DMA 2007 'Statistical Fact Book' Adds Creative Chapter, Expands Information About Interactive Media

New York City, June 19, 2007 — The Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) 2007 Statistical Fact Book, a perennial bestseller, is hot off the press and better than ever. Now in its 29th edition, the 2007 reference book offers an entirely new chapter about marketing creative, as well as expanded coverage of one of the fastest evolving aspects of direct marketing — interactive media.

With 20 chapters, more than 200 pages, and nearly 500 charts, the answer to just about any direct marketing question is at a marketing professional’s fingertips with this best-selling reference book. From basic benchmarks to detailed data, the book provides marketers with easy access to information that will help them make informed decisions.

"DMA’s Statistical Fact Book is the number-one source for anybody to find statistics on multichannel direct marketing," said Anna Chernis, DMA’s senior research manager and the book’s co-author. "We receive thousands of inquiries from members and the media every year. And of the numerous inquiries that I receive, I can find an answer in the Fact Book about 90 percent of the time."

"The book covers all aspects of direct marketing activities," Chernis added. "It’s the end-to-end direct marketing community in a book."

Co-author Michelle Carrera, a DMA research associate, pointed out some of the edition’s new features. "New to our 2007 Statistical Fact Book is a section devoted to direct mail creative, which gives a snapshot of how marketers are conducting their campaigns. We are also excited to bring new coverage in hot emerging trends such as blogs, word-of-mouth, and branding. And the newly-expanded interactive section includes more detailed information on search engine marketing and social media."

DMA’s 2007 Statistical Fact Book includes the following chapter titles:

• Direct Marketing Overview

• Direct Mail

• Creative

• Catalog

• Telephone

• Print/Promotion

• Television/Home Shopping

• Interactive Media

• Email

• Hispanic Market

• Lists/Databases

• Consumer Demographics

• Business-to-Business

• Financial Services

• Circulation/Books

• Nonprofit

• International

• Customer Service/Customer Relationship Management

• USPS Information

• Power of Direct Marketing

In addition to a wealth of DMA research, the Fact Book provides information from more than 60 prominent sources. Cover-to-cover, readers of the Statistical Fact Book will discover many valuable nuggets of wisdom. Here are just a few:

• Direct mail (other than catalogs) is still the main direct marketing promotion method.

• Postcards were the most likely form of direct mail to be read.

• Internet advertising saw a 34 percent spike in 2006, totaling more than $16.8 billion.

• Sales from paper catalogs and sales from company Web sites are projected to become roughly equal by the year 2010.

• The average consumer receives 26.16 pieces of any type of mail per week.

• Among adult Internet users, 51.1 percent buy online.

• Given a choice between shopping online or in a store, 67 percent of consumers said they would rather shop in a store.

• The average expenditure for a US adult in 2004 was $43,395, including food, clothing, shelter, transportation, health care, personal insurance and pensions, and personal taxes.

• When consumers dial customer service, 67 percent of them want their issue fixed in a single call.

Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,600 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 50 other nations, including a majority of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

In 2006, marketers — commercial and nonprofit — spent $166.5 billion on direct marketing in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated $1.93 trillion in incremental sales. Last year, direct marketing accounted for 10.3 percent of total US gross domestic product (GDP). Today, there are 1.7 million direct marketing employees in the US alone, whose collective sales efforts directly support 8.8 million other jobs. That accounts for 10.5 million US jobs.

# # #