As a certified oldie I've seen direct mail develop through the decades, from basic letters to the heady days of glossy self-mailers and bulk mailings. The door drop created as part of the chunky KitKat launch was pure genius and is still used in many marketing lectures today.
So how can direct mail fit in today's digital age with an audience who have grown up with screens?
On a recent Market Reach survey, 87% of Gen Z view mail as believable versus 48% on email.
Make it timely
Communicating to someone at the right stage of their customer journey will yield a much better response, time your mailings around their touchpoints whether it's a welcome pack to a new college or an incentive to shop for a capsule work wardrobe for that first big job. With advances in print technology mailing little and often in a timely manner can be achieved within budget.
Make it personal
I don't just mean adding your customer's name throughout a letter; by using digital assets such as previous buying history and variable images you can craft a unique piece. For example, sending a new student a welcome pack relevant to their course and campus location or sending a bundle offer on new tech based on previous buying history using aspirational images with relevant products.
Make it interactive and measurable
QR codes might appear a bit old hat, but work brilliantly on paper to link with websites, specific landing pages and are a method of measuring responses. They quickly link between print and digital with any smart phone and provide a quick and easy way to prompt a response. Adding a control cell to your campaign also allows measurement against inactivity and other media.
Finally, make it worth their while
Everybody loves an offer or a bargain, add discounts, multibuy or early bird offers to your direct mail, this is also a great environment to offer incentives such as refer a friend or adding links to sign up to an induction course.
There are so many different ways to engage with the next generation, in a way that is new and exciting to them, and based on statistics a trusted source to help build lasting relationships.