The online world has grown rapidly over the years with many consumers now using the internet as part of their day to day lives.  From this online growth, businesses are concentrating more on sending online communications so that they keep up with their consumers who use the digital world.  However, many consumers still prefer printed communications to be sent to them.  The question is, should brands be rushing to follow consumers in the online world, or should they focus more on direct mail?

Here at TNT Post, we believe that a multichannel approach is key. A total of 56% of consumers still believe that printed marketing is the most trustworthy of all communications channels.  This was one of the outcomes of the From letterbox to inbox 2013 survey conducted by the DMA and fast.MAP.  Those who completed this survey still value direct mail and printed communications from brands, and feel that they are an essential part of the overall ‘brand experience’. Facts uncovered in the survey show what Brands should really take into consideration when conducting their marketing activity.  It was reported that a staggering 79% of people react to direct mail immediately and that 90% of people couldn’t live without a letterbox, i.e. couldn’t live without mail.  This is a considerable amount of consumers and something that brands need to be aware of and use as part of their marketing activity as it demonstrates the power that print communications still has.  The survey highlights that direct mail triggers an online response from consumers.  Here are the three top actions that people take after receiving direct mail from a brand they’re interested in:

• 44% visit the brand's website
• 34% search online
• 26% keep the piece for future reference