Comparing direct mail patterns across verticals for the 12-month period of April 2009 to March 2010, the insurance and publishing sectors rise to the top for sending repeat mailings. On the other end of the spectrum are travel/hospitality and telecommunications.
Of course, it's worth mentioning that some sectors are so competitive or the sales cycles so long (such as with the latter two verticals, as well as B-to-B), that control packages are rare. But a repeat mailing rate of less than 5 percent for travel/hospitality companies as a whole suggests both a focus on testing as well as more one-off campaigns.
In sectors where controls are avidly sought (fundraising, publishing, insurance), the penetration of repeat mailings climbs as high as nearly 60 percent. One standout is fundraising, where controls typically dominate mail plans. A 38.9 percent rate of repeat packages points to some strong testing, given that nonprofits don't often launch one-off efforts.
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