Great statements - transactional mail that works

Customer retention has never been more important, and one of the easiest ways to maintain contact with customers is via transactional documents such as monthly statements and invoices.

Bills and statements are an effective way to cross-sell products and services and reinforce a brand relationship – research shows that up to 85% of people value the messages contained in their statements.

Statement expert Michael Turton examined over 50 UK statements and utility invoices to help define how bank and credit card statements, utility and telecoms bills, and council tax bills can all be used more effectively as marketing tools.

He also reveals how improving the presentation of information on a statement can reduce calls to customer services departments and call centres.

Key features of a great statement include:

• An active and accessible tone of voice

• Clear calls to action and contact details

• Simple hierarchy of headings and clean, open layouts

To assess the effectiveness of your organisation's statement, visit Great Statements – Royal Mail's online statement tool – and answer 10 simple questions.