Ready to Mail? 3 Ways to Be Sure.

Entering the New Year, consumers are adjusting to heightened prices, growing personal debt, and prevailing economic unpredictability, coming to terms with these conditions as the new standard. Nevertheless, this adaptation should not be misconstrued as indicating that consumers find themselves in an unchanged financial state compared to earlier times. Facing these hurdles, consumers have demonstrated remarkable fortitude, enthusiastically seeking out and taking advantage of New Year promotions. This consumer behavior has culminated in an unprecedented surge in sales for many businesses when comparing year-over-year figures.

A study released today by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company reveals that traditional marketing channels, including word of mouth, direct mail, and in-store signage, are largely untapped by marketers. The study, based on surveys of both marketing professionals and consumers, uncovers significant differences between marketer assumptions and what consumers say actually influences their brand awareness and purchase decisions. The survey results underscore four key themes that all point to the power of traditional marketing methods and how social and digital marketing continue to evolve: Theme 1: It’s time to redefine (and re-engage) word of mouth - Word of mouth traditionally refers to consumers sharing product and brand recommendations with one another verbally. Today, this has evolved to include interactions between acquaintances on social media. Theme 2: Gen Y is most excited to receive direct mail - More than half (51%) of consumers were more excited to receive direct mail in the past year than they were in the year prior, with the highest levels among Gen Y (65%), Gen Z (57%), and Gen X (53%). Theme 3: Dear retailers, are you ready to return to normal? The good news for the retail sector is that 62% of consumers are eager to return to their pre-pandemic shopping habits. More than a third (35%) of consumers admit that the changes they made to their shopping habits due to the pandemic will only last less than 6 months. Theme 4: Pinterest and TikTok on the rise while influencers wane - While consumers indicated their preference for some forms of traditional marketing channels, their engagement with brands online and via social media continues to evolve, posing additional complexities for marketers looking to connect with their audiences.

Understanding how to stand out in the mailbox is more important than ever in 2020 and beyond, especially so because of today’s competition for consumer attention. In fact, a 2015 study said the average American is exposed to anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 ads per day. That’s madness! With the large majority of these being digital ads, this provides a huge opportunity for direct mail and print marketing campaigns. Though the average person’s mailbox is much less crowded now than it has been in decades, this competition for consumer attention is more fierce than it has ever been. That’s why when it comes to your direct mail marketing campaign, you need to be very calculated in your approach; understanding cost, attribution, average ROI and the overall health of your house file are vital considerations that must occur with the launch of any successful direct mail program. Click Read More below for details