US consumers prefer email communications

E-mail is the preferred channel of communication for US consumers, followed by direct mail, social media and finally telemarketing. These are the findings of a new survey conducted by smartFOCUS, a leading international provider of multi-channel marketing software and services.

When asked to rank their preferred methods of receiving marketing messages from vendors, the majority of respondents (62 per cent) said that e-mail was their preferred channel of communication, followed by direct mail (23 per cent), then social media (13 per cent). The least preferred way to be contacted was telemarketing, with 80 per cent putting it at the bottom of their lists.

The survey, conducted in Boston, MA, in October 2009, also showed that e-mail communications frequently trigger purchases, with three-quarters (75 per cent) of respondents indicating that they had bought products or services as a direct result of receiving an e-mail from a vendor.

The most common items bought as a result of direct e-mail marketing were clothing and accessories (82 per cent), followed by purchases from restaurants and coffee shops by almost half (49 per cent) of respondents. Other popular items bought as a direct result of e-mail marketing campaigns include grocery items (40 per cent) and personal electronics (38 per cent).

The survey, commissioned by smart FOCUS to review consumer preferences and reactions to popular marketing channels, also asked consumers about their involvement in social media direct marketing.

Social media marketing was found to be significant, with 40 per cent of respondents stating they receive correspondence from vendors on the social networking sites they use, such as Facebook and Twitter. Nearly one in five people (17 per cent) had volunteered or requested that companies actively contact or update them via these social media platforms.

Curt Bloom, president of smartFOCUS International said, ''This survey reflects what we are seeing in the marketplace: e-mail is popular. It's non-intrusive, can be highly tailored and is a compelling and actionable marketing communication. Although some of the indications of the uptake and interest in social media may seem low, this is a new communication channel that businesses are tackling. In our survey, quite predictably, the age ranges that said they preferred contact via social media platforms were the 18 to 25 year-olds. With platforms such as Facebook reaching 300 million active users, we continue to see that businesses and retailers who ignore the potential of social media do so at their own peril.''

Chris Underhill, CEO of smartFOCUS Group said, ''This snapshot reflects the breadth of consumer preferences. More than ever, it is vital that companies sit up and listen to how their audiences want to be contacted. The number of channels customers are using to interact with companies is constantly increasing. To meet their demands, our multi-channel marketing software helps companies engage with their customers exactly where and how they like to be contacted. They can then analyze the results and see how their campaigns are performing for each platform.''