How To Reach Millennials With Your Direct Mail Marketing

Consumers born between 1980 and 2000, better known as Millennials, are the first generation to grow up in the “Digital Age”. This is the generation that saw the emergence of social media with MySpace and Facebook, as well as the early adoption and popularity of smartphones, with these handheld devices becoming a must-have for this age group.

Considering that this generation was conveniently coming of age at the same time as these new technologies, it is easy to see why marketers prefer to use digital channels, such as email and social media to reach Millennials. The result is an overcrowded digital world that is not as effective as expected, giving direct mail marketing a real opportunity to reach and grab the attention of Millennials.

In fact, there is evidence suggesting that hard-copy mailing has a powerful impact on the Millennial audience, whether you are selling a product or a service. A recent survey found that:

• Adults below 24 years of age are the most responsive group to direct mail
• 92 per cent of these shoppers claim that direct mail has the biggest influence on their purchase decisions – meaning they find direct mail promotions reliable
• 57 per cent of direct mail recipients have proceeded to make a purchase

These and other statistics prove that Millennials respond to direct mail marketing. But how do you design your advertising mail to appeal to this audience? Here are some things to keep in mind when drafting your direct mail campaign for Millennials:

1. Be authenticThe objective of any brand should be to establish trust and credibility with your audience. Millennials also value authenticity, which can be expressed by combining a friendly and alluring brand identity with transparency and social responsibility.
2. PersonalizeMillennials freely share personal content – status updates and pictures – about their lives on social media; post “selfies” on Instagram; share photos of their activities on Facebook; and brag about their academic accomplishments on LinkedIn.

   This generation clearly knows what they want, and is not afraid to share with the world when they get it. This is important when creating your direct mail campaign, because you need to be creative enough to appeal to the recipient’s interests.

3. Make them feel like VIPsA recent survey showed that 51 per cent of Millennials appreciate rewards that come in the form of exclusive access. You can use this information to tailor a direct mail campaign that encourages Millennials to sign up for a rewards program that offers insider information, exclusive deals, and unique product offerings. You can achieve this using Near Field Communication (NFC), a QR code, or a personalized URL directing them to an online sign-up.
4. Direct them onlineA recent survey found that direct mail influences 76 per cent of internet users to make an online purchase. So, your direct mail campaign should be part of a larger, multi-channel campaign, leveraging the other three points to grasp the attention of your audience and drive them to interact with your brand online.

The bottom line

Millennials respond well to direct mail, and you can use interactive experiences to drive them to further interaction with your online content via their mobile devices.