Royal Mail : New study from Royal Mail Marketreach reveals mail’s long-term value to advertisers

Mail that consumers value creates feelings which drives actions, a new study from Royal Mail MarketReach launched today reveals. These feelings and actions drive value for advertisers through both direct action and positive brand effect.The full This Time It's Personal report can be downloaded from www.mailmen.co.uk.

Research was conducted by independent agency Quadrangle with 3,000 respondents and looked in depth at six sectors: financial services, retail, public sector, charities, travel and telecoms/utilities,

The new research explores the components of 'valued mail' and investigates what it makes people feel and do as a result. To define 'valued mail' consumers were asked to identify mail that they had received which they found useful and/or interesting.

'Valued mail' created feelings that drove actions. These ranged from direct response, to advocacy or finding out more information, both of which provide brand benefits to advertisers.

The research shows how mail can create a 'value exchange' in which the mail that consumers value drives value for advertisers. Consumers are most likely to perceive mail as having value when it comes from an advertiser with which they have an existing relationship (85 per cent).

As long as it is personal, value can be found in almost any type of mail, whether special offers, new-product or service information, newsletters, events information, vouchers and reminders and confirmations.

Even transactional or account information mail, such as statements or bills, can have value. This suggests that advertisers who treat transactional mail with marketing-led sensitivity can benefit.

Mail which consumers valued told them something important and personally relevant, such as: keeping them up to date (83 per cent), telling them something new (65 per cent), explaining what they needed to do - such as instructions, appointments or reminders - (64 per cent), or informing them about new products and services (58 per cent).

'Valued mail' creates feelings...and actions

'Valued mail' creates feelings - 92 per cent of consumers had an emotional response as a result of receiving a piece of mail they found valuable.

This included: feeling better or more informed (66 per cent); keeping the advertiser top of mind (60 per cent); feeling more positively towards the advertiser (57 per cent); feeling that the advertiser understood them (48 per cent); or being tempted by the product or service on offer (48 per cent).

Of those who had an emotional response to 'valued mail' 92 per cent took one or more actions that had value to the advertiser. The greater the number of feelings expressed, the more likely the recipient is to take action.

Actions created by 'valued mail' could be direct (42 per cent of respondents purchased, renewed, donated, as a result of the mail item), as well as indirect. These included searching for more information online (37 per cent); discussing it with others (33 per cent) or planning a future purchase (29 per cent). And 73 per cent of respondents held onto their valued piece of mail for future reference.

In turn, respondents who acted did not take just one action. Those who took direct action took an average of 4.7 other actions; while those who advocated a product or service took an average of 7.7 other actions. For advertisers this implies that the total value of someone who responds to a valued item of mail is not just the direct response created by that particular action but includes a host of other positive effects, including advocacy.

Jonathan Harman, managing director of Royal Mail MarketReach, said:"This research validates what we've always known about valued mail - that it drives direct action - but that it also opens up new areas for advertisers such as long-term responses and actions that have lasting beneficial effects on the advertiser brand.

"There's a clear gain here for advertisers who understand this and leverage mail for both direct action and positive brand effect. This research also demonstrates the need for better metrics for mail in order to capture its long-term, positive brand benefits."

ENDS

The study is a follow-up to the Private Life of Mail research released in February this year. That showed how mail's physical properties made consumers feel valued and important compared to other media.

It is the latest in Royal Mail MarketReach's drive to improve advertiser understanding of the role of mail and its impact, beyond short-term response, on longer-term brand metrics.

The research was comprised of quantitative research with 3,000 respondents and six in-depth focus groups. All research was conducted by independent agency Quadrangle.

For more information, contact:

Claire Burgess, Royal Mail

E: Claire.burgess@royalmail.com

T: 0207 449 8360 / 07753 461658