Move your message from inbox to in-mind

When it comes to branded communications, consumers hold all the power. Here’s how to email some of the most-targeted marketing demographics, based on their preferences.

As new modes of communication become increasingly popular, we read a lot about how different audiences prefer one form of communication over another. Teens prefer texting, college students prefer social networks, etc. So, where does email fit in now, and what can we expect in the future?

While there is extensive research on the emergence of new communication tools, most of this has focused on adoption statistics instead of the attitudes of the adopters. ExactTarget and Ball State University’s Center for Media Design recently collaborated to research and understand how different target audiences leverage these tools and the implications this has for direct marketers. To do so, we developed six distinct personas for commonly targeted marketing audiences:

• Teens: High school students between 15 and 17 years old.
• College students: Full-time students, primarily 18-24 years old.
• Young homemakers: Females, between the ages of 18 and 34, who consider “homemaker” as their primary occupation.
• Wired professionals: College educated, 18- to 34-years-olds, no kids, employed or self-employed, income more than $35,000 annually.
• Established professionals: Professionals employed full-time, age 35 or older, with an annual household income greater than $75,000 per year.
• Retired: Retired persons, primarily 55 years old or older.

As you would expect, attitudes differ toward the “appropriate” use of email, text messaging, social networks, and other direct marketing channels even within these groups, but there are six clear trends to consider when designing online messaging programs for these target audiences.

Continue reading on iMedia Connection: Email

Originally from “Move your message from inbox to in-mind”| Published January 19, 2009