In recent years, direct mail has been in decline due to the rise of cheaper direct channels combined with increasing pressure for environmentally friendly alternatives. Guy Buswell (pictured), CEO of Business Post Group, discusses how UK and international companies can use an innovative new mail solution to maximise their direct marketing campaigns and better reach customers – in an eco-friendly fashion.

At first glance, the future for direct mail might not appear all that rosy. Like most marketing activity it’s at the mercy of macro-economic developments and the current climate of recession doesn’t help. Then there’s the surge in popularity for email campaigns, and with the growth of broadband the ability to reach mass audiences has never been simpler. Throw in the green issue, with growing numbers of businesses and consumers clamouring to reduce their impact on the environment, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s all doom and gloom for direct mail.

You’d be wrong though!

With around £1.5 billion being spent on this marketing channel every year, direct mail is still a proven medium for businesses to market their products and services, especially to those that they already possess some form of relationship with. Furthermore, with inboxes increasingly bombarded by email campaigns, direct mail offers an effective alternative to online marketing.

What companies really need to ensure is that any campaign adopts a flexible, affordable and targeted approach to make the most of the direct mail channel and guarantee the best return. That’s where imail comes in… imail is a web-to-print delivery solution from UK Mail, part of the Business Post Group, that combines the ease of electronic communication with the impact of physical mail, while offering significant cost savings and environmental benefits compared to traditional mail solutions.

Offering an effective communications tool for direct marketing activity, imail enables companies to better reach existing, potential and future customers with products, services and offers.

Businesses are able to create, proof, print and post physical mail direct from their computer. These mail documents are sent electronically to the UK Mail sort centre closest to the destination where they are printed, enveloped and sorted for onward delivery. Full electronic mail merge facilities are available removing the onerous task of mail merging manually, (farewell envelope stuffing!) and users are able to send their mail requirements as late as 6pm for nationwide delivery next day, making it ideal for all kinds of planned and last minute campaigns.

Earlier this year, imail enhanced its letter-based offering by introducing an eye-catching and engaging, new communications tool that enables users to send physical, postcard-style flyers from their computer to addresses nationwide. It also offers savings of more than 20 per cent on traditional methods, when taking into consideration printing, material and postage cost.

The high quality A5 post cards can incorporate one of the striking design templates available via imail or feature a company’s own artwork that can be uploaded via an easy-to-use use web browser. The back of the flyer offers space for a tailored message and a stamp design that can include the users logo for added branding exposure.

Many companies are keen to operate strict corporate identity policies to maintain a consistent brand, reduce confusion and heighten brand recognition. imail allows companies with multi-site networks and branches to control their brand and corporate identity more tightly with the template management system promoting correct use of logos and brand guidelines.

Undeniably, one of the most valuable assets to any business is its customer database. To maximise every sales opportunity a business should focus great attention on understanding its customers’ requirements and then maintain its database with up to date intelligence. Step in imail – which possesses a sophisticated mail returns system enabling better data cleansing by accessing information regarding undelivered mail.

CROSS BORDER COMMUNICATION

Communicating to customers across borders is one of the many challenges international businesses confront on a daily basis. Continued globalisation has led to more and more companies looking at ways of targeting new markets. Many are identifying considerable growth opportunities within the UK, but need low cost and flexible channels to reach potential customers. Meanwhile, UK companies are increasingly using overseas call centres and offices to manage parts of their operation, so require effective communication tools to support this new infrastructure.

The cross border advantages of imail are particularly compelling, especially for in-bound international mail into the UK. Companies can now achieve next-day international mail delivery for the first time. As a result, businesses can communicate directly with existing or potential UK-based customers in a cost effective manner, without the need for a costly mailing house or a UK resource.

In addition, by printing mail locally as close to the delivery area as possible, imail reduces the associated transport needs of mail delivery and the air and road miles travelled to minimise the environmental impact of a letter.

DRIVING DOWN COSTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

The cost benefits of using imail are significant. The system allows users to make savings of up to 60 per cent on their overall print, production and postal costs, with up to 20 per cent savings on standard 1st class postage alone. The price of sending first class mail traditionally– when taking into consideration time, printing and material requirements – is estimated to cost as much as £1 per item. In turn, the price of imail next-day delivery will start from 51 pence per item and cover all stationary, production and next day delivery.

Much of the criticism levelled at the direct mail channel has centred on environmental issues. There is a huge amount of interest currently about the adverse impact business and industry is having on the environment and its contribution towards global warming. With this in mind, businesses are under increasing pressure to review their working practises in order to become more ethical, efficient and environmentally-friendly.

As well as allowing users to consolidate printing, postage and production costs into one single lower payment, imail reduces pollution, congestion and use of fossil fuels, cutting the carbon footprint of a letter by more than 80 per cent.

By removing the need for a physical collection and printing mail locally as close to the delivery area as possible, imail reduces the transport requirements associated with traditional mail. It can also reduce the need for delivery of consumable stocks to individual users whilst double-sided printing minimising paper usage. In addition, imail uses only 100 per cent recyclable paper and envelopes and printing bulk volumes offers efficiency savings over high quantities of small print jobs.

It is also worth bearing in mind that for certain 1st class mail deliveries, air travel is used to transport mail volumes throughout the UK. Therefore, imail reduces the reliance on aviation – already responsible for 3.5 per cent of climate change emissions resulting from all human activity – to achieve next-day deliveries.