Promo mail drives boom in printed material

While personal mail continues to fall due to the popularity of email, promotional mail has expanded to match it in percentage terms of the products handled by Australia Post. Overall mail grew by 46 million items in 2004 to reach 5.3 billion, with promotional mail accounting for 15 per cent of total mail volume. This almost equals the amount of social mail at 16 per cent, with trends indicating this growth will continue.

Australia Post launched Impact Mail to capitalise on this trend, allowing the posting of direct mail in shapes beyond the traditional rectangle. It mirrors a similar service available in the US, where reports suggest different shaped mail can deliver an increase in response from customers of rates up to 20 per cent. “Impact Mail will dramatically increase the power of direct mail campaigns through the use of different shapes to generate instant recognition with the consumer,” said Allan Robinson, group manager of letters for Australia Post.

Australian print distributor Salmat, a company that has benefited from this trend, delivered a whopping 3.8 billion catalogues to letterboxes last year. When it comes to commenting on trends in direct marketing however, Salmat is keeping its cards close to its chest. “Historically, the market has been growing,” says Susan Carter, in charge of investor relations at Salmat. “But in terms of the last six months to a year, I can't make any comments until we release our annual results on the 21st of February.”