We remember the hostility our parents showed toward physical junk mail. They were so disgusted with mail that they dreaded going to the mailbox. Many of us can still recall memories of them pitching one letter after another into the trash can without even opening it. Many of us who are classed as Generation X have been imprinted with this disdain for marketing mail.

Our parents despised junk mail, and we can understand why! What we have failed to recognize and adjust to is that the two generations that followed Generation X–Millennials and Generation Z did not grow up with the negative impression about physical mail and a physical mailbox. In fact, they seem to enjoy getting physical mail in their physical mailbox. Is it time to adjust our approach to invoicing customers? Are we being duped by the quick and dirty solution of sending “just another email,” when we would have a perfect opportunity to grab the attention of our customers?

In a market pushing digital communication, a physical bill is hard to ignore. 

In 2019, spam messages made up nearly 54% of all email traffic. The high intensity of garbage explains why customers ignore their phone. Whether it’s ringing, dinging, or buzzing matters little if the message isn’t important anyway. “Just another email” doesn’t garner the attention you depend on. Studies show that more than half of all emails are deleted within two seconds of being opened, and the actual open rates for emails hover around 21%. While digital communication costs less to send, one might wonder if a business can truly prosper using such a generic approach. Is cheap billing costing you money?

Businesses need to differentiate themselves from the constant influx of digital noise in their customers’ inboxes. How can you ensure your critical messages stand out? The answer is paper. Paper commands action. When customers receive a paper statement, they’re compelled to respond because it carries a formal and authoritative tone. Paper statements are substantive and make a concrete demand. Would you prefer to send your customer “just another email,” or engage them with a sense of authority?

Observant business owners who keep an eye on societal shifts recognize the growing trust in physical invoicing. Millennials and Generation Z, who have been immersed in digital communication from a young age, are now becoming significant market players. Their attitude towards receiving paper mail is markedly different from that of the older generations. Research indicates that 95% of individuals over 20 years old feel positively about receiving physical mail. Notably, 36% of those around 30 years old actually look forward to checking their mailbox daily. The question is, do your customers feel a sense of anticipation when receiving their bill?