How Do You Compare? Benchmarks for Overall Average Direct Marketing Response Rates

Benchmarks for Overall Average Direct Marketing Response Rates, including direct mail, dimensional mailers, catalog, email, inserts, coupons, telephone and newspapers:

Professional services 4.03%
Entertainment and recreation 4.00%
Nonprofit fundraisers 3.90%
Computer and electronic products 3.17%
Travel 2.70%
Business services 2.40%
Building and construction 2.33%
Utilities 2.16%
Manufacturing 2.10%
Membership organizations 2.08%
Communications companies 1.95%
Wholesale trade 1.95%
Financial products and services 1.73%
Insurance 1.43%
Education 1.40%
Real Estate 0.78%

Average total response rate = 2.37% ; some industries were omitted from this chart

Source: Direct Marketing Association www.the-dma.org