November 11, 2010
Campaign improvements don’t necessarily need to start from scratch. In competent hands, tweaks can make a big difference in returns. That’s the theory behind EU’s Package Improvement Program, which takes a look at an existing or proposed direct mail package and suggests ways to make it better.
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October 27, 2010
The Nonprofit Quarterly recently asked subscribers to submit samples of their fundraising letters. Editor-in-Chief Ruth McCambridge noted that some of the submissions were masterful, but many contained “pages and pages of language meant to impress – never interrupted by a story or example of something real…” In speaking to her fellow fundraisers, Cambridge said, “It makes me worry about us.” Then she sent her readers back into NPQ archives.
There, Cambridge pulled out an article written in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina entitled Wanted: Master Storytellers. Author Susan Nall Bales wrote passionately about telling not just any story, but the right kind of story. “Nonprofits who wish to open the eyes of Americans must pioneer a new kind of value-based storytelling whose big story is about overcoming boundaries between people to engage in common-ground problem-solving. We need to ask ourselves, ‘What is the story behind the story—the big story that we tell ourselves over and over about our experiences as Americans?’”
Can copy really make that much difference in direct marketing. Does a 10-lb. bag of flour make a really big biscuit?
In its August issue, Target Marketing magazine featured a story about how the Mayo Clinic lifted its newsletter subscriptions 28 percent. Moreover, the boost in subscriptions happened during a price hike, a postal-rate increase, and a looming economic recession. The copywriters did it. Marketing Director James Hale, Sr., explains, “I directed our lead copywriter .. to take the tough economic issue, actually acknowledge it, and demonstrate the good value and wisdom in buying our newsletter.”
That’s right, folks. Copy. Don’t leave the post office without it.
October 26, 2010
Any marketing campaign that involves delivery into the customer’s hands also involves assembling the components of the package. Your cost savings lie in choosing the optimal package assembly options and then executing your chosen options perfectly.
For example:
October 21, 2010
Writing in the June 16 edition of Target Marketing, Carol Worthington-Levy talked about the importance of making sure our marketing campaigns resonate with the audience. How do we know what matters to our customers? Find out what customers have already purchased.
Nancy Freeman, manager of customer development at EU Services, describes a marketing campaign she worked on back in the ’80s before databases had the ability to target specific markets. The company wanted to sell pure wool golf sweaters knitted in Ireland. “Back then, we couldn’t simply buy a list of Irish names on a Golf Magazine subscriber list,” Nancy recalls, “so we had to look for other sources of potential buyers. Some of the lists we tried included subscribers to golf magazines, subscribers to magazines about Ireland, and people who had purchased from golf-related catalogs or Irish-related catalogs.” Freeman notes that the approach may seem old fashioned now, but even then a creative approach to customer identification produced great results for that client.
Much more recently, an online retailer that sells equine and canine items also hit a home run by focusing on “who bought what.” While thanking customers for a purchase, this client added that “other customers who purchased that same item also purchased these other items.” After just one such postcard mailing, results produced $40,000 in additional sales.
In developing messaging for a campaign, Worthington-Levy suggests that the creative team focus on thinking in a fresh way while examining purchase history data. “Many designers are like fine-tuned machines who see brand standards and just design to that. That work looks fine … but they’re often missing the juice that will really get the customer engaged.”
So, don’t miss out on the opportunity to uncover all relevant information to boost creative impact and, ultimately, response.
October 18, 2010
Tactics like these make all the difference. So when considering how to get more personal with lead generation, use all the tools available to you today to engage the prospect with a relevant response.
August 28, 2010
To squeeze the most from every dollar spent on direct mail, you’ll need an arsenal of design techniques aimed at lowering your mailing costs. Add these five:
Size Properly
Whether it be cards, envelopes, or calendars, think about the cost impact of venturing outside USPS’ favored boundaries. When it comes to saving money on mailings, less adds up to more.
Stick With the Right Dimensions
When is a pitch in baseball a strike? When the umpire says it is. The USPS sets and interprets the rules of the mailing game and a 1st class piece is only a 1st class piece when it meets their aspect ratio definition. (Hint: Consult your direct mail production expert in advance if you can’t keep up with complicated aspect ratios on your own.)
Be A Lightweight
Think about the paper stock you use for your next mailing. While paper savings on lower quantities may not merit a sacrifice in visual appeal, volume efficiencies on higher amounts could add up to substantial cost savings.
Tab or Fold for Automation Savings
Folding can be a sticky business. In order to qualify for automation compatibility rates, the USPS requires that such common mailers as invitations and folded newsletters be closed with a pair of wafer seals, tabs, or glue spots. But there’s lots to know. It’s complicated so, again, make your mailer your consultant.
Be Smart: Use the Intelligent Mail Barcode
The Intelligent Mail Barcode provides automation discounts for your mail. And the IMB technology eliminates some of the codes and marks the USPS requires, giving you the additional advantage of a cleaner address block with more space for your marketing messages.
August 24, 2010
Paper is where we put ink. It’s beautiful and compelling, but paper also has a practical dimension.
For instance, did you know that the distracting effects of glare increase with age? So, when mailing to baby boomers, a non-glossy paper is a good choice for your messages!
Want to learn all about paper?
Paperspecs is, without a doubt, the industry’s favorite source for information about paper. The info you’ll find there is clear and friendly, plus those signed in as members are able to search for and find the paper they are looking for. Ask your production partner to help you locate what you want by searching paper choices by surface texture, paper mill, or color. A summary of paper features like FSC certification or recycled content helps you make eco-wise choices. Once you’ve decided, you also can find a local paper merchant, complete with contact information.
Paper can hold more than ink alone.
Designers have many “overprint coating” options to enhance and protect print projects. Take varnish, for example: This option for offset printing seals ink on paper to protect, enhance, or both. Varnish is available in gloss, satin, or dull finishes and can be applied to an entire sheet or limited to specific areas.
