Millennials are putting the IN back into print, and here’s why
Just when we thought the whole world had gone digital forever and social media killed the printable star, Millennial marketing is firing up the printing press. How do we know this? In addition to a wide array of anecdotal feedback, recent customer focus studies show Millennials like print.
Not only does this traditional form of marketing give these digital mavens the warm fuzzies, but they buy it, respond well to it and it enhances the likelihood of them forming an attachment to your brand. So, instead of focusing ALL your attention and assets towards digital marketing, why not combine this cool form of communication with the powerhouse possibilities of print?
Why might you be wise to put print into play when marketing to this high-value group?
Millennial spending is out of control. Honestly, no shade, but this is likely the spend-iest generation of all time. Not only do Millennials love to buy things to fend off the impending haunt of existential dread, but this young-ish group has gotten only too used to dipping into their pockets to appease the appeal of the influential. More than that, they like to spend on experiences, brands they’re passionate about and organizations/corporations that are doing (what they perceive to be) good.
As much as people accuse Millennials of being anti-social, uber-modern robo-people, they actually really long for personalized, more traditional experiences. A generation completely overwhelmed by and fed up with a constant barrage of emails, Millennials love brands who trade in their inboxes for mailboxes.
Think about it. When your email inbox reads 120 unread messages – yet the last time you got a thoughtful piece of snail mail was from your late, great Aunt Ingrid, you are naturally going to get more excited when the delivery person arrives than when one more ping goes off in your Gmail.
Not only does print stand out. It also satisfies the tactical desire of having something we can hold in our hands, touch and turn over.
Direct mail and retail inserts are two perfect print marketing pieces for the Millennial. This is because they can be big on design, strategic about copy and done well without breaking the bank. Don’t worry, you don’t have to completely reinvent the wheel just to market using the good ol’ pulp n’ press. You can extend the messaging you are currently succeeding with and simply update it slightly to make sense across your new (old) medium.
Another important know-how/to-do/unsolicited advisement? Do market segmentation to ensure your print pieces are tailored to the right people. Or, work with a (CR) creative agency that will do it for you. While print doesn’t have to be exorbitant, it’s definitely an investment. Not only in terms of printing and distribution, but also thought and time. To ensure you are maximizing your ROI, you should be sure to know exactly who you are marketing to and tailor your messaging accordingly. I mean, this is actually just Marketing 101 for any positioning platform, but when you are going to the lengths to create and physically mail something to a specific person, it makes sense that your message speaks to them. Literally.
Just because it’s print, does not mean it’s hard to measure.
You don’t have to just send print marketing out into the world and then wonder if it worked or not. Use custom URLs, coupon codes, phone extensions, etc., and make it EASY on yourself to say, “Yay, we had 492 successful reengagements with previously lapsed clients.” Or “Nay, nobody visited our custom landing page, so the print obviously stink, stank, stunk.” It’s a truly beautiful thing when you can combine the best of print media with the advantages of digital marketing to better understand and appeal to your Millennial (or any aged) market.
Rather than making the marketing to Millennial conversation about an either or, work with people who excel at the balance of both.
CR Creative Co. will support you with a modern creative perspective that honours your budget and timeline, while also championing the interests of what can be your most lucrative market. We can show you the incredible breadth, depth and diversity inherent in print media – and support you to deliver on measurable, meaningful objectives. Best of all, we’re a one-stop-shop, so not only do we come up with hot-fire ideas, we bring them to fruition with high-quality design, paper and even glitter, if need be.
JK people hate glitter.
If you want to put something awesome into the mailboxes of your maybe, definitely should be customers, let’s chat.
