Consumers Value Relevant Marketing Messages, Prefer Print

Consumer Attitudes

November 17, 2009 – To understand what marketing messages and channels of delivery were most valued by today’s customer, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and InfoPrint Solutions Company undertook a survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. consumers. The results show that regardless of channel, for consumers, relevancy and individualization of the marketing message is what is valued.
 

Key findings of the consumer engagement study highlighted in the report, Why Relevance Drives Response and Relationships: Using the Power of Precision Marketing to Better Engage Customers, shows that:
 

• When given the opportunity to choose, 51% of consumers prefer to receive product or service promotions via traditional mail while 44% prefer email.
   

• Nine out of ten consumers open monthly bills delivered via traditional mail, compared to 72% who open bills delivered via email.  For all types of mail received, print mail is opened and viewed more than electronic mail.

   

  What types of mail do you always open?
  Type of Mail	Traditional Mail	Email
  Monthly Bills	92%	72%
  Bank Statements	83%	60%
  Promotional Offers	56%	41%
  Newsletters	51%	40%
  Flyers	41%	NA
  News Alerts	NA	37%
  "Junk Mail"	23%	NA
  Source: Why Relevance Drives Response and Relationships: Using the Power of Precision Marketing to Better Engage Customers

   

• Three-quarters (73%) of consumers say they would you opt in for more traditional mail vs. electronic statements if the government certified that mail had less environmental impact than electronic delivery.
   

• Consumers are inspired to do business with a retailer after receiving personalized offers -- 30% of respondents answered "yes" and 48% stated "sometimes."
  
  

• While 64% of consumers say promotional offers dominate both the email and traditional mail they receive, only 41% view these as must-read communications.
   

• Of the 91% of consumers who opt out or unsubscribe to emails, 46% do so because the messages are not relevant.
   

• Four out of ten (41%) say they would consider ending a brand relationship due to irrelevant promotions--whether print or email.  An additional 22% say they would definitely defect from an offending brand.

“Irrelevant, impersonal communications, be it email or traditional mail, is a waste as it does not engage a receptive recipient,” said Liz Miller, Vice President, Programs and Operations, CMO Council.  “It is no surprise that consumers are opting out of irrelevant emails. However, what is a grave sign for marketers to heed is that customers will disconnect and stop doing business with brands who continue to send messages that demonstrate a lack of intimacy, customer insight and individual understanding.”

Sources:  DMNews, Ad noise can drown brand loyalty, says CMO Council study, November 17, 2009 and CMO Council news release, Irrelevant Communications Contributes To Customer Defection and Alienation, November 17, 2009.