According to expert opinion from Mark Thomson, Media Director at Royal Mail, direct marketing strategies can improve client engagement by optimising a variety of promotional channels.

Writing for Marketing Week, Mr. Thomson claims that the explosion of personal technology during the last ten years had created a wide range of opportunities for marketers. However, this development has put control firmly in the hands of prospects, requiring marketers to attempt engagement across numerous platforms.

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.

Royal Mail has been told that it will soon be forced to begin charging valued added tax (VAT) for many of its services, but not on direct mail because its delivery is price-controlled and subject to regulation.

The decision on VAT by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) follows a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in a case brought by TNT Post.

The postal strikes that have crippled the UK’s direct mail and e-commerce businesses have been called off in an 11th hour interim deal between Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union (CWU).

The two parties last night agreed to the temporary agreement which will see no further threat of further strike action in the run-up to Christmas.

According to research, many small businesses were left relatively unaffected by the Royal Mail strike, opting to send most of their correspondence electronically.

A high proportion claimed that the strike would have little or no effect on their day-to-day business as they opted to use the internet for most of their correspondence.