In just a couple of days I’ll be attending NICSA’s 30th Annual Conference & Expo in Miami, Florida. This year’s conference focuses on "Engaging Investors in a Hyper-Connected World." Today’s communication and payment channels have become blurred. With email, text, online presentment and traditional print & mail, today’s investors have virtually unlimited options when it comes to their preferred delivery and payment methods.
As a result of being in the critical communications industry I’m sensitive to the delivery of time-sensitive personal communications. I pay attention to delivery standards and most importantly I pay attention to the format and content of the delivery mechanism. Whether it’s a direct mail marketing piece, an email or a printed document, content, personalization, format and timing are all relevant.
Obviously the US Postal Service is paying attention, too. We’ve all seen the commercials telling us that the “refrigerator has never been hacked” and just yesterday, USA Today ran an article about the pending changes to US Postal Service delivery standards. In addition to defining what the US Postal Service calls “the mail moment,” the article provides us a breakdown of their annual volume. It was interesting to learn that Financial Statements composed 5%, Bills & Invoices 13% and Legal Notices 2%, not to mention that nearly two-thirds of Standard Mail is actively read or looked at.
What does this all mean for the investor, or should I say, the institution? While there will always be a need for an outgoing message, it’s important to consider the delivery channels, delivery standards and perhaps most importantly the demographic profile of the investor. Is it truly beneficial to send the same message to an 80 year-old investor as a 25 year-old investor? Whether it's direct mail, a transactional document, a regulatory communication or just a friendly reminder, consider the content and format, then consider the delivery channel. If you look at today’s investor landscape, I believe it’s rather top-heavy, meaning that I’d be willing to bet that the majority of today’s investors are above the age of 40 and still rely on the traditional printed document. They still read Standard Mail, as evidenced by the article, and still send Birthday Cards through the mail.
When all else seems to change, "Engaging Investors in a Hyper-Connected World" may still be as simple as delivering to their mailbox.