Recent research published by the Mail Media Centre (MMC) reveals some surprising and useful facts about just how much attention should be given when planning to send communications to your customers and prospects.Some key findings include:-
• Consumers receive less direct mail on a Saturday, compared with other days of the week
• Some – and, at odds with the above – consumers respond more favourably to items they receive on a Saturday.
As might be expected, mail received on a Monday elicits lower levels of response that any other day of the week.
The ‘Saturday effect’ is a clear winner for the financial services sector There is some very good news for those in the financial services sector who are under pressure to increase that all important return on investment and can plan their campaigns to arrive later in the week …
• 22% of consumers have acted in response to an item of financial direct mail that arrives on a Saturday
• This compares very favourably with the 15% who do something in response to items that arrive on a Monday
The size of a mailing also affects likely response levels with consumers responding better to direct mail items in a ‘large letter’ format. The higher volume standard ‘letter’ format is not quite as effective in terms of response, but there would be a cost factor here as well.
The survey results were compiled over the period January to December 2008 with a base of 1,000 households per month using the Royal Mail Consumer Panel.
