37% Increase in Enquiries Since GDPR Suggests a New Era for Direct Mail!

Since GDPR came into play, we've seen several digital marketing companies rethink their outreach strategies to conform with the new, stricter guidelines. GDPR has left many companies at a loose end, as they are no longer able to contact everyone in their client list to offer products or services.

However, while GDPR has certainly forced the digital sphere to revaluate their outreach strategies, one service that hasn't been affected by GDPR is direct mailing. Since GDPR came into force, we've actually seen an increase in enquiries for direct mail and June saw a 37% increase over the average.

The ICO backed up the increase in demand for direct mail by stating that if you use postal marketing, you won't need consent, as you can "rely on legitimate interests for marketing activities if you can show that how you use people’s data is proportionate, has a minimal privacy impact, and people would not be surprised or likely to object."

In short, this means that direct mail doesn’t have to jump through hoops in order to continue reaching out to potential customers. And, companies have already begun to realise that direct mail is an easier, more efficient way of contacting potential clients and business opportunities.

We've Seen a 37% Increase in the First Month, Post GDPR!

Since GDPR, we've seen a notable increase in conversions. In June, we've seen our average number of enquiries increase by 37% and we expect this figure may even rise further over the coming months.

The expected increase, we believe, is because businesses don't want to run the risk of contacting people who have not opted into their service. Direct mail doesn't require the permission of the people you're contacting. Of course, they do need to have what's known as a 'legitimate interest' in the product or service you're offering and if someone does respond and demand to be removed from your mailing list, it is your responsibility to adhere to their wishes.

In contrast to our statistics from last year, June 2018 saw a whopping 130% increase in enquiries over June 2017!

Although it's too soon to tell if the knock-on effects of GDPR will continue, we have strong reason to believe that direct mail will continue its good run of form.

Direct Mail a Winning Formula for Millennials?

So, the data is showing that GDPR is good for direct mail, but it may not be the only reason direct mail is seeing an increase. It could also be down to the fact that marketers are tailoring their direct mail designs and deals to the millennial market.

In fact, Compu Mail claim that 92% of millennials are influenced by direct mail to make a purchase, a stark contrast to a mere 78% influenced by email. Similarly, according to Proactive, the average lifespan of direct mail is 17 days (this is how long it stays in your property for), whereas the average lifespan of an email is 2 seconds. Additionally, only 44% of people could remember the brand after seeing the email promotion, whereas 75% claim they could remember the direct mail pieces.

Yet more reasons why direct mail is on the rise!

'Abandon Cart' Emails No Longer Allowed!

This one may confuse you but bear with us, we'll explain.

We've all been there, you're shopping for something online, you enter your details (name, email address, etc.), you click 'Buy' and suddenly you're no longer keen on buying the item.

Fair enough, you close the browser and forget all about it.

Now, before GDPR came into play, the website or company selling the product were able to email you regarding your 'abandoned cart'. They were free to ask if you encountered any problems with the purchase, or if you had any questions regarding the product that made you leave the site.

Basically, this email is designed to remind people about the product they abandoned in the hope they return to the site and make a purchase.

GDPR has now made it difficult for companies to continue this approach. So, instead of emailing them, they could turn to using direct mail instead. This again, may see direct mail services increase, as more companies will opt for flyer distribution and other ways of reminding customers of their abandoned purchases via print.

A New Era for Direct Mail?

Only time will tell if GDPR has a lasting effect on the way digital marketers communicate with their audience. For now, at least, direct mail is reaping the benefits of the GDPR. If you're one of the many stuck for ways to communicate with your audience after the GDPR effect, why not give us a call? Even if it's just to talk through some options, we'd be happy to make things that little bit clearer during GDPR ambiguity!

Written by Kristian Harrison, General Manager at The Mailing People. Kristian is an industry professional with over 20 years experience in Direct Mail and Fulfilment.