Peter Meyers
VP of marketing, ICOM
More than 15 years experience in marketing and sales
Direct mail is very much alive and has proved resilient, despite the industry's grim predictions when younger generations flocked to adopt everything digital. Industry studies have tracked a steady increase in the amount of direct mail over recent years — with billions of pieces still mailed each year. Despite high-tech advancements, marketers should continue to devote efforts to communicate via the channel.
As new media proliferate, knowing your customer's communication preferences will become vital. An emphasis on targeting not only the right consumer group, but also on the preferred channel of that group will boost returns for direct marketers. A recent study by ICOM showed that 18- to 34-year-olds communicated a nearly two-to-one preference for receiving product information in the mail vs. other electronic options such as online or through e-mail. Respondents 65 years and older also overwhelmingly prefer direct mail for product communications
The large number of young US consumers will account for a sizable chunk of the spending economy in the coming decades, so insightful marketers should take note. The key to knowing your consumer is figuring out the best way to engage him or her. A targeted and creative mailing must be highly personalized and relational.
Marketers should take note of the future implications of a youth movement toward direct mail.
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