Direct mail plays “key role” in influencing purchase decisions

A new study commissioned by Australia Post has found that Australians may look at up at up to seven advertising channels when planning purchases – and “personalised direct mail plays a key role in influencing customers in the initial consideration stage”. More than 8,500 Australians participated in the study run by the Australian Consumer, Retail, and Services (ACRS) Research Unit within Monash Business School’s Department of Marketing. The study looked at which combinations of advertising channels influence their banking, finance, superannuation or utilities purchases.

The report explores what advertising channels customers use across TV, radio, print, personalised direct mail, emails, websites, social media, billboards, online banners plus catalogues and flyers.

Australia Post’s General Manager Customer Data & Insights, Paul Fanthorpe said that while digital channels play an increasingly important part, marketers can’t discount the power of multi-channel campaigns.

“Although there are more online tools and channels at a marketer’s disposal than ever before, customers still turn to multi-channels to make complex purchasing decisions; they rarely ever rely on a single channel.”

To download the free “Creating Connections that Matter: Optimising the advertising mix for services” report, visit auspost.com.au/servicesmarketing