The rise of Facebook, Twitter, and the ubiquitous smartphone have failed to dent the popularity of direct mail, with just under a third of consumers preferring to interact with brands via a humble mailshot over any other medium.
That is one of the key findings of a new report by Experian which also set out to explore the attitudes of nearly 2,000 consumers into sharing information with brands for marketing purposes.
Email remains the most popular method of contact, with 69% of consumers citing it as their preferred channel through which to receive brand communications, while 27% selected post, the second most popular.
Meanwhile, Facebook and Twitter were the preferred channel for just 8% and 4% of the overall survey respondents respectively and phone or text was highlighted as a preference by just 6% of consumers.
But there is a stark contrast between younger consumers – the so-called Generation Z – and everyone else, with this group far more willing to communicate with brands across multiple channels such as email, post and social networks than the over 25s.
Experian says this highlights the challenge facing marketers in encouraging the rest of their customers to also engage across the increasing number of channels.
The study shows that well over a third (38%) of 18-24 year olds are happy to share data across multiple channels (three to five different channels), compared to 27% for the population overall.
However, just under one fifth of respondents (18%) remain reluctant to share information with brands across any channels, with those aged 55-plus representing 40% of this category.
Age and willingness to share across multiple channels plays a key role in determining a preference for social channels, with Generation Z again leading the way:
• Nearly a quarter (24%) of 18-24 year olds would be more likely to share information with brands who communicate with them on Facebook or Twitter, compared to 10% of all consumers, 13% of 35-44 year olds, 4% of 45-54 year olds and just 3% of those aged 55 plus.
• Some 53% of those sharing data across more than three channels were willing to share information on Facebook or Twitter, compared to just 5% of respondents sharing data across one channel.
Crucially for marketers, the research reveals that trust is the key factor in customers’ willingness to share their data with brands in the first place. Overall, trusting brands to use data in the way they have promised is the main reason cited by consumers for why they trust certain businesses over others (43% of all respondents). Some 13% of respondents will also share their information because they believe they will get a better level of customer service.
Jon Buss, managing director, digital at Experian Marketing Services, commented: “Clearly the challenge for brands is to get more of their customers sharing data across more channels. Being transparent, truthful and honest with them is essential to gain trust and build stronger relationships. Brands need to demonstrate to consumers that they take the matter very seriously and respect their rights.”
