Save money on direct mail
If not run properly, taking advantage of the current technologies and knowledge, a direct mail program can lose serious money, especially in this economy. Recently, at a Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association event, a panel of list and data, production, and postal experts got together to discuss how today’s direct marketers can mail smarter. Here are […]
Direct Mail in a Digital World
Its easy to get caught up in the digital hype. Were now used to hearing terms like click throughs and impressions as frequently as response rates and average gifts. Surely theres enough data now to finally forego four page letters and move across completely to the online space. Perhaps its time to acknowledge the direct […]
Intelligent Mail® Non-Compliance Assessments for Full-Service Mailings
Effective November 7, 2010, The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) will begin applying negative postage assessments to mailers with non-compliant Intelligent Mail Full-Service (IMFS) mailings, or parts thereof. The IMFS discounts ($.003/piece for First-Class Mail® and $.001/piece for Periodicals and Standard Mail®) were implemented in November of 2009. This has essentially provided mailers with a […]
DMM Advisory: Published Federal Register Notices and Approaching DMM Revisions
The following four Federal Register notices have been published and are now posted on the Postal Explorer® website at pe.usps.com. All of these revisions will be incorporated into the July 6th update of the online DMM®, and the July 17 Postal Bulletin. We encourage you to check them out: See details at: DMM Advisory: Published […]
There’s More to Mailing Software Than Sorting Addresses
Intelligent Mail barcodes, Five-day delivery, Move Update compliance: it seems the issues associated with direct mail are evolving daily, and not every direct mailer is aware of the impact these changes will have on its day-to-day business. How will direct mail businesses and organizations survive? A simple answer is by effectively integrating technology into the […]
Macy's delivers Memorial Day circular through Yahoo Mail
Macy’s will deliver its Memorial Day sale book online this weekend using a new Yahoo ad unit. The sale book ads, which will run through Memorial Day weekend, use Yahoo’s “Pullover” ad units in the Yahoo Mail service. Yahoo created the ads for retailers with Internet advertising firm PointRoll. “It is about taking that offline […]
How will cutting Saturday mail affect direct mail operations?
Jennifer McNally, VP-global marketing for Discus Dental in Culver City, Calif., runs a mind-boggling direct mail operation. Her company, which sells tooth whitening systems and other dental technology to dental practices, has thousands of discrete direct mail campaigns, including 700 campaigns aimed at international audiences. Discus sends so many pieces of mail that the company […]
Make Your Direct Mail Flow From Outside To Inside
If you want your direct mail piece to be one of the 66% that gets opened and read rather than the 44% that gets thrown away unopened, you’ll have to design a compelling outer envelope among many other things. It is hard to say, however, how much of the 66% just gets opened and thrown […]
Royal Mail Part Privatisation To Go Ahead
The UK government has revealed that it intends to revitalise plans for a partial privatisation of Royal Mail. The coalition government said it would be seeking to secure private capital investment with opportunities for employee ownership with as much as 49% sold to private investors. The announcement will fuel opposition from the Communication Workers Union […]
Travel campaigns on despite cuts
Tourism boards from California to Maryland are running direct and digital campaigns to attract consumers to their beaches, lakes and attractions for summer vacations, despite slashed state budgets. Last week, the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) kicked off an online marketing contest with Southwest Airlines called “California – The Game.” Despite the recent recession, […]
Creating better value in mailers
Despite indications that the economy may be improving, the turmoil of the past two years has left a lasting mark on consumers. Many aren’t likely to return to the easy-spending habits of earlier days any time soon, and a simple price promotion may not be enough to close a sale. Savvy direct mailers are finding […]
Ink or Toner: Does It Really Matter?
Quick quiz: which method of printing, color inkjet or color toner, produced the best response rate on a test of 10,000+ post-card direct-mail pieces? Doc knows what you’re thinking: “Who dreams up these studies anyway?” Nonetheless, it is interesting to consider how a printing technique might affect response to a marketing piece. So that’s what […]