Millennials were born into a world of technology. It has been said that Millennials expect everything to be at their fingertips in real time. Can we really blame them for expecting something that has always been their norm? Marketers should see this as an opportunity, not a burden. While Millennials are bombarded approximately 35 hours a week with digital marketing, (Romano)[i] why not recapture their attention with the simplicity of traditional direct mail?
Studies show that direct mail is still as relevant to Millennials as it was to the past three generations. In fact, 63% of Millennials who responded to a direct mail piece in the past three months, actually made a purchase. (Romano)
Lets get personal, personal
Personalization is a major key in capturing that 8 second, gold fish attention span Millennials are known for. Direct mail allows you to personalize who you want to market to and what you send to them. Because this generation is the most diverse we have seen yet, being more than just another click on an ad will resonate much stronger with them. Millennials love individuality, being different. The click on an ad is their norm. Give them something that makes them feel as if they stood out to you.
Cross-channel Marketing
Direct Mail grabs the attention of a Millennial because it is tangible to them. It is a distraction from their digital world, but lets not get too crazy: give your audience a way to digitally interact with your mail piece too. This could include having additional information available on your website, launching a featured story or promotion on social media that correlates, or even pairing the mailer with a Ringless Voicemail. Millennials live for integrated technology, so why not provide them with the opportunity to find you wherever they look?
Don’t try too hard
Millennials were born into the age of revolution. Lets be honest, not a lot impresses them. There is no need to try to overdo a mailer unless you are certain your message is mind-blowing to the generation with the world’s information at their fingertips. Keep it simple, yet intriguing. Studies show Millennials prefer visuals over text: strong, eye catching graphics. (McCoy)[ii] After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
This generation is in middle of major life stages: graduation, world travel, marriage, first house, kids. This is the time to focus on them; grab their attention now. Even the oldest Millennial is only 34 years old. In many ways it is the first time they are making decisions that may be different than their parents. They may no longer buy a specific product just because their parents did. This is the time to build brand loyalty in Millennials. Spark their interest with those mailers, then slide in and steal their hearts digitally.
[i] Romano, Nick. “Think Direct Mail Marketing Is Dead? Not For Millennials.”The Financial Brand. The Financial Brand, 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. <https://thefinancialbrand.com/60980/millennial-direct-mail-marketing-response-rates/>.
[ii] McCoy, Mandi. “Standard Mail and the Millennial: 6 Ways to Capture the Attention of Your Customer.” CMC. Content Management Corporation, 2016. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <http://www.cmcondemand.com/uncategorized/standard-mail-and-the-millennial-6-ways-to-capture-the-attention-of-your-customer/>.
Blog Credit to Anna Greeley – Direct Mail Specialist & Media Assistant