Royal Mail is to offer advertisers a 20% discount on direct mailings in an attempt to increase use of the channel.

The two-month “DM sale” aims to encourage brands to trial the use of direct mail in their campaigns and encourage existing users to include it in marketing activity. The discount will be available on new and additional mailings sent next March and April.

According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), winning consumer trust is vital if mobile marketing is to be successful.

The DMA’s research found more than half of respondents didn’t feel the opt-in process for receiving promotional SMS messages was clear enough.

According to new research from the Mail Media Centre, companies that fail to target 16 to 24 year-olds through direct mail could be missing out on valuable sales.

The majority of 16 to 24 year-olds receives less than one piece of branded direct mail through the post a week. However, research shows that 90% open all their post, with 71% having acted on the direct mail they’ve received.

According to a mobile marketing expert, businesses should consider integrating mobile into their direct marketing campaigns to target the most consumers possible.

Recent research has indicated at least 50 per cent of the global population own a mobile phone and keep them close by throughout the day.

Marketers are finding social media is proving to be an important new route of communication in difficult economic times but also fear it’s “out of control.”

Social networks are becoming increasingly important for marketers as they’re now an important part of people’s lives.