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Direct Mail is NOT Dead

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Direct Mail MarketingPosted By:

Many of us may view direct mail as a part of the Jurassic Period in today’s world due to the fact that email and mobile marketing are so integrated into our daily lives. According to an article in Forbes, direct mail transcends to demographics of a younger age (18-to 34-years-old). You must be wondering how this could be so when the younger generations were brought up in the “Digital Age”. However, according to recent studies, they actually prefer marketing offers through the mail as opposed to online sources.

The USPS has been innovative in making direct mail more measurable for marketers by introducing the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) which has proven to be cost efficient for these marketers. Most marketers have a problem designing an effective piece that will truly stimulate their audience time-after-time. According to a study done by the Target Corporation, their B2C direct mail campaign resulted in the strongest ROI and customer contact and retention. However B2B scored higher for marketers as having the highest ROI. As you can see both customer segments have different ways they prefer to be approached by marketers.

Remember the next time you think of writing off direct mail as a form of marketing just take note it has higher customer retention especially with younger demographics (which seem to be the leaders in building brands and trends).

Online Influencers

Posted On: Category: Marketing Insights, TechnologyPosted By:

In today’s world what people say about your product and your brand online has a huge effect on your prospect’s buying decisions, especially with the rise of social media and the number of people looking to social media outlets for an insider’s opinion before making their purchasing decision. Many marketers see this as a way to increase business and are willing to pay large sums of money in order to locate these influencers. Not only are these influencers loyal customers but they have already purchased and used the product(s). Websites such as Angie’s List is one example of public forums where people can discuss their experiences from the services provided to them. Some of you may wonder, “How can you take advice from a complete stranger?” but the truth is customers rely on the opinions and insights of those who have experienced the product or service. Many of these influences are exponentially boosted through tweeting and reposting on social media outlets such as Facebook and LinkedIn by these online influencers. Once again I cannot stress the importance of using social media to your advantage as it will prove beneficial in increasing the response rates of marketing campaigns. It is an inexpensive and cost efficient tool and a great way to spread the word about a company and the products or services they offer to consumers.

Holiday Greetings

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Direct Mail Marketing, Marketing InsightsPosted By:

Once again it is that time of the year where people begin to plan what kind of Holiday Greetings they will send to their close ones. Last week I talked about being more personable by handwriting the addresses on your direct marketing campaigns. In order to continue to nurture strong bonds and remain in the minds of customers it is a great idea to send out a Holiday Greeting. Whether it is an e-mail or greeting card it is an amazing way to show your customers that “you”, the company, are thinking about them during the holidays and appreciate and value their business. As a result of this small gesture they may be more inclined to think about you the next time they make a purchasing decision. When contemplating sending an e-mail, be aware that one of the major trends this holiday season is that more retailers will be sending holiday greetings by e-mail designed for tablets and smartphones. The reason for this is due to the fact that more and more people are not accessing their computer and instead are using their mobile devices.

If you are sending a direct mailing piece make it a priority that you stand out in the abundance of mail a client might receive from other companies. The more you stand out from other holiday greetings the more likely you will be noticed and remembered in the minds of your customers. So get into the spirit and start planning your holiday greetings in order to highlight special deals or just show your customers that you care. And of course, personalization might place you above the others this season!

Handwritten Address Can Increase Response Rates

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Direct Mail Marketing, Marketing InsightsPosted By:

When was the last time you received a personalized handwritten piece of mail? I would guesstimate it does not happen too often; however when you do, doesn’t it peak your curiosity to open it and see what’s inside? Personally, I am always a bit excited to open the envelope and I find it far more personable then sending an e-mail or text message. A recent article that I read believes that using a handwritten address on envelopes in a direct mail piece will prove to be advantageous and make a huge difference in increasing the company’s response rate. Therefore think about how one of your recipients would feel if they were to see that your company took the time to send a hand written envelope to their mailbox.

If you want to make your direct mail campaign even more personable include a personal note within the piece. It’s proven that people like to see their names handwritten on their mail. In reading other articles on this subject it appears that the effective power of personalization is key to getting higher response rate. So next time you launch a direct mail campaign, holiday greeting card, or a simple thank you card from customer service please think about this blog.

Ways to Ensure Your Company Launches an Effective Direct Mail Campaign

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Direct Mail Marketing, Marketing InsightsPosted By:

Although electronic advertising is extremely popular, direct mail campaigns still make a significant impact on customers. This week I really wanted to look at how a company can produce an effective direct mail campaign with a few simple, but crucial, guidelines. How can your company ensure that their direct mail campaign is successful? First you need to create a budget but don’t forget to take into consideration the cost of materials, shipping, and printing. Craft a clever and dependable message. The message is often the most important part of any marketing piece. Be certain that the mailing list is being sent to the appropriate customer base or the message and responses that your company is looking for will be lost. When you compile a list of contacts take into consideration factors such as demographics and location. By paying attention to the particular audience you want to reach your message will be more effective leading to higher response rates. Make sure that the content included in your direct mail campaign is clear and understandable so that those you are targeting comprehend the message. It is always important to have a call-to-action for your customers.

Once again I cannot stress the importance of having a direct mail piece that really does stand out from the rest of the clutter in the mail. Lastly, measure, measure, measure!  Measure and track the success of your campaign so that you are able to see those who are responding to your direct marketing effort.

An Honest Insight into Generation Y

Posted On: Category: Marketing InsightsPosted By:

Generation Y is the up-and-coming generation that most marketers seek in today’s market. As a member of Generation Y I can tell you that the more you become a trend the more I will pay attention to what it is your company has to offer in regards to products and services. As a current MBA student and recent graduate, I get bombarded with multiple emails and letters from credit cards, universities, and insurance companies on a regular basis. However, my roommate and I throw a lot of that stuff away or it gets deleted because it doesn’t engage us.

I thought this topic would be relevant to the blog because my roommate and I were just discussing our lack of engagement with all the emails and white envelopes we’ve been getting. We avoid the television commercials, because we can fast forward through them. My roommate, who also works for a marketing firm, agrees that for companies to get our attention they need to be different in their approach or, technically, we don’t care. Some of you may be reading this and thinking, “is he saying Generation Y is unreachable?” We are reachable.

When I open the mail I do pay attention to certain things like weight, color, and/or bulkiness (as discussed in my previous blog). I’m not interested in a boring envelope that every credit card or university has already sent me. I’m looking for the things that will engage me. Give me some color or texture, and get my attention. I want to be excited. It means more to me for a company to send me something personal rather than just sending an email or ordinary envelope.

If you can make an impact on my generation “we” could make you the next biggest trend. So next time you decide to send a run of the mill email or unexciting direct mail piece think about this post and ask yourself how can I stand out from the rest?

Direct Mail Is Not Ancient

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Direct Mail MarketingPosted By:

Direct mail marketing is one of the oldest forms of effective marketing strategies. Some may ask, “Is direct mail still effective?” Yes, in fact it can prove to produce a larger response rate than e-mail. It is especially successful when it is “lumpy/bulky” and rather different from the typical “billing mail”. In today’s world we are bombarded continuously with various e-mails that, lets be honest, most of us don’t even give the time of day. Of course e-mail is less expensive however it is less receptive due to the fact that it can be mistaken as spam.

According to a study conducted by Epsilon Targeting, direct mail marketing is much more receptive and preferred over e-mail. Furthermore, it is more personable and it shows that “you” as the company are trying to really make a connection with “your” individual consumers. Yes, it may be slightly more expensive but the return may prove to be greater than what one would receive with a simple e-mail campaign. Combining these two forms of direct marketing can also assist in generating a higher response rate. One could simply send out a direct mail campaign and then follow up with an e-mail. This may seem to be a more aggressive approach however your target audience may have a better chance of remembering your company. So as one can see that although direct mail marketing is considered ancient it is still successful in the world of marketing during this digital age.mailbox resized 600

Difference between a Flash Drive and a Web Key

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Webkeys / QR CodesPosted By:

Some may ask, “What are the differences between a web key and a flash drive?” Well, maybe this can clarify any misconceptions. A flash drive is perfect for large amounts of portable data. As an undergraduate student I often used them to carry around presentations for my classes and they were perfect for carrying around large amounts of data. They were also perfect to back up important information. Unlike flash drives, web keys are not used to store data. A web key is used to launch a website, micro-site, or PURL that can be frequently updated, so the information on the site is always relevant and up-to-date because these updates will be seen each and every time the web key is plugged into the computer. Web keys have a much longer shelf life because they save a website address that will launch every time the web key is plugged in. This can be a contest, website, videos, PowerPoint decks, etc. Due to the fact that these small web keys contain no memory they don’t carry any viruses and therefore they are safe for all users. Web keys are effective vehicles for delivering information to your audience. The real benefit of using a web key versus a flash drive is its ability to track the prospect’s interaction with your website and all of the reporting capabilities you get because each interaction is trackable. 

QR Codes rise in popularity

Posted On: Category: Custom Design & Printing, Webkeys / QR CodesPosted By:

In a newly released study by the mobile marketing and technology company, Nellymoser, QR Code usage by publishers, has increased sharply since last year. In Q1 of last year only 352 codes were published by the top 100 U.S. magazines. During Q1 of this year that number rose to 1,365. The positive trend continued into Q2 with the number of printed codes soaring t0 2,200.

It’s important to note that the study did not look at the number of code “scans”, but only the number of times they were used. Still, the study suggests that the popularity of QR Codes amongst advertisers is on the rise, at least in publishing. Not surprisingly, there has been steady growth in smartphone ownership in the past two years. In a Pew Internet study conducted at the beginning of this year, 46% of American adults owned a smartphone. That was up from 35% during the same time the previous year. Currently, more Americans own smartphones than traditional “dumb” phones.

What do you think about using QR Codes? Have you used them and if so, were they effective? Please sound-off below!

Are you selling a solution?

Posted On: Category: Marketing InsightsPosted By:

When I was doing research for this posting I found out something really interesting about solution selling. Before the 70’s the term did not exist. Without going into the entire history, the methodology of “solution selling” was a term dubbed by Frank Watts who was working for a technology company in the mid 1970’s. He later became a sales consultant and made the methodology popular in business circles. What I thought was interesting was that the term quickly became a cliché (as most popular terms do) and became popular as a product or business name, like “advertising solutions” or “IT solutions”… you get the point.

Over the past 35 plus years most companies have recognized that their prospects have problems and they are looking for solutions. It’s odd that such an obvious and successful concept is so young and yet many companies have still not fully adopted the principals of solution selling. For example, I recently called a popular phone company because I was thinking about switching to a less expensive VOIP service. Instead of answering my direct questions I got a sales pitch. The person on the other end responded to my questions by stating a benefit that was loosely related to my area of concern. It was an awful experience. They were not presenting solutions to my problems and they lost the chance to sell me anything after about 5 minutes. With my son beginning to scream in the background, I was able to convince the person on the phone that I really needed to go.

I have always wondered what is said during the sales meetings for these companies with high-abcpressure sales tactics. I am sure they talk about how to counter every objection, keep someone on the phone, get the commitment, close the deal! Do you think they ever discuss how to keep a customer, make someone feel important, solve someone’s problem? I doubt it.

I have been attending our sales meetings here at Structural Graphics for about eight years and we have always talked about solution selling. I think when you’re selling marketing products you have to be a solution seller. We could talk about all of the benefits of working with us, our great people, fast turnaround times, experienced design team, but what do our customers really care about? They want us to help them reach more customers. They want to engage more prospects and increase response rates. If we can’t do that, the benefits of working with us don’t matter. A large percentage of our clients are returning customers and that is because we are a solutions provider. All of the benefits are great too, but they come back for our marketing solutions.