Direct Mail A Year On From GDPR

It has been just over a year since the much heralded, and feared in many quarters, launch of GDPR. These new regulations set out to give individuals and businesses stronger data protection and privacy from unscrupulous data users and it seems to be working pretty well, although I am not sure what sort of figures there are regarding any prosecutions for people breaching the GDPR laws.

Direct Mail The Better Option

The bit that interests us particularly about GDPR is that although penalties were going to be supposedly strong against any breaches of data rules, direct mail communications to pre-existing customers were counted as a legitimate interest, therefore direct mailers could carry on sending information through the post. Whereas sending out emails became an issue, direct mail was a much better option.

Forcing Companies To Think About Data Quality

As BPIF specialist services manager Meeka Walwyn-Lewis is quoted in an article in Print Week as saying:

“GDPR has raised awareness of the rules around data. It has caused DM houses to be more process driven when dealing with clients’ data. Small printers that may have not had client contracts have now introduced them into the business to be compliant with GDPR, which has also improved their business legally.

“It is essentially making companies focus on the recipients that would actually be interested in what they are marketing as opposed to firing out to thousands and thousands of DM campaigns, which cost an awful lot but bring in very little. It is forcing companies to think about data quality and encouraging them to put in place systems for tracking results.

“Good direct mail can have more impact and is less easily screened out than email. Direct mail is a way to provide a recipient with a tangible personalised product which has increased opening rates, response rates, return on investment, memorability and shareability.”

Consumers Value Direct Mail Communications

And in the same article a MarketReach spokesperson is quoted as saying:

“Targeted door-to-door mailings help to underpin the Universal Service. They provide a very valuable service to companies of all kinds as they seek to provide their goods and services. Research shows that consumers value this mail.”

There is no doubt that targeted direct mail is a very effective marketing tool, and you can use all sorts of mail including catalogues, brochures, flyers and postcards to get the message across to your audience. At Ronset we can help with all the above, both helping to design and print your direct mail materials.

For more details on our printing services please give our offices a call on 01254 297100.