MAILWAYS
A free newsletter offering direct mail marketing tips from
Bi-County Mailing & American Mail Communications
November 2009
Copyright © 2009
888-MAIL-888
IN THIS ISSUE
- Size Matters
- Bang for Mailing-List Buck
- DM & Waste
- Get the PR Right
- Press Box
- Our Favorite Charities
- How Are We Doing?
- Hold That Thought
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HOLD THAT THOUGHT...
“When one finds himself in a hole of his own making, it is a good time to examine the quality of the workmanship.”
Jon Remmerde
Author & Poet
Selected by Long Island Business News readers as..
This Time Size Matters
A key to a successful mailing is to make your piece stand out from the competition at first glance. According to marketing expert, Keith Goodman, “You can’t get a response if the piece doesn’t get read, and it won’t get read unless it gets noticed.”
Using oversized cards is one way to capture attention quickly. In fact, cards can be as large as 6 1/8” x 11 1/5”. Here are some tips on how to create an effective large card.
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Use bright colors.
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Use a strong visual component, e.g., a compelling photo or graphic, to focus attention on the boldness of a large card.
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Take advantage of the extra available space to convey your message and tell a persuasive story about your product and offer.
- List the benefits of your product/service.
- Describe your product’s features. (Remember, features are product characteristics, while benefits detail how the item will help the end-user.)
- Make a tantalizing offer.
- Include an easy way for the recipient to respond.
Make the Most of Your Mailing List
The foundation of any successful direct mail marketing campaign is an accurate, targeted mailing list. It ensures that your message will get to recipients who’ve displayed an interest in what you have to say and offer.
When trying to get the most bang for your mailing-list buck, first consider the following:
- Create a detailed and comprehensive profile of your ideal prospect. This will allow you to obtain a mailing list that mirrors that profile. The better you do this, the more effective your list.
- Determine how often the list is updated. In this economy, current and accurate lists are more crucial than ever.
The Truth about Direct Mail
& Municipal Waste*
According to a report in the latest issue of Deliver, a magazine for marketers, in 2007, Americans generated approximately 254 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW).
But, direct mail made up the lowest percentage of waste material. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many other items contributed to US landfills in far greater quantities. For example:
- Food scraps = 18.2%
- Corrugated boxes = 4.9%
- Clothing & footwear = 4.2%
- Glass bottles = 3.0%
- Newspapers & magazines = 2.3%
- Plastic bags and wraps = 2.3%
- Direct Mail = 2.1%
FYI…nearly 170 million tons of the waste was recycled.
*Source: 2007 Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Report.
Planning a Conference or Seminar?
Get the PR Right!
With the proper promotional strategy, you can attract a larger and more interested crowd to your next event. Here’s how:
- Make a list of the event’s key messages and communicate them through traditional and social media outlets.
- Focus your efforts on using media outlets that reach your prospects.
- Create a press release and send it to journalists who cover your topic. A few well-placed releases with media specialists will get you more effective attention than a shotgun approach.
- Make sure that attending media will have news to report.
- Arrange to have your key players available to be interviewed by attending media representatives.
- Follow-up with the media reps who attended to thank them and invite feedback so your next event can be more successful.
- Let them know you’re available to provide more information, if necessary.
Our mission is to make your use of direct mail correct, efficient, effective and as hassle-free as possible. In every way possible, we will operate as an extension of your company or organization
with your needs and goals as our paramount responsibility.