You know the stereotype: Millennials are digital natives, glued to their smartphones, and the only way for marketers to reach them is through social media.

• 84% of Millennials take the time to look through their mail.
• 64% would rather scan for useful info in the mail than email.

This guide is designed to help you better understand how and why Millennials respond to mail, how mail compares with other marketing channels, and how to create an appealing mailpiece for this generation.

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• 77% of Millennials pay attention to direct mail advertising.
• 90% of Millennials think direct mail advertising is reliable.
• 57% have made purchases based on direct mail offers.
• 87% of Millennials like receiving direct mail.

• 71% MORE likely to scan the mail compared to 66% of non-millennials
• 54% LESS likely to discard mail without reading it compared to 59% of non-millennials
• 45% MORE likely to organize and sort the mail compared to 40% of non-millennials
• 36% MORE likely to take time to read the mail compared to 35% of non-millennials
• 24% MORE likely to show mail to others compared to 19% of non-millennials

Why do even so-called digital natives still respond to print? Neuromarketing research shows that our brains react differently to printed material than to digital media.

The U.S. Postal Service partnered with the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University’s Fox School of Business on a study to gauge responses to physical and digital advertising pieces. The researchers used brain imaging, biometrics (e.g., heart rate and respiration), eye tracking, and questionnaires to measure reactions.

• Participants processed digital ad content more quickly.
• They spent more time with physical ads.
• Physical ads triggered activity in a part of the brain that corresponds with value and desirability.
• Participants had a stronger emotional response to physical ads and remembered them better.

Canada Post found similarly intriguing results in a neuromarketing research project. They measured the response to two campaigns that used the same creative and messaging for both physical and digital media.

• The direct mail campaigns required 21% less cognitive effort to process.
• Participants’ recall was 70% higher if they were exposed to direct mail rather than a digital ad.
• Activation in parts of the brain that correspond to motivation response was 20% higher for direct mail.

It seems we are wired to respond more strongly to physical, printed messages. For marketers who want advertising with long-lasting impact and easy recollection, printed materials can clearly make a difference.

• Nearly half of Millennials ignore digital ads.
• Yet only 15% say they ignore direct mail.

Apparently direct mail—which comes only once a day—has become a novelty to this audience. Studies show Millennials enjoy receiving mail even more than non-Millennials. In fact, 50% of Millennials say they like to discover what the mail brings every day and consider time spent looking at and reading it time well spent.

Despite an affinity for physical mail, Millennials still spend more time online than other adults, and no one is recommending that marketers abandon digital channels.

• Direct mail has a higher cost than some digital channels, but it also has a higher response rate— up to 5.3% versus a high of 0.9% for digital.
• Email has the highest median return on investment (ROI)—122%—because of its low cost. But the ROI for direct mail (27%) is about the same as for social media (28%). And it’s higher than the ROI for paid search or online display.

Direct mail can help you engage Millennials, whether your goal is to acquire customers, generate interest in a specific promotion, or build customer loyalty.

• Incorporate multimedia and digital: Embed QR Code® barcodes, near field communication (NFC), or augmented reality (AR) to link your mailer to video and interactive materials on your website or social media sites.
• Keep your messaging succinct and easy to read. Provide bite-size pieces of information.
• Be authentic. Millennials distrust traditional advertising, so avoid hard-sell language. Use a straightforward, transparent approach.
• Use enhancements such as scent, sound, or texture to make your piece stand out.
• Help them feel good about their purchase. Millennials are compassionate and want to improve their world. Campaigns that donate a percentage of profits to a worthy cause or in some other way demonstrate corporate responsibility can resonate—if they’re seen as authentic.
• Use slang with caution, even if you are a Millennial. You risk turning off your audience.

Marketers have more avenues than ever to engage with customers, but that also means customers are continually bombarded with messages, a high percentage of which they tune out. Direct mail can help your message rise above the digital noise, even with Millennials.

They continue to enjoy and respond to the tactile experience of opening the mailbox and finding a printed message inside.

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