• Research from Keypoint Intelligence shows that consumers were most likely to read/review direct mail that featured personalized/relevant content and came from a familiar or trusted sender.
• All consumers can be responsive to printed direct mail, but the factors that get noticed by younger consumers are a bit different.
• In relation to their older counterparts, younger consumers were more likely to respond to direct mail by e-mailing the sender, engaging with the sender via social media, interacting with the piece, or communicating with the sender via text or online chat.

By Eve Padula

Introduction

Direct mail is a key component of the print spectrum, and its importance will only grow as high-speed color inkjet devices bring new levels of quality and productivity to this market. One of the biggest challenges facing marketers today is how to spread their promotional budget dollars across the many ways they have of contacting clients and prospects. Ultimately, the best contact method will vary based on the type of business and the recipient’s demographics (i.e., age and other metrics). This leads to a high level of uncertainty among marketers about which communication channels to use in today’s multi-channel world. Fortunately for print service providers, ongoing research from Keypoint Intelligence has consistently shown that physical mail remains an important and trusted vehicle.

Printed Direct Mail that Gets Noticed

No single marketing channel can meet the increasingly complex and ever-evolving preferences of today’s consumers. As a result, it is more important than ever to market across a range of channels while still delivering a consistent overall experience regardless of the vehicle (or more preferably, vehicles) that are used to reach consumers. When it comes to printed direct mail, research from Keypoint Intelligence shows that consumers were most likely to read/review mail pieces that featured personalized/relevant content and came from a familiar or trusted sender.

When the responses to this question were segmented by age, some interesting trends emerged. The top four factors were the same for all of the age groups, but the older respondents placed a greater emphasis on personalized/relevant content (61%), familiar/trusted sender (64%), and importance of message (46%). Meanwhile, the youngest consumers were markedly more likely to notice high quality paper/design/images (24%), use of color (22%), and interactive elements (20%).

Figure 1. Reasons for Reading/Reviewing Direct Mail (By Age)

Clearly, all consumers will pay more attention to direct mail that is personalized to them and comes from a familiar and trusted sender. Regardless of age, all consumers can be responsive to printed direct mail, but the factors that get noticed by younger consumers are a bit different. The good news is that today’s color inkjet devices make it easy to create targeted direct mail communications that can cut through the clutter and attract attention.

Actions Taken in Response to Direct Mail

Within this same research, consumer respondents also shared the follow-up actions they took in response to a direct mail piece. For total respondents, the most common actions included visiting a physical retail location or visiting the sender’s website. As shown in the table below, however, older consumers were more likely to engage in these behaviors than younger ones. They were also more likely to make a purchase.

In relation to their older counterparts, younger consumers were more likely to email the sender, mail something back to the sender, engage with the sender via social media, interact with the piece, or communicate with the sender via text or online chat.

Table 1. Actions Taken in Response to Direct Mail

The Bottom Line

Printed mail continues to have a place in today’s digital world, because it offers qualities that are difficult to replicate electronically. For many, print is more credible. It can be read at leisure and also provides a tactile component that remains with the consumer and can serve as a reminder until it is thrown away or recycled. Whereas e-mails are commonly mass-deleted without being read, most direct mail pieces are at least glanced at individually before they are discarded. Print is engaging, particularly when it is personalized. It can also drive a variety of actions.

Today’s consumers want to receive information that is relevant to them. Personalized and engaging direct mail is part of an integrated omni-channel experience that will speak to customers and prospects and generate improved results across all age demographics. By leveraging high-speed color inkjet systems in conjunction with the appropriate document creation and workflow software tools, businesses can more effectively meet their customers’ preferences today and in the future.

Eve Padula is a Senior Consulting Editor for Keypoint Intelligence’s Production Services with a focus on Business Development Strategies, Customer Communications, and Wide Format. She is responsible for creating many types of content, including forecasts, industry analyses, and research/multi-client studies. She also manages the writing, editing, and distribution cycles for many types of deliverables.