Direct mail is popular & effective – is it time you tried it?

While so much activity is conducted online these days, direct mail is still proving its worth for reaching and engaging supporters with charities currently achieving response rates of up to 1.8%. A recent study by Royal Mail’s business division Marketreach also shows just how successful it can be. 

Landslide: How mail swept the board for political parties in the 2024 General Election was published last month, and explores the role direct mail played in connecting political parties with the public in the run up to July 2024’s UK election.

Based on a survey of almost 4,000 voters, it shows that mail was the channel with the greatest influence when people were deciding how to vote, with 27% of respondents saying it was the most impactful. In comparison, TV was selected by 24% and social media by 18%. Mail was also seen as the most trustworthy (almost twice as much as other channels), and with 70% saying they engaged with what they received it came top here too.  

Something else worth noting is that it proved particularly popular with young people. 60% of 18-19-year-olds – first time voters – said they kept mail until a few days before the election, compared to an average of 27%. Overall, 81% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they had engaged with mail during the run up to the election: above social media, posters. online advertising and party political broadcasts on TV, and it was a similar story with 25-34-year-olds. Not only do we all receive fewer letters these days but younger people tend not to associate letters with bills, unlike older generations, so it is quite likely that they are positive, or at the very least neutral about communications in this channel.

A valuable channel for cut-through

It just goes to show how valuable direct mail is for cut-through – and this is just as true for charities as it is for political parties. With less mail now landing on the doormat, it’s more likely to get noticed than messages in our overloaded email inboxes and social media streams.

It’s great for reaching new people to raise donations, and for starting conversations that can lead to support and long-term relationships. But also of course for communicating with existing supporters when space is needed to share stories of impact and of need, and other important messages.

 In terms of GDPR, unlike many other channels cold mail benefits from being an “opt-out” channel, and the data is certainly there for cold direct mail, from lifestyle files, as well as the Electoral Roll open register. That does mean older age groups are more likely to be on some of those lists, but through defining the selection criteria for your campaign, you can find the most relevant audience.

Quick tips for using it well

·      In terms of data protection rules, you can contact people under legitimate interests with cold mail. However, you must undertake a Legitimate Interest Assessment, be clear on who you’re contacting and why, and provide an opportunity to opt out with every mailing. With any data supplier you use, you must also do your due diligence to ensure they’re compliant with the law. 

·      You can source cold data yourself by going straight to the data owner, but a simpler route is to use a list broker. They’ll have the expertise to talk you through the options available in an impartial way, and will also take care of those due diligence requirements.

 ·      How many people you mail will depend on your objectives and resources but what you’re looking for is the right lists and within them, the best data selections for your campaign and cause. Get this right, and you won’t need to send out large volumes, which will also help to keep costs down.

 ·      Once your mailing has gone out, make sure too that you’re prepared to respond to any questions or queries from the public about where your data came from, and to point people in the direction of the MPS if they would like to stop third parties contacting them.

 Targeted well, direct mail can be a very effective channel, appealing to younger as well as older audiences, and achieving good cut through on the doormat. If you haven’t tried it for a while, or perhaps at all, it could be time to consider it.