For years customer statements have been the forgotten step child of customer communications, often overlooked as a back office burden. But today’s organizations are recognizing that customer statements offer a unique opportunity to connect with customers in new ways. Capturing the promotional power of statements requires a new mindset, however; one that embraces the tremendous opportunity statements provide to communicate, cross-sell and reinforce brand experience.  Here are a few factors to consider:

Rise above competitive messages

Statements are one way to rise above the din of competitive messages. Consumers are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages each day,and we’re actively blocking out most of them. Statements are one important weapon to compete. Studies show that 98% of consumers pick up their mail the day it’s delivered and spend on average between 1 – 3 minutes viewing their statements. Why not take full advantage of each “monthly appointment” with your customers? Next-generation statements vitalized with color and boosted by targeted content will connect with customers and generate new revenue.

Get noticed

Unlike the majority of advertising competing for attention, statements get noticed. This is because statements have an already existing relationship with each customer. We trust statements and attend to the content. As a result, they provide a unique and often overlooked opportunity for marketers to connect within that trusted relationship to extend the brand experience and leverage untapped up-sell and cross-sell opportunities. Since it can cost six to seven times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell to an existing one, statements surface as important revenue-generating tools for any business.

Customers prefer paper

Despite the popular notion of going paperless, the truth is that a majority of customers still prefer to receive their statements on paper. Analysts estimate that by 2017 approximately 65% of customer communications will still remain in print.  And response rates for direct mail have been on the rise in recent years and have surged past perennially disappointing response rates for e-mail marketing.  As a result, well-designed, full color, and fully integrated printed statements are a new and vital opportunity for marketers to connect with customers and overcome the electronic clutter.

Sharpen your tools

In today’s info-intense world, customer statements stand out as vital and valuable marketing tools. At Prinova, we help companies unlock the promotional power of statement design and delivery. Our award-winning designs and cutting-edge consulting services have been used by some of North America’s most successful brands. Our mix of detailed technical know-how and real-world marketing expertise is unique in the industry.

Steps to Move Forward

Check out our Whitepaper “Make a Statement With Your Statements”