How To Get Millennials To Respond To Direct Mail

Contrary to popular belief, Millennials are actually just as engaged in mail as non-millennials, according to a 2017 survey from USPS. Although they may not be receiving as much mail as their parents or grandparents’ generation, they actually spend more time sorting through their mail and engaging with the mail they receive.

So if Millennials are still receiving a large amount of mail and sorting through it, then it’s time to take things a step further and analyze what types of direct mail generates the most response from this tech-savvy generation.

Generating A High Direct Mail Response Rate From Millennials

• Trust In Your Brand, Product Or Service. Young consumers these days want to know whether or not you believe in your own product, brand, or service. Authenticity is key, so make sure your direct mail campaigns speak loudly about what your product and company is all about. Find out what makes your service unique; perhaps you offer lifetime warranties or an extended trial period. Once you determine what this is, emphasize it during your campaign.
• Providing Clear Product Value & Benefit. Millennials aren’t always interested in the cheapest product or service out there, but they do want to make sure they are getting the most from the money they spend (and trust us, they are willing to shell out for a good value deal). Ensure that your direct mail pieces highlight product or service benefits, unique features, and most of all how it can improve the lives of this generation and how to integrate it with their daily lives.
• Combine Digital With Direct. Let’s face it, you’re still marketing a generation built around technology, so don’t forget to incorporate — whenever possible — some digital aspect into your direct mail campaign. Direct mail companies such as Kirkwood Direct often provide businesses with the option to include personalized URLs, QR codes and other interactive services into their marketing campaign. We recommend exposing your customers with direct mail to introduce your company, then following up with digital marketing to increase conversions.
• Customization & Individuality. Millennials as a whole are all about making a difference in the world by being strong advocates for social and community change. However, they also value their independence. Direct mail campaigns that list the recipient’s name as well as make them feel valued are bound to produce better results. Giving Millennials an option to choose between a variety of different products or services you provide still allows for them to make their own purchasing decisions.
• Adding A Sense Of Responsibility. Social and environmental responsibility is important to the younger generation and many world-renowned companies have since caught on to this notion. Whether your product is marketed as “cruelty-free”, “1% for the planet” or other social change, as long as you can get the point across that customers can make a difference by purchasing your product, your campaign should be a huge success. Examples can include donating a percentage of proceeds to a national or local charity, donating returned items to those in need, or using recycled materials in your packaging or product.

At Kirkwood Direct, one of the most common questions we get from our clients is “How can we target Millennials?” With these simple tips, you can be well on your way to capturing one of the world’s largest demographics. Contact our direct mail company today and we’ll help you design and implement the perfect Millennial-driven campaign.