Press

July 14, 2008 - DMNews
Featuring Sandy Ostrander, Account Management

According to the US Census, there are 1.39 million active service members in our military. That num­ber increases to 3.3 million when adding spouses and children. Understanding the benefits, challenges and best means of targeting this lifestyle are integral to our CRM and customer acquisition strategies.

Why target military members and their families? First, these households tend to have higher disposable incomes than the average US family. Secondly, we can generalize that most between the ages of 18-34 come from middle-class backgrounds, with a high school degree and possibly some college.

Finally, the group is underserved due to some marketing challenges. Military Post Offices (MPOs) have various weight, size and content restric­tions on packages. For those living on base with a PO Box or overseas address (APO/FPO), mailers must use the USPS and priority mail when sending packages to ensure deliverability.

Once this cost of doing business is deemed acceptable, marketers should ensure order forms and shopping carts are APO/FPO friendly and able to accept the military states of AA, AE or AP. Otherwise, consider targeting only stateside personnel who have an off-base street address.

Another challenge is the frequency with which many military families relocate. It is estimated that about one third of them move annually. This flux makes it imperative that our mailing lists are updated using NCOA as frequently as possible.

When researching military lifestyle lists, consider additional selects and whether the offer could apply to a military spouse or other family member. Once you have your list — or lists — incentivize those people by offer­ing a military discount or some other acknowledgement in your offer.

THE TAKEAWAY
The military market is underserved due to mailing and relocation challenges