Youngsters value direct mailings but rarely get them

It may be virtually impossible to find a young consumer who doesn’t spend hours glued to a digital device but they are still among the most positive recipients of direct mail, according to a new study, which shows brands could be missing a trick by failing to target them through the medium.
According to The Seven Life Stages of Mail report, published by Royal Mail MarketReach, this group of consumers who still live at home – defined as Fledglings in the report – are 18% more likely than the general population to welcome direct mail and 32% more likely to find it memorable.
The report defines the seven key lifestages for consumers, according to age and lifestyle, and explores how each lifestage uses and feels about direct mail.
The report finds that people of all lifestages read, engage with, share, appreciate, and respond to mail – regardless of their use of digital communications and social media.
Yet it demonstrates that Fledglings not only like mail, but also keep and respond to it. Almost a quarter (23%) have bought or ordered something as a result of receiving direct mail in the last 12 months. One in three Fledglings (31%) have kept a piece of direct mail for future reference.
Even though Fledglings spend more time online than on all other media combined, they are 32% more likely to agree that they “trust mail more than information they find on the Internet”.
The Fledglings group is also positive about the tangible nature of mail; 66% agree that they are “more likely to remember to use a voucher if I have a physical copy of it to carry around”.
Even so, the report reveals that Fledglings do not receive much mail, including direct mail. Consumers aged 18-24 (which make up 52% of the Fledglings group) receive less mail than any other age group.
Many advertisers assume consumers in this group neither want direct mail nor are likely to respond to it. However, the new analysis reveals that advertisers who use mail which recognises and responds to the specific needs of Fledglings have a significant opportunity to stand out.
Royal Mail MarketReach managing director Jonathan Harman said: “Our latest report shows that consumers in all lifestages read, engage with, share and respond to mail. Even in this digital age, every group finds mail to be relevant to their lives.
“Brands that overlook young people, living at home are missing out. To succeed with young consumers, brands should create mail clearly targeted at them, make it clear what young people should do next and make it worth keeping hold of and using.”
For a free copy of the Seven Life Stages of Mail Report click here>

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