Check yo' self: The Data Double-check list

• Is the list targeted to the right audience?
• Is the list current? 
• Check against the National Change Of Address Registry 
• Should it be passed through the DMA's 'do not mail file'? 
• Have duplicates been removed? 
• Should it be purged of deceased persons? 
• If the name is incorrect, would adding "Or Current Resident" make sense? 

Maximize Your Micro-Site

Micro-sites are little heaven sent miracles for marketers. They capture leads, collect information, clean up data bases and perhaps most importantly, they provide one entrance point for all of your marketing messages to funnel through.  However, there are a few common errors that make all the difference in when landing page marketing and avoiding the popular pitfalls of improper landing page design can determine whether prospects participate or simply exit the page. Of course a certain amount of drop off is expected. Some users just won't be captured by the content of your site, but by adhering to a few simple guidelines, you can be sure to maximize  the benefits of using a micro-site.

1. Make your offer rad.

People don't want junk. furthermore, people are really good at telling when someone is offering them junk. So if you are going to offer company bumper stickers or free pens as the call to action on your micro-site, then you might want to consider alternate expenditures with your marketing money. However, if you can dig deep and offer something that will really excited potential buyers then hold on to your hat and get ready for flood of traffic passing through your page. Take chik-fil-a for example. They sent out about 5,000 postcards offering prospective customers a coupon for a free chicken sandwich redeemable via a landing page. Within weeks, the company had received more than 14,000 responses to the campaign (viral peer sharing with SynergyVX helped too).

The Ultimate Direct Mail Guide

Putting together a successful direct mail campaign is no easy task; and there  are so many factors that play into the success of a mail campaign it is easy to sweat the small stuff while major mail faux pas slip through the cracks. In an effort to save everyone the headache associated with mismanaged mailers, we have put our heads together and utilized our collaborative direct mailing experience to concoct this ultimate reference for direct mail planning.

What Factors Affect Response Rates?

Three Keys to Success 

The average consumer spends less than a minute examining a direct mail piece. With that in mind, there are very few factors  that actually have an impact on response in that amount of time. So when planning remember that in the 60 seconds a potential customer spends looking over a mail piece, there are really only three things that are going to make a significant difference in response: 

1. The list (who are you mailing to? are they interested in what you have to offer?) determines up to 60% of the success of the campaign
2. The Offer (10% off, free sandwich, etc. What are you presenting to customers that calls them to act) determines 25% of the success
3. The design (postcard, letter in envelope- what does your mailer look like, how is it branded etc.) accounts for up to 15% of the success of a campaign.

Save a bundle on postage.

Postage rates are on the rise once again, and while the post office claims the meager  increase is "small" and essential in addressing the economic crisis the government agency faces in their October 2011 press release, those few cents make a deep dent in the wallets of bulk and direct mailers. Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan. 22, 2012, include:

Letters (1 oz.) – 1-cent increase to 45 cents

Letters additional ounces – unchanged at 20 cents  

Postcards – 3-cent increase to 32 cents

Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.) – 5-cent increase to 85 cents.

Letters to other international destinations – 7-cent increase to $1.05

ADDITIONAL PRICE ADJUSTMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

■■ The price increase for Standard Mail Letters is slightly below the overall average at less than 1.9 percent

■■ A new 3-month pricing option will be available to rent PO Boxes for people on the move and others that need a PO Box for a shorter time period.

■■ Delivery Confirmation will be free for several parcel products as the Postal Service continues to make tracking an integral component of parcels mailed at commercial rates.

So how can direct mailers protect our pocket books? 

Take Advantage of Discounts:

While we are unsure whether bulk and non-profit rates will change bulk postage rates and non-profit rates will definitely be a major savings over first class