Why you shouldn’t ignore this attentive audience.
As a rightful member of Generation Y, I can conclusively say that my generation is not entirely opposed to direct mail. There tends to be a general misunderstanding that people between the ages of 18-34 communicate solely through online communications. While we revert to the Internet for many things, such as information, video streaming, and social connections, my generation still prefers good old snail mail. Offline communication can not to be ignored.
Generation Y wholly embraced the Internet, and let’s face it, we would not know how to live without it. While we are constantly looking forward from a technological standpoint, we are also looking back and reminiscing on our childhood. Mail brings back memories of cards and presents from grandparents, catalogues from our favorite toy store, and magazines with content ripe with teen heartthrobs. There is nothing like receiving a piece of mail addressed to you specifically, and with only you in mind. It’s a very personal thing.
Direct mail is often forgotten and even considered by some to be an obsolete marketing channel. Not so. According to a recent Nielsen study, “The Evolution of Circulars: From Print to Digital, Q4 2011,” out of 11,000 adults surveyed, 67 percent said they relied on direct mail to affect their consumer decisions. As for the most tech savvy generation, 92 percent said direct mail was a leader as the most influential channel of communication. Finally, almost 90 percent said they want to continue to receive hard copy advertisements in the mail. These findings are compelling, and are a big sign that direct mail still has a stake in the minds of consumers.
But what about communicating to our tech savvy generation through email and social media? It’s true that we often take cues from social media and partake in coupon websites like Groupon. But we have given our email address out so much that we loathe looking in our inbox. With all of the spam we receive, there tends to be an overall distrust in what the emails have to say. Heck, half of the time we are afraid of even opening the email. Not only do we not check these emails, but 17% of us change our email address every six months. How are you going to reach me if you don’t have my most recent email? Direct mail, with the help of the National Change of Address registrar, updates new mailing addresses every 90 days, so marketers know that their message is being sent to the right receiver.
To really make an impact on Generation Y, direct marketing should be included in the marketing mix. We don’t like receiving mail that has no relevance to us, like advertisements selling gutter repairs on my home. Most of us are renters, so your message is lost on us. We like things that flatter us, that are exclusive to us, and that save us from one problem or the other. Make it personal, make it have a meaningful message, and make it relevant. We are still checking our mailboxes.
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