next time,
Jonathan Harman
07979 000 887
@jonathanharman
[1] https://www.digitaldoughnut.com/articles/2016/july/sales-benefits-from-marketing-automation
