Report reveals increased brain activity for printed materials
Although some have turned their marketing campaigns to the online realm to spread the word about services being offered, direct mail is still vital, according to one study by a research group.
According to the report, titled Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail and conducted by Millard Brown, consumers connected in a more emotional way to printed material. The firm used fMRI during the project in order to measure brain activity when encountering both direct mail items and online materials.
The results revealed that the paper materials garnered more activity in the brain's integration region. They also found that "tangible materials leave a deeper footprint in the brain." The study noted that "this is not just because the physical materials stimulate both sight and touch; the subtraction of brain signals from the scrambled materials accounts for this."
Making sure that a piece of printed material is targeted to the right demographic will help a brand get more clients. Businesses can further ensure success by implmenting tools such as address validation software when rolling out direct mail efforts.