Mailbox Nationwide Says There Is No Such Thing As Too Much Information

One of the most successful leaflet distribution companies in the country, Mailbox Nationwide, has just secured its position as a leader of direct marketing thanks to a recent survey. The results of the study come at a time when many businesses are facing a reduction in demand for products and services, but not for the marketing industry it seems. The British public collectively concluded that they want as much information as possible in the form of direct marketing.

In a recent study of attitudes towards direct marketing, 1700 UK residents have been surveyed in face-to-face interviews about the advertising material that they receive through their letterboxes on a daily basis.

All participants were asked to fill out a daily communications diary with the details of all direct marketing received, and from this, the think tank were not only able to ascertain data about what people did as a result of receiving direct communications, but also generated data on the time of day, frequency, relevance, effectiveness and means of communication with companies. In total, there was a record of a massive 3861 direct communications either inbound or outbound.

Overwhelmingly, the study showed that 'there is no such thing as too much information' in the direct marketing field. Most participants in the study agreed that having access to information before making a purchase informed their decision, and made them more likely to purchase from a retailer who recognised this. Interestingly, this perception held across all demographic sectors, with a slight increase seen amongst men and those living in the north.

Furthermore, the research showed that in reality, responses to direct mail were in actuality twice as positive than first perceived. This demonstrates that whilst a marketer may not receive a direct response to their literature at the point of dropping, the consumer may act at a later date, and is more likely to use their services because the company has created brand awareness.

Consumers also scored direct marketing highly in terms of convenience, ease of use and provision of information, showing that Leaflet Distribution is still one of the most effective ways of reaching out to the public.

However, the feedback shows that increasingly, customers are becoming more worried about the use of their personal data in respect of fears over identity theft and misuse of sensitive information. The report has highlighted the need for self-regulation within the industry to ensure that all companies are using this data responsibly and fairly.