Consumers pay attention to direct marketing efforts, thus validating direct mail as a highly effective tool.

Year: 2006

Type of Promotional Material/Activity Tested:

Envelopes

Sample Population:

1,800 US adult consumers, weighted to reflect US 2002 census demographics, with a 2-3% margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.  This means that 95% of the time, GolinHarris/Insight Express was confident that percentages in the actual population would not vary by more than 2-3% in either direction.

Method:

A national online survey conducted in September 2005 preceded by a series of focus groups with consumers and with business audience segments (direct mail managers, creative directors, direct marketing executives).

Metrics:

Attributes and perceptions of direct mail and mailed envelopes.

Top Line Results: 

• 75% of consumers say they are most likely to pay attention and act on direct mail sent to the home – over three times more than unsolicited e-mail, online banner or pop-up ads, sales calls to the home, and text message ads combined.
  
  
• Consumers, across all demographics, respond more positively to direct marketing efforts mailed to them in envelopes (41%) compared to postcards or self-mailer fliers (16%).
  
  
• Women (45%), and those over the age 34 (44%), are the most responsive to direct mail offers received in envelopes.
  
  
• When consumers receive envelopes in the mail containing marketing, advertising, or promotional material -- the top three things they say they "always or usually do”:
  
  

  • Open the envelope if they believe the contents might be interesting (66%)
    
  • Open the envelope if they perceive contents will be of personal interest to them (61%)
    
  • Open the envelop if they can clearly identify the purpose/sender (59%)
    
    
•  The top types of merchandise consumers say they buy as a result of direct mailings that arrive in an envelope are:
  
  

  • Books  (43%)
  • Magazines  (42%)
  • Clothing  (40%)
  • Movies/videos/DVDs  (29%)
  • Music   (25%)