The RCS Group (RCS) is a consumer finance business that offers its customers a range of financial services products under its own brand name and in association with a number of leading retailers in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

RCS’s primary strategy was to offer customers additional products that they may qualify for through a direct campaign. However, the introduction of POPIA, meant legislative amendments to certain direct marketing channels that provided challenges as well as opportunities.

Direct mail a channel not requiring market consent, gave the opportunity to reach a wide, non-consented audience, and the ability to test performance against other channels in the strategy.

RCS made the decision to test a direct mail campaign, which provided customers with an alternative to a telemarketing application. With initial mailings being sent to customers who were unable to access other channels.

The information included in the mailer was kept to a minimum, only highlighting distinct benefits and promotions. This was complemented with two very straightforward call to actions to ‘apply now’ for a loan.

Readers were pointed to the free phone number where they could get in touch at no cost to start an application. Or they could scan the QR code with their phones, which would take them directly through to the first stage in the online application process on the website.