Consumers take more notice of personalised DM

More than 70% of UK adults take more notice of mail that is aimed specifically and accurately at them, according to new research.

The research, from direct marketing specialist GI Direct, found that receptiveness to personalisation was highest in Scotland and the South, while people in East Anglia and the North West appear more “jaded and less receptive” to high levels of targeting.

Women are particularly keen on personalisation, said GI Direct, with 78% saying they would be significantly more likely to respond to such mail compared to just 65% of men.

Patrick Headley, sales director of GI Direct, said the research gave “hard evidence of the critical importance of targeted direct marketing in the current recessionary climate”.

He added: “The fact remains that the majority of organisations are not using more than superficial levels of personalisation in their direct marketing.

“Marketers need to examine the level of personalisation generally applied in their direct marketing campaigns, in order to ensure, at the least, they are matching competitor standards, and at best exceeding the market norm in order to improve campaign responsiveness and subsequent sales.”