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Category: Variable Data Printing (VDP)

Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant

Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant

Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant

Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant, even in the digital age in which we live, is because many people still prefer to get communications from companies by direct mail in print form. This is especially true when messages are tailored specifically for them.

A majority of respondents to an online survey conducted by Consumer Action said that they prefer to receive all types of bills by mail—even if they’ve opted to pay the bills online. For medical, utilities, insurance, property tax, mortgage, and credit card notifications, 45 to 74 percent (depending on the account category) said they choose paper over electronic communications.

And even with brands leveraging digital marketing and mobile apps, 73 percent of U.S. consumers still prefer to receive direct print mail. Why? because they can read it whenever they want.

As you can see, direct mail is still relevant, especially when it’s personalized through variable data printing.

direct mail marketing estimate

What Is Variable Data Printing and Why Is It So Important for Direct Mail?

variable data printing HP

HP Digital Printer at Preferred Direct

Variable data printing (VDP) is a digital printing technique used to personalize print communications. VDP allows for various page elements, such as text and graphics, to be different on each piece of a print run. 

 Variable data printing can involve something as simple as changing the greeting or name on each copy of a print piece (akin to a mail merge). Or it may be more complex, involving the customization of other text and graphic elements, according to customer information, address, or other data. For example, at Preferred Direct, our variable data detailer allows us to add custom messages, coupons, maps, and other elements to invoices, letters, notices, and more.

 The ability to tailor print messaging to individual recipients has become essential for maintaining customer satisfaction and generating revenue. Customers expect brands and organizations to send personalized communications. And personalized communications mean that customers receive relevant content that drives them to action (e.g., pay a bill, purchase a product, or do something else that the sender desires).

 Variable data technology has become essential for many different applications—such as statement generation, collection letters, and more—in a wide array of industries. Examples include:

 Financial 

  • Account statements from banks and credit unions
  • Investment portfolios 
  • Credit card statements

Man in blue scrubs with a stethoscope holding out a prescription RX sheetHealthcare 

  • Medical bills
  • Medical EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) 
  • Patient appointment reminders 
  • Collections letters 

Insurance 

  • Invoices for premiums 
  • Policy updates 
  • Insurance EOB Statements 

Municipal and Energy 

  • Invoices for gas, water, sewer, electric, trash 
  • Collections letters 
  • Special Notices 

Communications 

  • Cable TV invoices 
  • The phone company and wireless provider invoices 
  •  Collection letters 

Sales and Marketing 

  • Targeted direct mail marketing campaigns 
  • Sales letters

Nonprofit Organizations 

  • Fundraising campaign letters 
  • Event invitations 

Colleges and Universities 

  • Financial aid statements 
  • Admissions letters 
  • Invoices 

Retail 

  • Revolving credit statements
  • Direct mail marketing pieces

The above examples are just a sampling of the many types of direct mail print communications that leverage variable data to make them more effective. 

What to Look for in a Direct Mail Printing Provider 

direct mail services

Some Preferred Direct Team Members in front of our HP Digital Printer for VDP

When choosing a direct mail printing services provider for your organization’s communications, there’s much to consider. Not all printing resources have the expertise or equipment to handle the demands of variable data printing. Using variable data is one of the reasons Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant. 

Below are some key characteristics to look for: 

  • Ability to handle a wide array of variable data printing applications
  • Flexibility in how they can receive your data
  • Experience with variable data printing applications in your industry
  • Compliance with HITRUST and HIPAA 
  • Advanced printing technology to ensure the utmost accuracy and print quality
  • Services beyond printing  

Ability to handle a wide array of variable data printing applications 

Your needs may evolve over time, so look for a direct mail print partner that has the knowledge, experience, and equipment to handle all types of variable data printing applications. 

No matter what your organization requires, at Preferred Direct, we are equipped with the expertise and technology in-house to create all varieties of personalized print pieces.

 Flexibility in how they can receive your data  

Find out if the commercial printer you’re considering will allow you to send your information your way.  

When you work with us, we will accept your information via a secure FTP (file transfer protocol). We aim to make the process convenient for you. 

Experience with variable data printing applications in your industry  

Every industry has unique concerns and nuances to address. Therefore, industry experience matters when selecting a print partner for your variable data, direct mail projects. 

Preferred Direct has vast experience and a proven success record in many different industries, including those that must meet strict privacy and security requirements. 

  • Healthcare providers
  • Insurance companies
  • Financial services providers
  • Colleges and Universities
  • Businesses and Retail
  • Nonprofit organizations 

Compliance with HITRUST and HIPAA 

Blue images with the words Database Security HIPAA Compliant HITRUST CSF Certified with a graphic imagePreferred Direct is HITRUST CSF certified. We approach every project with the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF), the most widely adopted security framework in the U.S. healthcare industry, in mind. Following HITRUST CSF standards means we handle our customers’ data in a way that meets regulatory compliance requirements and reduces risk.  

We also adhere to the latest HIPAA regulations for protecting sensitive patient data. We apply the necessary security measures so that organizations have compliance with peace of mind.  

Advanced printing technology to ensure the utmost accuracy and print quality 

Technology changes at a rapid pace. To ensure you get the best quality outcomes and efficient pricing from direct mail production runs, make sure your commercial printer has the latest equipment and software. 

Preferred Direct has cutting-edge digital printing technology. Our HP T240 HD and Xerox® Impika®, presses deliver optimal production speed and cost-effectiveness for continuous feed inkjet printing. We specialize in accurate, high-speed lasering and ink-jetting, with the flexibility to communicate custom, personalized messages, thanks to our state-of-the-art equipment, software applications, and skilled team.  This is Why Direct Mail Is Still Effective. 

Services beyond printing  

In addition to mailing database management, customization, and printing of your direct mail, we also: 

  • Match mail
  • Fold
  • Perforate
  • Insert
  • Postal discounts
  • Deliver mailings to the post office
  • Manage inventory 

We also offer expert design services to give your direct mail the visual appeal needed to attract your recipients’ attention and engage their interest.

 

Direct Mail is Here to Stay

commercial printing services

Why Direct Mail Is Still Relevant?  In summary, direct mail—particularly, personalized direct mail—remains an essential tool for building customer loyalty and improving bottom-line results. Keep in mind that working with variable data requires making privacy and data security a priority. Therefore, it’s critical to work with a commercial printing company you can trust to uphold the highest standards of quality and protect customer data. Fortunately, you don’t have to look further for a reliable partner for your personalized direct mail solutions.

Preferred Direct has all of the experience and capabilities necessary to handle all of your direct mail and variable data printing needs. Contact us to discuss your next project!

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Remaining HIPAA Compliant with Third Party Printers

Remaining HIPAA Compliant with Third Party Printers

Remaining HIPAA Compliant with Third Party Printers Are you truly HIPAA compliant? Maybe you’ve set up certain measures of data security and protected your processes internally, but what about your...

Envelope Press

HP 240T HD Roll to Roll Press

Xerox Roll to Roll Press

High Speed Mail Inserter

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The Versatility of Digital Printing in Your Direct Marketing

The Versatility of Digital Printing in Your Direct Marketing

The Versatility of Digital Printing

Savvy marketers know that their audience is looking for messages that are inherently speaking to them. In an age of data, people want their information used in a way that will benefit them, not the companies that collect and hoard everything from their nickname to their social security number.Digital printing makes use of digital files rather than a printing plate, and it allows marketers to collate their data so they can change the message of their commercial printing based on the person who receives it. If you’re using variable data, digital printing is usually your best choice.

direct mail servicesPreferred Direct can give you ways to integrate segmentation into commercial printing, so you’re not wasting time or money. Even if you’re using variable data for commercial printing, digital is both fast and cost-effective. It does have a downside, though, in that it can’t always provide the same degree of resolution as other forms of printing. The colors, bleeds, text, margins, and finishing for digital print will be different from traditional options, so marketers may need to focus more on the idea they’re trying to convey. Beyond merely filling in each person’s name, you can do so much more to individualize your more significant point.

Preferred Direct can provide the advice and guidance you need to maximize digital printing. So if you’re attempting to advertise a drop in interest rates, you may want to divide your lists based on the most likely reasons your customers would want to take out a loan. For example, new college graduates may be looking for a starter home while families may be looking for ways to finance their children’s education. Digital printing gives you the chance to alter each image to pique the recipient’s curiosity. 

Print On Demand

Digital printing makes use of print on demand services, making it simple to change information without slowing down the printing process easier. Let’s say it’s time to order directories in bulk to promote a new service at your school. Your larger institution has five locations and slightly different services and pricing for each one. While you could print off a general flyer that lists the information for all five sites, you can also print flyers that are specific to each branch.

This way, people can glance at the flyer to get the information they need rather than having to hunt through the text to find their specific school. Or maybe you want to send out an FAQ regarding a new type of insurance plan, but you want to include a customized quote for each person you send it to. You can use your collated data to generate different quotes for each new piece of direct mail. Whether your list is 5,000, or 50,000, Preferred Direct has the expertise and technology to perform print on demand services without bumping up your budget 

Combining Physical and Virtual Media

Your marketing is an open book for you to fill. However, you’d like it. Following the rules of marketing can certainly get you far, but breaking the rules may get you even farther.

Commercial printing is a tried-and-true way to open a customer’s eyes to a new opportunity, but there are ways to integrate commercial printing campaigns with the rest of your marketing efforts. So if you’re already investing plenty in your digital strategy, there’s no reason you can’t use digital printing to strengthen virtual campaigns for an even more impactful message. Preferred Direct is not only familiar with these techniques, but we also understand how and when to incorporate the best. Here are just two ways we’ve seen marketers get results:

QR codes

Much like commercial printing focuses your marketing on one message, QR codes can do the same.digital printing QR codes

Once the customer scans the image, they’re taken directly to the information they need to know. But QR codes can do even more for a company by giving marketers real-time information about how the customer is using your marketing collateral.

direct mail marketing estimate

Once a QR code is scanned, it’s stamped with both the time of the scan and the user’s general location. This is a great way to understand the true reaction of your customers. If everyone is scanning the code immediately, it’s a sign that your campaign is creating a strong impression. If they’re waiting to scan it, it may signify that customers feel they need more time to peruse the data. It’s a sign that you’re marketing to people who are invested in what you have to offer. And of course, if no one is scanning the code, it’s an indicator that you may need to rethink your marketing segmentation.

That is why it’s important to personalize. Digital printing using variable data allows your to tailor each message using names, birthdays, colors, etc. to create a bigger impact with your print. With this marriage between print and virtual mediums, you’re collecting an awful lot of information about your customer. And yet, somehow, data slips through the cracks of companies all the time.

To avoid asking the same question to your customers, you really need a way to combine all the details you receive — regardless of where it comes from. Print can be a great way to engage your customers first before deploying a pop-up ad that practically demands their email address.

Once you have the information in hand, you can start filling in the details of your customers that ultimately drive their decisions. They may be more likely to fill out a more involved form online once they’ve received information in print form and chose to scan the code.

Preferred Direct two people pointing to a laptop computer with a man in the backgroundYou can then measure the responses from each group to see which one made a bigger impact. If the pamphlet had more interest, you could focus on how to improve the content, so it generates an even higher response rate. Saving Money on Creative Solutions It’s not always easy to justify spending money on commercial printing, especially not when an email is essentially free to send. To make the risk feeling a little less precarious, Preferred Direct can ensure a virtually wasteless campaign.

Our technology includes the Xerox Impika and HP T-240 HD digital printer, both of which produce remarkable results. It’s full-color, high-speed, and true roll-to-roll perfection, eliminating the inconsistencies that can make your commercial printing look unprofessional. In other words, we’ve invested in the machinery, so you don’t have to. If you’re considering a piece of direct mail with complex folds, the technology makes it possible to design the folds without direct intervention from staff. This helps us keep our costs down (and yours by extension) while giving us the means for better inventory control.

The Ideal Digital Printing Partner

variable data printing HPPreferred Direct has been in business since 1990. We may not know everything, but we do know quality printing.

Over the years, it was only inevitable that we’d become expert marketing strategists too. We make it possible for you to find smarter ways to use the leverage you’ve already built. Your clientele, mission, initiatives, staff: these are all assets that can make your bottom line go through the roof. If you’re interested in vertical integration, we understand and anticipate your needs long before you even realize you have them.

Creative solutions in digital printing can jazz up even the most basic of marketing, but sometimes it takes an outside eye to notice new ways to lure customers in. No matter the budget or deadline, we find ways to color within the lines you set for us while still providing new ideas and strategy choices. From the initial contract to the last leg of the project, we let you set your level of involvement. And if you happen to change your mind at the last second (maybe you’ve decided that you need A/B/C testing instead of just A/B), we’ve got you covered there too.

Contact us today to receive reliable digital printing services and creative solutions to your toughest marketing questions.

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Five Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Marketing Print

Five Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Marketing Print

Five Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Marketing Print

direct mail servicesThe value of your marketing print pieces are dependent on both its content and presentation. Anyone can send a brochure or an explanation of benefits, but not every company can make the recipient wake up and take notice. Creative solutions for commercial printing are a way to overcome the saturation that your customers feel on an everyday basis. (This way, your audience doesn’t have to feel as overwhelmed as you do when you’re considering how to create a more effective marketing strategy.)

Some marketers may believe that the physical media they send will only end up tossed in the trash, but contrary to popular opinion, print can still be the best way to talk to your audience. But that doesn’t mean that companies can send direct mail, print posters, or design swag without thinking about the implications of their graphics, words, and choice of media. Preferred Direct has witnessed marketing campaigns succeed and fail based on the creativity of their commercial printing.

If you’re interested in how to extract the most value from your print, we’ll give you both the information and advice you need to get it right.

Why Marketing Print Matters

Commercial printing is the cornerstone for successful marketing today because it has the ability to cut through the virtual noise out there.
There’s no doubt that having a web presence is vital to your business, but with so much content out there, your message can easily lose information in a sea of text and graphics.

Your customers are used to ignoring ads online, but it’s not quite as easy to close out of something that’s in your hands or directly in front of your eyes. If you have a particular message you want to get out, it may even work better as a markting print piece. Instead of having to search for the right keywords or navigate through several sections of the website to find the information, you can say exactly what you want to say in black and white (either proverbially or literally).
Companies can use marketing print in an infinite number of ways today. From new digital technology to improved die-cutting techniques, it would be easier to list the things you can’t do! Once you understand the options available, you can determine how to apply them to nearly any campaign you run. Preferred Direct can show you how to do this without crushing your budget in pieces.

Conservation of both time and money starts with identifying the goals of each campaign. No matter how much you save on printing services, the money you spend won’t be worth it if no one remembers what you have to say. 

direct mail marketing estimate

Creative Solutions

Here are five creative ways to add some spice into your next marketing print or transactional print piece:
#1. Perforation: Instead of including a separate form, perforate your direct mail and let your customers interact with it a little more. Or score the letter so after they’re finished reading it, they can turn it into an origami swan or paper airplane. To stand up to the US Postal Service, you’ll need a printer that can design mail that can withstand the pressure without complicating the design and functionality of your letter.

#2. Graphic Design: The graphics of your marketing print can include anything from your logo to a sketch of a famous artist. When a picture can tell a thousand words, you typically want the visual components to reveal an easily discernible story.
Another tactic is to include an image that’s intriguing enough to spark the reader’s curiosity about the larger message. A 90-year old graduating from college may be unusual enough for people to stop and pay attention. If you happen to be advertising night classes for adults, this can be just what you need to get them invested.
#3. Bindery: This general service can refer to either the stapling or binding of your materials. If you need commercial printing for a presentation at a major conference, you can use a spiral or loose-leaf binding to give attendees a different way to interact with your company. Considering many professionals are visual learners, the right commercial printing can reinforce and drive home the key points of the presentation. Preferred Direct a man leaning over with his hands on a stack of colored printed materials
You can also use wire-bending for booklets and catalogs. If you want an even more lasting medium, a visually stunning calendar can be inspiring enough for customers to hang up at home or work.

#4. Finishing: Finishing includes die-cuts, collation, creasing, laminating, and gluing. Die-cuts are used to give your direct mail a unique shape. For example, inviting the form of a birthday cake to celebrate your company’s anniversary. Or maybe you want to print out coasters as a way to underscore a person’s transition into retirement. Preferred Direct can help you decide which finishing technique will strike the right chords with your audience.

#5 Inserts: Seeing a little tab peeking out from between an envelope can win customers over in spite of themselves. They may know it’s a marketing ploy, but that little tab presents an itch that nearly demands to be scratched. These kinds of creative inserts can be exact without a lot of time and hassle with the right printer.

Choosing the Right Marketing Print Partner

direct mail servicesThere are so many ways to change up your marketing without changing your brand or voice. If you’re struggling with how to present your ideas, the right printer can be the answer. Preferred Direct has the staff and the experience to help you strike the perfect balance. One of our main specialties is finding ways to bring a little imagination to more traditional businesses, such as insurance and healthcare.

So we know just how important it is to avoid violating HIPAA regulations without letting it slow us down. We print, insert, and mail your explanation of benefits, so customers get what they need.

Our direct mail connects with people on a different level because we take the time to understand both your company and clientele and offer creative ways to engage them. We give you the means to capture people’s limited attention span with marketing print, so you don’t waste a single cent of your marketing budget.

When choosing a commercial printing company, you can count on Preferred Direct to be cost-effective, speedy, and customer-friendly.

Call us toll-free today at 1-833-425-7007 or click here for an online quote.

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Learn How Print on Demand Benefits Inventory Control

Learn How Print on Demand Benefits Inventory Control

Learn How Print on Demand Benefits Inventory Control

Stacks of white paper

We have been asked dozens of times, “How Print on Demand Benefits Inventory Control.”  You will learn in the following article. Print marketing materials are still one of the best ways to raise awareness of your products and services. According to a survey from FedEx, four out of five small business owners say that print marketing helps them stand out among the competition. Our world may be increasingly digital, but there’s something about the feel of print that enhances trust and appeal. What you might not know is that you can get all the benefits of print marketing while keeping costs under control by using print on demand companies. Learn what print on demand is, how print on demand works, and the benefits of print on demand for inventory control.

What is Print on Demand?

Save on Inventory

Print on demand is a custom printing process. The need determines the print run size. Print orders are planned as they come in, rather than guaranteed before the print run is determined. Let’s say that you have a customer in another state that you have been supplying print material, in this case, it is informational healthcare books.  You normally would order the yearly quantity in this case 50,000 books. Now, with print on demand, you only order what is needed at the time maybe 2,000 books.

direct mail marketing estimate
In other words, if you normally print 50,000 books per year and these are kept in inventory until a quantity is needed but you end up throwing away 12,000 because you didn’t need them, it will be reflected in your budget. Not with print on demand! The print on demand model was developed after digital printing. Before then it would not have been economically feasible for a printer to set up for a job to print a small quantity. With print on demand, files can be printed as needed, when needed, and only in quantity required — even if it’s a small quantity. Since the file is saved, documents can be printed any time without extra work or costs on the part of the print shop or you, the business owner. Cutting back on print paper comes with financial and environmental incentives too.

Avoid order minimums

Another benefit of print on demand is you can get paper marketing materials for that important brochure or updated healthcare material without worrying about the need to meet traditional printing order minimums. It’s easier to maintain a print inventory with print on demand because you can see your existing print stock at a glance and order precisely what you need saving you money. Print-on-demand benefits all sorts of printed materials, not just marketing materials. For healthcare and medical fields, print on demand is practical for informational, and customer service-oriented print campaigns, such as pamphlets or books that explain the benefits of a given health insurance plan. Healthcare and insurance companies can also create customized printed documents for their customers, including EOBs.  Just be sure that your data is sent through a secure FTP site.

Reduce set up costs

With the traditional printing process, the setup costs represent a large portion of the total job costs. The cost is amortized over the total print run, so it’s a marginal cost per item printed. With digital printing, there’s not as much to set up, so it becomes cost-effective to do smaller jobs that would not be economically feasible with the traditional printing process. The benefits of a small print run carry over to inventory and management, as well. For example, consider a large print job, where your business must order dozens of boxes of material, which then sit around in storage until your company uses them. If you have enough storage space onsite, then you can store items in your building. If you don’t have enough storage space, your business will need to assume warehousing costs to pay for physical inventory. Switching to print on demand reduces inventory accounting, storage costs, handling costs, and waste.

Inventory Control

perfect bound book printing catalog

Inventory management may not be something you give much thought to, but print-on-demand offers significant inventory control benefits over the traditional print process. As mentioned above, the traditional print model comes with a high setup cost. For high-volume items, where you know the materials will move before they become dated, traditional printing may be the right choice. There’s another result from the traditional process, which is high amounts of waste. If you overestimate the number of copies you will need for a brochure or flyer; then you could be left with boxes of material that are soon outdated.

Companies often don’t question the drawbacks of the print model — or how the waste impacts their bottom line by tying up capital. The quality of digital printing has improved, where printed products now rival the quality of offset printed items. As a small business, whether you’re in the financial, health, or nonprofit sectors, it’s never been a better time to use print-on-demand services. The costs per unit comparable to traditional print jobs, but the financial savings and inventory control benefits exceed what regular printing offers. Inventory control shows you at a glance how many copies of print items you have. You can check how much stock you have and order additional copies either as often as you need or when you hit minimum stock levels. With inventory control, your business will always have the right number of copies in the right place when needed — say, for an upcoming brochure mailing. By ordering low quantities, you can keep costs affordable while reducing the expense of the item storage and disposal.

Preferred Direct’s Print-On-Demand Service

Now that you know the benefits of print on demand, you might be wondering how print on demand works. The process starts well before printing. At Preferred Direct we want to make sure that your graphic design and the finished product look great. Also, that it will meet your needs, and that the work is cost-effective. We offer a range of printing services with or without variable data. We offer binding and finishing solutions and we will always talk through the options with you so you know how to get the look you need for each print job. We are a very hands-on printing provider, so we work one-on-one with all of our clients through the design and fulfillment process. We’ll make sure you understand all of the factors that affect the print job, so you know what variables affect the quality of the product or our approach to keeping your sensitive information secure. When everything is ready, we’ll do the print job for you, using the highest standards of data security.

direct mail services

Some Preferred Direct Team Members in front of our HP Digital Printer for VDP

When you’re relying on print on demand to keep inventory levels low, you need a supplier who will be able to deliver orders efficiently and effectively. Inventory control will ensure the customer never runs out. Preferred Direct can complete a job in anywhere from one to three days, once you’ve done the initial setup work of creating and refining the order. At Preferred, we work with businesses in a range of industries, including education, nonprofit, medical, and insurance. To get a quote for printing services, or to learn more about what sets us apart from other printing companies, contact us today. Call Toll-Free: 1.844.719.1848.

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Tips to Build a Strong Direct Mail Database

Tips to Build a Strong Direct Mail Database

Tips to Build a Strong Direct Mail Database

Direct mail has been hailed as a great marketing tool to reach new customers, but those customers don’t just come from anywhere. You have to build a direct mail database before your marketing messages can be sent. Some companies make the mistake of putting all their efforts into their marketing materials, when in fact, who you target is just as important, if not more! Here are tips to build a strong direct mail database.

Know Your Target Demographics

Before you build your direct mail database, you’ll need to learn your target demographics and psychographics.

Demographics can be age, gender, ethnicity, location, marital status, education level, income, and occupation.

Psychographics can be interests, hobbies, lifestyle, attitudes, etc.

How do you figure out your target market?

1. Look at your current customers. Try to find threads of commonality in demographics and interests.

2. Look at your competition. Find out who they’re advertising to and determine niches within that market they may have overlooked.

3. Make a list of the benefits of your product or service. See if you can narrow down who your product or service will most appeal to.

4. Determine your geographic scope. How far in your area do you want to reach out? You can advertise on any scale from local to county to state to national depending on your company and budget.

5. Use trade journals specific to your industry for insights on industry consumers. Likely, your industry has already done their research on target customers and their behaviors, so why not use these very valuable insights?

direct mail marketing estimate

Through research and surveys, you can determine your target audience’s demographics and psychographics. You can hire outside companies to conduct surveys or you can conduct them yourself. 

Once you’ve identified your target market, you’re ready to build your mailing list.

Building Your Direct Mail Database

There are two ways to build a direct mail database: encourage customers to sign up and/or buy a mailing list.

1. Use promotions, newsletters, and incentives to encourage people to sign up for your mailing list. By offering a free product, service, or a sizable discount, you can gather information for your direct mail campaigns. The quality of your list matters. Gather information including, name, gender, and mailing address at minimum. If you can collect demographic information, that’s even better but be aware that the longer the form to fill out, the less likely a person is to complete it.

2. Purchase mailing lists. There are two types of mailing lists: compiled and direct response. A compiled list is usually pulled by geographic area and can be segmented by demographics, income, etc. A direct response list is a list made up of people who’ve responded to direct marketing in the past (whether direct mail, infomercials, etc.)

You can purchase mailing lists from direct mail companies like Preferred Direct.

Analyze your Database to Create a Better Campaign

graphic design servicesOnce you’ve created your direct mail database, how can you use your database effectively? Analyze it! Here are a few tips to utilize your database to identify better with your prospective or current customers and get a better return on your investment:

1. Analyze Demographics. Are the people in your database wealthier or more modest? What age range? Do they have children? What’s their ethnicity? When you create your direct mail fliers/postcards/mailers, choose images that appeal to their particular lifestyle. For example, if your list is mostly females with children, make sure any photos or images you use include this.

2. Analyze Geographic Data. Where do the people in your database live? Do they live in urban, suburban, or rural areas? Is there anything major in their local or state environments that you can mention that will help them connect with you? Use photos that reflect geographic region and lifestyle.

You can find ways to connect to the people in your database by appealing to them through database analysis. This makes your database work harder and better for you. When you are creating your direct mail piece, keep in mind opportunities for variable data. Variable data means you can print different offers, incentives, or information for different demographics or psychographics. 

Finding a Partner for Direct Mail Database

Preferred Direct is a commercial printer and direct mail company that can help you put together your mailing lists, and completes the direct mail process from start to finish.

direct mail servicesAt Preferred Direct, we make sure to keep your cost down. You will have a project manager who keeps your print jobs on track. Our project managers stay on top of your print jobs and can answer any questions you have along the way. We even provide emergency print services for those fast approaching deadlines. We also provide tracking so you can be assured that your shipment is arriving in a timely manner. One of our printers is the Xerox Impika®, a top-of-the-line machine that prints quality materials fast, ultimately saving you time and money. When choosing a commercial printing company, you can count on Preferred Direct to be cost-effective, speedy, and customer-friendly.

Call us toll-free today at 1-833-425-7007 or click here for an online quote.

Sources: crmtrends.com, wikihow.com, sageagestrategies.com, inc.com, smallbusiness.chron.com

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7 Tips to Increase Direct Mail ROI

7 Tips to Increase Direct Mail ROI

7 Tips to Increase Your Direct Mail ROI

Direct mail ROI should always be a priority for companies choosing this direct marketing channel. Direct mail can be a very effective marketing tool to reach new customers as well as remind your current customers about your company. We’ve already discussed ways to create effective direct mail pieces. You can read that blog here. Now let’s talk about return on investment (ROI). There are things you can do to boost your response rate on direct mail, and that’s the ultimate goal, isn’t it? What are some extra steps you can take to attract a higher response rate?

Direct Mail ROI Tracking Tips

1. Create a Unique Offer. Unique offers drive responses. Unique offers can be a percentage off a product or service, a buy one get one free deal or anything else you can come up with. Make sure your offer is big enough to be enticing, to drive action, and that it’s not the same offer advertised using other mediums. This will give you the chance to provide a unique promo code on your direct mail pieces, which will help you track your responses and ROI.

2. Create a Unique Landing Page, Email Account, or Phone Number to Call for a Response. On your direct mail piece, you should refer a customer to respond in a convenient way, whether through a website, phone number, or email. The easier it is to redeem an offer from direct mail, the better. To track your ROI, you are going to want to use a unique landing page on your website, a google-campaign coded URL, a tracked QR code, a unique email account, or a unique phone number to measure responses.

3. Target. Finding the best target audience for your direct mail campaign is going to help you convert more sales. The more specific the audience, the better. Instead of casting a wide net and spending money on sending direct mail to customers unlikely to buy your product or service, you should send it to people more likely to respond. Is your product or service geared toward homeowners? Males? Females? Higher incomes? Certain zip codes? Create a targeted list of recipients to make your message count the most.

4. Personalize. Personalize your offer or message to your target audiences. Always address the recipient by name for courtesy and professionalism. Target your special offers for each one of your audiences. For instance, if you are a jewelry retailer you might send a direct mail piece for earrings to a female and cufflinks to a male. Variable data allows different messages and offers to go to different customers.

direct mail marketing estimate

5. Send Follow-up Direct Mail Pieces. One and done, as the saying goes, has been shown to not be as effective in driving conversions. Make sure you are following up on direct mail campaigns with additional direct mail campaigns. The more times a customer is introduced to your brand and messaging, the more credible your company and offer become and the higher likelihood there is for a response. It’s also a great reminder in case they meant to respond and forgot.

6. Consider Postage and Mailing. One of the ways to increase ROI is simply to reduce cost. Save on postage by using bulk rates. Direct mail companies can help you determine ways to save money through mailing. Keep in mind, different size direct mail pieces cost different amounts to mail. You will want to balance cost with an appeal. For instance, a smaller postcard will cost less to mail but may get lost in the shuffle. Find a balance of appeal to customers and budget, and utilize direct mail companies’ postage discounts.

7. Retarget. If your direct mail campaign led the potential customer to type in your website URL but did not lead to a buy or conversion, you can retarget them. Using online ad campaigns such as Google Adwords remarketing or Facebook ad retargeting, you can reach the customers who have shown interest in your product or service but did not buy. This gives you an even better target group of customers to address in your advertising because they’ve already shown interest in your company but perhaps they weren’t ready to buy at that particular time. You can also retarget with follow-up direct mail campaigns.

These are just a few options, but there are many other ways to drive conversions and improve response. Work closely with a direct mail company to find individual ways to improve your campaign’s performance.

business marketingCalculating Your Direct Mail ROI

#1 Figure out how much money was generated from the campaign. You will have needed to track your leads with special promo codes or phone numbers.

#2 Add up the costs of your direct mail campaign including graphic design, printing, and postage.

#3 Subtract the total spent from the total sales made to see how much money you made. Keep in mind that repetition will help to brand your company and achieve better results over time. Make sure to leave a long enough window for tracking response. For instance, tracking 30 days after a campaign ends will give you a better picture of an impact than 7 days after a campaign.

Preferred Direct is a commercial printer and direct mail marketing company providing design, print, targeting, and mailing services. To speak to a project manager call 1-833-425-7007, or click here for an online quote.

 At Preferred Direct, we make sure to keep your cost down. You will have a project manager who keeps your print jobs on track. Our project managers stay on top of your print jobs and can answer any questions you have along the way. We even provide emergency print services for those fast approaching deadlines. We also provide tracking so you can be assured that your shipment is arriving in a timely manner. Our Xerox Impika® and HP-T240 printers are top-of-the-line machines that print quality materials fast, ultimately saving you time and money. When choosing a commercial printing company, you can count on Preferred Direct to be cost-effective, speedy, and customer-friendly.

Call us toll-free today at 1-833-425-7007 or click here for an online quote.

Sources: ballantine.com, dmedelivers.com, under30ceo.com

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

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