A new study from Forrester Research Inc. claims that online mobile email users are different from general email subscribers.

The study, led by Forrester analyst Julie M. Katz, found that online mobile email users are younger than traditional email users. The results were published in Forrester's North American Technographics Benchmark Survey 2008.

"The epicenter of mobile email usage is Generations X and Y," Ms. Katz said in her report that she coauthored with two other Forrester analysts.

Half of traditional email users are part of the younger generations, Ms. Katz said in her report. But nearly 70 percent of mobile email users are under age 43.

Online mobile users are also more professionally oriented.

Their incomes are 14 percent higher than the average traditional email user, so it's not surprising that a greater percentage of online mobile email users are employed full time and are career-motivated.

More than one-quarter of online mobile email users are what Forrester calls "Fast Forwards" -- high-income, technology optimists driven mainly by their careers.

In addition, online mobile email users are trend-conscious and focused more on their own personal images.

Nearly one-quarter are interested in owning the best brands and 25 percent seek products consistent with an image they like.

"What's more: Online mobile email users are less price-sensitive than all other email users," the report said.

Finally, online mobile email users are less annoyed by the volume of advertising messages than traditional, computer-based email users. And more than half spread the word about products they like to their friends.

Based on the survey, there is no doubt that email subscribers read marketing messages on mobile devices. Fourteen percent of online mobile phone owners use their phones for email and an extra 35 percent have email-enabled devices.

Preferences and format
In her recommendations, Ms. Katz urged marketers to prepare their email program for the mobile age.

Mobile email users are a different breed than the email subscribers most marketers are used to, she said. They are on the go and don't have time for irrelevant junk.

Marketers also need to ready their email programs for an influx of mobile users.

The first key recommendation was for marketers to ask subscribers about their mobile preferences. Condense versions of the email for mobile users.

Marketers should provide a checkbox in the email preference center to understand which subscribers prefer to receive a mobile version.

Collecting such data will let marketers better serve their email users from the start of their relationships.

Also, marketers who want to understand what format long-term subscribers desire can survey subscribers in the body of an email message or add a "View on a mobile device" link at the top of email communications, the report said.

A good example of this is Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles frequent flier program that allows consumers to get email messages in HTML, text or SMS formats.

The second recommendation is for marketers to understand how email renders on mobile devices.

Marketing emails often end up garbled and distorted on mobile devices, the report said.

"Tools from companies like Pivotal Veracity can help marketers see what their messages will look like on devices like an Apple iPhone, a BlackBerry, a Palm Treo and those using Windows Mobile," Ms. Katz said in the study.

Overall, the analyst urged marketers not to neglect mobile email and mobile email users.

"Online mobile consumers represent the next generation of email users," Ms. Katz said in her report. "They're career-motivated, image-conscious and more open to advertising than traditional email users.

"To better serve mobile email users, marketers should solicit mobile preferences from email subscribers and format messages for a cleaner look on handheld devices," she said.