Marketers around the globe are trying to figure out the best way to target the all-important millennial segment, but, according to a new study, sending mass generic email communications might not be the best way to gain customer engagement with that group.
According to Aimia, nearly 59% of High Volume Sensitive consumers are overwhelmed by the volume of email communication they receive from brands. What’s more, millennials are 44% more likely to fall into this new category of consumer emerging today: The “high volume sensitive consumer.”
The results are similar for SMS messages (60%) and push notifications (62%).
Who is the high volume sensitive consumer: They are overwhelmed by the volume of digital communications they receive and are 2.34 times more likely to disengage permanently when they receive high volumes of irrelevant messages from brands.
“Millennials are the ‘always on’ generation, but it is a mistake for marketers to make assumptions about their communications preferences,” said Martin Hayward, Senior Vice President, Global Digital Strategy & Futures at Aimia. “Just because a person shares their details with a brand does not mean they want to be inundated with lots of generic messages. Marketers must work harder to listen to individual customer preferences and tailor communications appropriately. Privacy, permissions and preferences are increasingly crucial elements of future customer relationships. Get it wrong, and High Volume Sensitive consumers are ruthless in cutting brands off.”
Meanwhile, the research shows that Generation X had only a 13% likelihood of falling into this group.
High Volume Sensitive consumers will only engage if the content they receive by email, for example, is tailored to them. If it is not personalized and too frequent they will:
Block numbers (80%);
Close accounts and unsubscribe from email lists (84%);
Delete apps because of push notifications (82%); and
Unfollow brands on social channels (86%).
Memo to marketers: Try and always personalize email communications to millennials.