Offline marketing campaigns can help to reduce small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) carbon footprints, according to one industry expert.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has claimed that being focussed on offline direct marketing can even save SMEs money, in the long run.

Ray Jones, of the CIM, said: "I think the days of when you just put leaflets through one's door willy nilly still happens, but now we are getting much better.

"For instance, if you were to do a mail shot for a leisure centre you'd do that locally where you are."

He added that in order to cut its carbon footprint a business should look into using "fashionable" products such as "biodegradable inks and papers".

According a survey conducted by the Direct Mail Information Service, the average British household receives 13.2 items of direct mail every four weeks.

Furthermore, 32 per cent of consumers have responded to direct mail at least once in the past 12 months and 42 per cent said they have made a purchase as a result of direct marketing at some point in their lives.

© Adfero Ltd