November 10, 2014
Is direct mail more effective with certain age groups?
There are now so many ways you can communicate and reach your customers, it can sometimes be confusing to select which marketing channel is the most effective, but Direct Marketing is still the most efficient. This becomes even more of a challenge if your customer base covers a wide demographic, especially if one element is a broad age group.
What works as a marketing communication and selling channel for one age group may now be seen as outdated for a younger audience, such as direct mail, as younger customer spend an increasing amount of time online. The published 2014 DMA Statistical Fact Book research into direct mail indicates responses for recipients age 18-24 decreased while older age groups saw increases in conversion from direct mail channels. However, this doesn’t mean you should dramatically alter your marketing strategy and remove all direct mail activity. Instead research which age group is responding best to a direct marketing channel and continue to talk to them in the channels that they respond best to. Younger generations receive less physical mail, so this may be a ‘novel’ approach for this age bracket.
Your older customers may be more responsive to direct mail as they are more familiar with it and prefer the extra effort made by a company to contact them. You also shouldn’t underestimate the fact that having the chance to review your product or offer in their own time when it suits them may be more attractive to them than the immediacy that many online marketing communications demand.
Whether you are planning to send a brief one pager or a full catalogue, it’s best to remember your target audience for this communication may be different to your other marketing channels, and will most probably be an older demographic. Create a stand alone customer profile for direct marketing so that you are offering a tailored, personalised approach to each of your customers; this will allow you to maximise your campaign’s effectiveness and drive sales.
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