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Direct Mail – Usage statistics

The average UK customer spends almost £600 as a result of receiving advertising mail each year.

Here is some market information that demonstrates the use, scale and growth of advertising mail, its relevance and importance in today’s consumer world and how it could transform your advertising strategies and campaigns.

Advertising Mail Facts and Figures

• In the last ten years advertising mail volume has increased by 87% and expenditure has increased by 118%.
• Advertising mail delivers, on average, £14 return on investment for every £1 spent.
• Advertising mail grew 42% in the last five years whilst the advertising market as a whole grew by just 16%.

Consumer Advertising Mail Trends

• Consumer advertising mail is estimated to generate nearly £27 billion worth of business a year (a 2.3% increase).
• Mail is the most responsive advertising medium, with 60% of consumers ever responding, and 37% responding in the last twelve months.
• 60% of consumer advertising mail is opened and 40% is read.
• 56% of consumers have purchased after receiving advertising mail – warm mailings perform best, with 38% of consumers buying from these at some point.
• Consumers have always valued advertising mail for two qualities – value for money and convenience.
• The experience of buying products driven by advertising mail is a satisfying one for 82% of consumers.

Business to Business Advertising Mail trends

• Business managers open 82% of the advertising mail they receive.
• 36% say that they find mail very or quite useful when compared to other advertising media.
• 32% of managers say they always open their mail and 30% say they open it if it looks relevant.
• 36% of managers have responded to an advertising mailing in the last month and 22% in the last six months.
• Of those managers who responded to a mailing, 12% spent £200-£500 and 1% spent £5,000 to £10,000.

Mail is a unique one-to-one advertising medium and, as such, it can bring a range of benefits, including maximum accuracy, relevance, effectiveness, measurability and return on investment. At the same time, it minimises the waste and negative brand impacts that can result from sending the wrong message to the wrong person at the wrong time.

Selective Reach

Mail is the most targeted form of advertising available, so it is the most efficient in reaching the relevant customers. You can essentially select your own audience and talk to them on a personal level. It is often this individual attention to which consumers respond.

People Really Respond

In a survey of 3,942 advertising mail campaigns:

• The average response rate for both b2b and b2c was 11.6%*.

excluding campaigns that achieved a response rate of 30% or more, the average was reduced to 6.7%.

• The average response rate for b2b campaigns was 10.9%*.

excluding campaigns that achieved a response rate of 30% or more, the average was reduced to 6.2%.

• The average response rate for b2c campaigns was 12.1%

* excluding campaigns that achieved a response rate of 30% or more, the average was reduced to 7.1%.
Source: DMIS Response Rates Survey