Recently the United States Postal Service and the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) conducted polling and focus group research that shows that while millennials have grown up around computers, smart phones, and social media, that marketers are missing the boat if they don’t consider direct mail as part of their marketing mix. Because Millennials […] →Read more
And in the naked light I saw Ten thousand people maybe more People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never shared No one dared Disturb the sound of silence [1] As marketers, do we really command the kind of power Simon and Garfunkel sang about in the sixties? Do […] →Read more
What makes 1:1 printing work? What turns an average marketing campaign into an outstanding success? Is it the graphic design? Is it the mailing list? Is it selecting just the right variables like income, age, or gender? Those things are important, but there is one ingredient that trumps them all. Relationship. At its core, 1:1 […] →Read more
Why target Millennials in your prospecting? Because once their loyalty is secured, they are more likely than non-Millennials to share their love of your brand, product, or service with others. Furthermore, once you gain their loyalty, they will often spread the word for you, especially if you help them do it. How do you go […] →Read more
If your mailing is fat, over-sized, or three-dimensional, it stands out. People want to pick it up and see what’s inside. Results of dimensional mailings can be spectacular. However, they also cost more to produce, assemble, and mail. Dimensional mailings work, but you want to be smart about using them. Let’s look at some techniques […] →Read more
Recently, IBM released a study titled “Redefining Markets: Insights from the C-Suite Study,” which surveyed over 700 CMOs from more than 50 countries. CMO’s number one priority, according to the study? Developing better customer experiences. Nearly two-thirds (63%) cited this as their top priority. When the researchers looked deeper into what made for a “better […] →Read more
In Part 1 of this series, I discussed the case for investing in designing direct marketing campaigns that are designed to deliver insights into our business, which can make our marketing process more effective and also provide valuable intelligence across other initiatives happening in the business. In Part 2 of the series I promised I […] →Read more
Buyer behavior is changing quite rapidly, and the evidence supports that research and buying are increasingly done online across a wide range of demographics. To collect and analyze these online interactions and behaviors requires a carefully planned process. When you are planning marketing campaigns, how intentional are you about campaign design and execution generating actionable […] →Read more
Have you noticed how everything is becoming “big”? In a recent commentary (1), Dr. Joe Webb remarked, “…big mail will require big data and big automation to balance increasing costs of compliance and postage.” Expiration of the exigent postage surcharge aside, I would say The Doctor’s comments are hard to deny. It occurs to me […] →Read more
This past week I had the opportunity to attend the 2016 National Postal Forum (NPF) in Nashville. Thinking of Nashville and its rich history in Country Music, I can’t help but think about the USPS and its history. Starting with the Pony Express, to rail car mail sorting, to barcode scanning technology; if you really […] →Read more