Creative direct mail campaigns boost brand engagement with young people

New research from Royal Mail suggests that younger people enjoy receiving quirky and creative direct mail campaigns from brands. Especially in a world where a lot of communication is digital, younger people feel excited to receive a piece of mail that isn’t a bank statement or bill!

The research, titled The Life Stages of Mail, was conducted by Royal Mail’s MarketReach team and found that people aged 16-24, who have finished education and live at home were more likely to open envelopes than the 55+ age group.

Almost half of young consumers, who are referred to as ‘fledgings’, agreed that the quality of a piece of direct mail told them something about an organisation and 38% of ‘fledgings’ are more likely to look at a direct mail piece if it is printed on a high quality material. The research also showed that 32% of this age group trust direct mail campaigns more than information on the internet; as well as 18% finding it more memorable.

Of course, ‘fledgings’ are still more likely to respond through digital channels such as text messaging and social media, however this enables brands to also include elements such as a QR code or website link into a direct mail campaign.

So with that being said, here are some top tips on how to make sure your next direct mail campaign sticks out to ‘fledgings’:

• Personalisation: Personalise your direct mail to ensure that it reaches the correct person and not their parents... (obvs!)
• Tone of voice: Be sure that the tone and style of the copy is suited to the age group you are communicating your services to.
• Call to action: Make sure that your direct mail piece has a clear and accessible call to action and guide them through the next steps.
• Encourage sharing: Encourage your targets to share the direct mail piece with friends.
• Make it easy to respond: Create a hashtag for consumers to interact with you or give clear instructions on how they can contact you using different devices.

There you have it, some top tips on how to ensure that your next direct mail campaign appeals to young consumers. If you are looking at your next direct mail campaign, we can help you with ideas, design and even print. Give us a call on 01242 250692 to get started!