Marketers must tailor their DM campaigns

Recent statistics from the Direct Marketing Association lead us to believe that marketing campaigns still often result in company cash being poured down the drain. The figures claiming that 5.4 billion direct mail items are delivered to UK doorsteps every year prove that firms are still plumping for this time-honoured method of direct marketing. Yet, with a third of mail reportedly left unopened, this means that companies are wasting over &£400m on postage alone while targeting the wrong people on their mailing lists.

Forward-thinking companies have revised their marketing spend in this area, rejecting the traditional bulk-mail strategy in favour of more tailored campaigns, directed at smaller but more relevant segments of the customer base. Companies should invest in technology that can predict the needs of existing or prospective customers. This way, they need not waste money on mass mailings, only to plague disinterested recipients and potentially do their brand more harm than good. Targeted campaigns have much higher success rates in terms of sales figures and understanding customer needs. In a competitive market, and with spending in this area under increasing scrutiny, it is vital that companies revamp their approach – otherwise they risk tired marketing strategies achieving nothing but stale brand recognition.

Adrian Carr

Vice president

SPSS

Woking