When the Government wanted to underline the importance of lockdown, they chose to send a letter. There was a strategy behind this approach, which has been put into focus by a new report from Royal Mail Market Reach and JICMAIL.

“Print is literally something to hold onto”

Communication channels have been inevitably disrupted by the pandemic. Physical mail is playing an even more vital role in how we absorb and act on information. Our lives are centred around the home more than ever and interacting with mail is part of the domestic routines that we turned to in an effort to keep things ‘normal’.

• During the initial lockdown, a record 96% of all mail was engaged with.
• Mail-driven online behaviour has increased by 70% since 2018.
• The biggest rise in mail engagement came from those aged 18 to 34 years.

How are brands looking to use mailing campaigns in 2021?

• A key strategy for many brands is currently customer retention and loyalty. Mail can be an effective part of this focus; as something physical that comes into our homes, mail is trusted and deemed to be more personable that digital contact.
• The high street has previously given us an opportunity to browse, to consider an opportunity before making a purchase. Data shows that advertising mail is powerful in priming people to engage with digital messaging, it has a ‘nudge factor’.

Whilst we all look forward to life beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the habits and values we have developed within it will have a legacy in how we live, work and communicate. If you would like some ideas about how to use mail as part of a compelling communications strategy, we’re here to help and we’d love to hear from you.

To access the free and full report from Royal Mail Market Reach and JICMAIL visit marketreach.co.uk