Direct Mail Marketing has been a marketing cornerstone since the first concepts of a postal service. Before the Internet's capability to feed information to anywhere in the world, marketing catalogs and other forms of direct mail marketing were often how people in rural areas purchased what they needed to survive. Just because the Internet is the hot new thing in today's commerce arena doesn't mean that the old guard is ineffective or outdated. Keeping this in mind, here are 5 ways marketers can pump some vitality into their current direct mail marketing strategies. 1. Make sure your message is clear As with all ...

Some marketers may feel that direct mail marketing is not a successful use of a marketing budget. However, in a recent study titled "Finding the Right Channel Combination: What Drives Channel Choice," ICOM found that consumers in U.S. and Canada between the ages of 18-34 preferred to learn about marketing offers via mail and newspapers than online sources like social media sites. Also, 36% of U.S. respondents, across all ages, trust the mail more than email — up from 29 percent in 2008. This means direct mail marketing is becoming even more important to companies looking to reach prospective customers. If you ...

Your direct mail marketing campaign cannot be successful if you are not using a quality mailing list. A beautifully designed postcard for your new steakhouse restaurant is worthless to vegetarians. A quality mailing list provider should know very specific details about the people living in your target area. Here are 3 things you need to watch for in a potential mailing list provider. 1. Look At Their Deliverability Percentage Deliverability is the number of addresses on the mailing list that are bad, or undeliverable. If you want a successful direct mail campaign, you need to make sure you aren't wasting money sending out pieces ...

One of the best ways to get the attention of current or prospective clients is by using Personalized URLs. Personalized URLs, or PURLs, allow companies to give out individual URLs that includes the recipient's name. This will direct them to a landing page that is filled with information specific to that person. These personalized websites help boost response rates for direct mail marketing and email campaigns. In an article from Graphic Arts magazine, two personalized URL campaigns are highlighted for their success. One was for the Zeiterion Theatre and the other for Taser International. These direct mail pieces worked so well because ...

More than 16% of the U.S. population moves each year, creating a large pool of potential new movers and new homeowners who could be your next customers. These people are going to need a lot of services, looking into new business and companies, and more receptive to trial offers. New movers spend more in the first 6 months than the typical consumer does in 3 years. Also new movers are 5 times more likely to become long-term customers as compared to existing residents. More specifically, during the year of their move, new mover households spend 52% more than non-movers on home ...

Variable Data Printing (VDP) allows companies to customize their direct mail marketing campaigns in order to provide custom content to individuals. VDP lets you change text, graphics, and images. This means you can create fully optimized direct mail campaigns that appeal to each specific person who is seeing your direct mail piece. Without customized marketing materials, it can be difficult to stand out. Personalized communication can help increase readership, a response, and return on investment. When doing a VDP direct mail marketing campaign, it is important to test the campaign against traditional static campaigns to ensure that the VDP campaign is actually ...

[caption id="attachment_1660" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Source: Target Analytics Index of National Fundraising Performance"][/caption] According to a survey by Target Analytics, direct mail was the main revenue channel for non-profit organizations in 2009. Direct mail delivered almost 8 out of every 10 dollars. Also, most new donors are acquired through direct mail. For index organizations in 2009 a median 87% of all new donors were acquired through the mail, while only 12% of all new donors were acquired online. However the proportion of new donors being acquired online is growing. Over the past five years, the proportion of donors acquired online has risen – from a ...

Direct Mail Marketing can be a simple yet powerful way to get your message directly to your target audience. A smart and effective direct mail marketing campaign can help your business grow by grabbing the attention of potential customers. Here are some of the benefits of a direct mail campaign. According to the United States Postal Service, 98 percent of consumers bring in their mail the day it’s delivered, and 77 percent sort through it immediately. This means there are people who could be seeing your direct mail marketing campaign immediately who could potentially come looking for your business. Direct mail campaigns ...

Are you driving away customers with your email campaigns? By sending out mass emails to all your subscribers, you could be deterring potential customers. Almost half of people who have ever unsubscribed from an email said that it was because the emails weren't relevant to them, according to a survey from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council. Also, 41% said they would consider ending their relationship with a company because of irrelevant email or mailing campaigns and 22% said they would definitely end their relationship. About 3% of opt-in emails for subscribers in the US and Canada were sent to “junk” or ...

Variable data printing (VDP) and digital printing technology allows business owners to target customers more specifically with the aid of specialty data and mailing lists.  With VDP, business owners can define a target market based on income, lifestyle choices, interests, marital status, gender, and an almost infinite number of categories.  Business owners are able to actually imagine the "perfect client," the customer most likely in need of their goods and services, and then systematically and specifically target individuals who fit that description in their direct mail marketing campaigns. These highly targeted direct mail marketing campaigns are even more effective when they ...

During a recession, the business owners that survive - and even thrive - are those who take advantage of the unique opportunities of the times.  In a business climate in which many marketers are cutting expenses by slashing marketing budgets, some are using the latest advances in variable data and digital printing to make the most of every marketing dollar spent. In the past, the owner of a brand new neighborhood restaurant may attract customers and increase awareness in the community with a generic direct mail marketing campaign. The business owner might design an attractive and informative postcard inviting customers. He ...

September 2008- OneIMS Data Group, a division of OneIMS - Integrated Marketing Solutions, announces the launch of its dynamic and newly designed website. This recently launched site contains a wealth of information regarding lead generation strategies and other available solutions for direct marketers. Whether you need fresh leads for national consumers, a list of local businesses, or an obscure specialty segment, the team of experienced data professionals at OneIMS Data Group is ready to assist. A few of the solutions OneIMS Data Group offers are: comprehensive consumer mailing lists, business leads, specialty data, data hygiene, targeted marketing services, and much more. Take ...