Does the 0800 Phone Number Still Work?
Last Updated on Sunday, 2 August 2009 11:05 Written by Kevin Sunday, 31 May 2009 08:56
When we send out a marketing message, by whatever media, what’s the best response channel? Reply Post, Phone, Email, Website or TXT?
If we look at most advertisements, marketers chose the default 0800 telephone number as the main response method. But is it still the best in our modern, connected world? Are agencies and marketers keeping up with consumer expectations? We think not. Consumers are often biased towards other channels. Typically email, website or SMS TXT.
Look at your market
First, look at your own consumer demographic. For example, a fundraising direct mail campaign for the coastguard used the old post reply envelope. From this ‘older’ audience, many retired, we got a huge 35% response. Here, old fashioned mail was obviously the most appropriate.
But in most business to business or consumer markets, we would expect other channels to be much more appropriate and cost-effective. In business an email or link to a website form would seem best, even a PURL link, to improve the click-through rate. Why? These business individuals are likely spending a lot of their day checking their mail and then going online. Studies a couple years back tell us that 42% of people prefer to respond online often because they want to checkout you and your website first. See if you’re credible.
For modern consumers, going online to respond works well, but if the customer was 
out and about seeing billboards or shop signs, or even home reading a magazine ad, today we would expect TXT messaging to be better. For example, a recent ad campaign highlights the lead generation ability of TXT keywords on advertising, and why so many innovative companies are now adopting this strategy to get enquiries from consumers.
Hampsta is a start-up Xmas saving scheme company targeting Chriscos customers and new clients with an aggressive TV and print value-comparison marketing campaign.
Fronted by the Mad Butcher’s Peter Leitch, Hampsta sought to swing middle New Zealand families to get them to sign up to Hampsta.
The call-to-action offered consumers 3 enquiry options:
- call an 0508 number;
- go to the hampsta.co.nz web site;
- or TXT more to 244.
Results: Within two weeks, the company had thousands of enquiries.
Three times as many people TXTed compared to going to the web site, and 5 times as many people TXTed compared to calling the 0508 number. The reply TXTs let people know they would be contacted shortly to help them join. This kept the call centre productive with both taking calls during ads, and then making calls.
According to Hampsta’s Gary Alway: "We wanted to go for the maximum number of responses in order for our telemarketers to follow up. The txt response captured all the data we need and was by far the clear winner, an absolutely staggering difference. Set up was so simple and easy."
Does it have to be a choice?
Studies in the UK tell a similar story of the need to provide multiple response channels. The figures vary from one industry to another. For example in one case uplift varied from 12% (SMS TXT) to 21% (Freephone), Personalised URLs (19%) and static non-personalised Websites (14%).
So, here’s a clear trend that shouldn’t be ignored. It’s not just how we promote our products or services (Radio, TV, Banners, Print or Online), or even the offer made, it’s how we ask people to respond that can make or break a campaign.
And you don’t have to choose between methods either. Just do what Hamster promotion did. Give the consumer a choice of ways to respond, then you’ll quickly find out what’s best for you and your market.
Howdy that?s a very fascinating view, It does give one food for thought, I am genuinely delighted I stumbled on your blog, i was using Stumbleupon at the time, in any case i don?t want to drift on too much, but i would like to mention that I will be back when I have a little time to read your blog more thoroughly, Once again thank you for the blog post and please do keep up the good work,