Consumers in the United Kingdom receive just under five direct communications per day, and one-quarter of them are judged to be effective or very effective, according to a study released yesterday by the Direct Marketing Association (UK) Ltd.
More than one-third of all direct communications received were from financial services organizations, the study found.
The research was conducted earlier this year by the Future Foundation Group, a London-based market research firm, on behalf of the DMA UK. It consisted of 762 face-to-face interviews, representing the demographics of the UK adult population, and 505 completed surveys.
Methods such as direct mail, inserts and door to door were received as unpopular but effective, especially in terms of cost, according to the findings. One in five adults has purchased or requested information as a result of direct mail, and about 35 percent of people are happy to get such a communication if it is relevant to them. Also, 12 percent claim to have bought as a result of door drop leaflets, while 8 percent of consumers claim to have bought from or responded to an insert.
Though the most popular forms of direct marketing were entertainment- or relaxation-based — such as TV or magazines, with magazines seen as the least-disliked form of communication researched — the most effective media in terms of eliciting a response are those based on personal contact such as demonstrations and charity canvassers.
And though 67 percent of respondents think telemarketing is an intrusion, one in five people would be happy to get calls from companies that received their permission, according to the findings. E-mail marketing performed well, with 30 percent of those surveyed having responded to an e-mail.
“What has stood out from even the top-line findings is that what mattered to people most when dealing directly with companies was 'the personal touch,' ahead of value for money, speed of response or quality of information,” said Mike Barnes, director of marketing and business development at the DMA UK.
The findings from the full report will be released in the first week of February.
