Direct Mail Work With Millennials & Gen Z?

In a time when teens and young adults seem glued to their smartphone screens and social media, one might easily assume that using direct mail advertising to market to the younger generation is a waste of marketing dollars. After all, Millennials (born after 1980) and Generation Z-ers (born after 1995) have basically ushered in the digital age. They live on social media, stream TV shows and movies on demand rather than watch them live, and seem to have little interest in mass media marketing. Right?

Not so fast....

Facts About Direct Mail Marketing to Gen Z and Millenials

The numbers don’t lie. Lending Science has produced some eye-opening statistics that basically debunk the misconceptions we have had about how teens and young adults respond to physical mail. Let’s look at just a few tidbits from their findings:

• 87 percent of millennials enjoy getting physical mail.
• 84 percent take the time to read physical mail.
• 77 percent pay attention to direct mail advertising, while nearly 50 percent ignore digital ads.
• 57 percent have made purchases based on direct mail offers.

In addition, millennials are actually more likely to scan physical mail than their non-millennial counterparts! In other words, the younger generation isn’t less responsive to targeted direct mail, but in fact more responsive to it!

Maximizing Direct Mail Campaigns to Millennials and Gen. Z

So if we’ve had it all wrong, and if millennials and Generation Z-ers actually do read their mail, what can you do to make the most of this information if you want to market to them? Some tips that may help:

• Use Micro-Targeted Mailing Lists.

  • The younger generation reads their mail, but they respond to different stimuli than the average adult. Every Door Direct Mail campaigns won’t be as effective with millennials even if they do read your pieces. For best results, use a targeted mailing list and craft your mail pieces specifically to appeal to the younger set.

• Test Mailings

  • A lot. Try testing slightly different pieces on segments of your mailing list (e.g., a different CTA or a different font) to see which pieces generate more responses. Keep honing your approach.

• Keep Your Direct Mailings Engaging

  • Millennials and Gen Z may read their mail, but that doesn’t mean they will respond to your first offer. It takes at least seven touch points for them to remember your brand, and as much as two dozen or more touches for them to actually trust you.

Start Your Gen Z or Millennial Mailing Campaign

At Mail King USA, we offer a full array of products and services to help you reach millennials, Generation Z and other demographics more effectively with direct mail.

To learn more, give us a call at (916) 296-0545.