Many marketers are pushing their customers toward electronic statements, e-newsletters, bills, and transactional statements as a “green” move, but in reality, it has more to do with economics. It’s cheaper for businesses to send electronic communications than print. But while pushing e-communications as greener, has anyone bothered to ask what customers how they feel about it?
InfoPrint Solutions Company did. A joint venture between IBM and Ricoh, InfoPrint conducted a a survey that found three out of four respondents would consider opting for traditional mail delivery if they were informed it had less of a negative environmental impact than email.
In addition, 50% of consumers indicated that they still prefer to receive marketing information about new products or services via traditional mail rather than email. Only 44% would rather receive marketing via email.
Do preferences convert into action? Yes! Not only do customers prefer print mail, but they are more likely to open it, even if both communications come from a bank.
- The survey found that, while 71% of respondents “always” open email containing a monthly bill, this jumped to 92% of consumers who received statements by mail.
- Likewise, while 60% “always” open an email containing a bank statement, this jumps to 83% when the bank statement comes in the mail.
So if you’re looking to save money, by all means stick with the “move it all to e-media” strategy. But if you’re looking to be more effective, don’t drop your print
In fact, the more you learn about the green nature of the printing industry and the more you can promote green print to your customers, the more you’ll get the double bang for your buck. They want print and they want to be green. So promote that print is green and you’ll be giving customers what they want and making them feel good about it, too.
Like this post? See all my “Greening Print Marketing” posts.
Image: Brochure of Cascade Enviro 100 paper
I agree that most banks/businesses that will “Switch Your Statements to Digital and we’ll Plant a Tree!” are doing it mostly for their own savings. However, I still feel that the digital route is better for the environment versus mail. Are there any surveys/research papers on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from the Mail Carriers carrying tonnage of paper statements to multiple mailboxes, versus the GHG from the powerplants that power the servers and telecommunications to get it to one’s inbox?
I agree that most banks/businesses that will “Switch Your Statements to Digital and we’ll Plant a Tree!” are doing it mostly for their own savings. However, I still feel that the digital route is better for the environment versus mail. Are there any surveys/research papers on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from the Mail Carriers carrying tonnage of paper statements to multiple mailboxes, versus the GHG from the powerplants that power the servers and telecommunications to get it to one’s inbox?
You are completely off kilter. Electronic delivery is in no way anywhere near as detrimental to the environment as print and postal mail.
You are completely off kilter. Electronic delivery is in no way anywhere near as detrimental to the environment as print and postal mail.