Most people dislike being on the receiving end of telemarketing - and now a new survey has shown that it is the least effective way to get people to buy.
A UK survey has revealed that email is the most preferred way for consumers to be informed of new products. The survey, conducted in London by smartFOCUS, found that 71% of respondents selected email as their preferred choice for new product offers and notifications.
When asked about their least preferred way to learn about a new consumer product, more than half of all respondents cited traditional telemarketing. A further 22% expressed distaste with SMS communication, followed by direct mail (15%), email (5%) and then social media (3%).
The survey also asked whether email had prompted individuals to buy, and over two-thirds revealing said that it had led to them buying products or services. When asked what type of products they had bought through email campaigns, the most popular response was clothing or accessories, followed by personal electronics and by deals at restaurants, bars and coffee shops.
Tim Watson, operations director of smartFOCUS, said: ?Email has developed into a mature, primary source of information for both consumers and marketers. Three quarters of survey respondents said that they received more than 50 emails a day; there?s so much communication via email that marketers simply cannot ignore it. If companies want to communicate effectively with customers, they need to do so using the channels that customers use and interact with the most.?
