STAMFORD, Conn., October 12, 2011 - Marketers arrived with a sense of optimism at last week’s Direct Marketing Association’s DMA: 2011 Conference & Exhibition held in Boston. According to a survey conducted by Pitney Bowes Inc., 80 percent of 231 attendees polled said they anticipate that their marketing budgets will increase in 2012.

The response comes in a year that marketing overall held its own against the budget chopping block. According to a report released by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), marketers will spend $163 billion on direct marketing during 2011, a 5.6% increase compared with last year.

“Our customers are using customer communications management to drive revenue growth,” said Leslie Abi Karam, Executive Vice President of Pitney Bowes Inc. and a DMA board member. “Marketers today are investing in customer interactions by creating relevant personalized messages across digital and physical channels.”

Nearly all, 94 percent, of survey respondents agree that multi-channel marketing is more effective than a single-channel approach. Call center conversations, live chat on a Web site, direct mail, search engine optimization, SMS and QR code marketing activities can all be aligned with data analysis and application that delivers dynamic personalized interactions throughout the customer experience.

About Pitney Bowes:

Delivering more than 90 years of innovation, Pitney Bowes provides software, hardware and services that integrate physical and digital communications channels. Long known for making its customers more productive, Pitney Bowes is increasingly helping other companies grow their business through advanced customer communications management. Pitney Bowes is a $5.4 billion company and employs 30,000 worldwide. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a new opportunity™. www.pb.com