ExactTarget's 2009 Channel Preference Study examined consumers' use of different marketing platforms in the US and found that 76% of those polled said they had bought something after receiving a direct mail piece.

This compared to 67% for TV adverts, 58% for email and 17% for telephone marketing.

Even among the younger demographic of 25- to 34-year-olds, which are more aligned to electronic communications, 75% had made purchases because of receiving direct mail – this dropped to 62% for 18- to 24-year-olds (but print was still the best-performing channel).

DMA chief of membership and brand Robert Keitch said "Direct mail has long been the most effective of all direct marketing channels, which explains why the medium still accounts for 25% of all direct marketing spend. Most interestingly, the Channel Preference Survey shows high response rates among consumers of all ages. While digital marketing will undoubtedly continue to grow over the coming years, I think the data shows that tomorrow's consumers will be just as likely to respond to direct mail as they are today."

The survey polled more than 1,500 internet users in June of this year.