According to an article extracted from McKinsey Quarterly by Harvard Business Publishing, customers are controlling more of the buying decision process and actively “pulling” information helpful to them. McKinsey research found that during the phase when consumers are considering a purchase, 2/3 of the touch point moments (that is, instances when customers learned more about a product) were actually driven by the consumer rather than the seller. These include reading product reviews on the Internet, discussing a product with friends and family, or in-store interactions.
Traditional marketing, including direct mail, remains important, but more in building brand and awareness, before customers are decide exactly what to purchase.