July 12, 2011
Want To Reach High Income Folks? Use Direct Mail
An article in Luxury Daily reports that 50% of the wealthy population – the top 10% of affluent U.S. individuals who comprise 35% of all U.S. income – don’t use social media at all. Individuals with a minimum net worth of $828,000 and an average net worth of $3.1 million are the people we’re talking about.
As unlikely as it sounds, the Center for American Progress’ Prosperity 2050 study confirmed that the very rich are a growing number, saying, “The share of total wealth [from 2007 to 2009) … going to the top 20 percent increased from 85 percent to 87 percent.”
To reach these ready buyers, Ron Kurtz, principal of Atlanta-based American Affluence Research Center, suggests using direct mail, including catalogs.
Kurtz goes on to say that young, non-affluent people make up the bulk of social media users and he concludes that, “There isn’t really a good understanding of why brands should be [emphasizing social media] for any reason.”
Kurtz’ view may be a harsh one of the social channels to which most marketers are turning to today. However, the trend of “the rich getting richer” underscores why direct mail continues to be a winning strategy for fundraising efforts that often appeal to those with more disposable income.
Moreover – even if not directly applicable to our own marketing efforts – these statistics are a reliable reminder why mail remains an integral part of any effective direct marketing campaign. Namely, that for some people, mail is the preferred marketing channel.
For more information on targeting your message to the right people, download EU’s free resource, Tailoring Your Messages: A Guide to One-to-One Direct Mail Marketing.
Nancy Scott is the president and owner of Liberty Communications. To contact Nancy, go to www.nancyscott.com or visit her blog: http://marketingbrillo.blogspot.com
