Email Campaigns positively influence Consumer Packaged Goods purchases.

The receipt of permission-based email from a consumer packaged goods company positively influences consumers’ offline purchasing decisions, enhances the company’s reputation and generates loyalty to its brands, according to the latest research from Epsilon.
 
In the key findings from an Epsilon nationwide survey:
 
·         62% of respondents said the permission-based email they receive from CPG companies has a direct impact on offline activities such as making purchases and shopping habits;
·         63% said they have a more favorable opinion of CPG companies that send them permission-based emails:
·         57% said they are more loyal to CPG companies and their products or brands because of the permission-based email communications they receive.
 
Epsilon’s survey research examined why consumers opt to subscribe to emails from companies in the CPG, Pharmaceutical, Travel, Financial Services and Retail sectors of the economy. The research was undertaken to measure how permission-based email campaigns build brand recognition and customer loyalty, and how email communications influence consumers’ on- and off-line behavior.
 
CPG scored the highest, compared to all other sectors, when consumers were asked about the relationship between permission-based email and their offline purchasing, opinions of companies and feelings of loyalty.
 
“Consumer packaged goods companies face a challenge when incorporating email communications into their multi-channel marketing mix. They need to engage consumers and find a way to allow them to interact with brands and products both online and offline,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “The research shows that the benefits of email marketing campaigns for consumer packaged goods companies extend far beyond the Internet and into stores and homes.”
 
Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, conducted the survey.
 
Email communications effectively elicit behavior from consumers that is measurable by marketers as well as behavior that is difficult to track. When asked how often consumers took the following actions as a direct result of receiving permission-based email from a CPG company, on a four-point scale the numbers revealed:
 
·         91% of respondents downloaded or printed a coupon;
·         81% clicked on a link in an email to learn more;
·         76% tried a new product for the first time;
·         75% read company or brand content;
·         67% researched retail locations that carry the product;
·         66% ordered a product sample;
·         65% shared a coupon or forwarded the email;
·         65% purchased the product online;
·         34% typed or copied a URL directly into their browser.
 
For more information at http://www.epsilon.com