Even with the increases of postage and availability of internet and email marketing, why would you consider direct mail? Using direct mail complements many other marketing strategies. In some cases, it serves as the central strategy, with telemarketing or local advertisements as supporting techniques.

With the recent boom of internet marketing, many businesses abandon proven methods for the latest trend. Any new marketing technique, including internet marketing, should be used in conjunction with currently working strategies.

Direct mail continues to be an effective and proven method of marketing. Businesses, both large and small, use it effectively every day. In many cases, prospects don’t know the size of the business behind the marketing. This provides small companies with a distinct advantage in a competitive market.

With so many websites and all the list brokers you may find, how can you be sure you'll get a quality and accurate list? Not all lists are equal. The most common lists out there focus on reaching an entire zip code. Others give you more options to filter your selections.

One of the first considerations when buying or renting a mailing list involves how often the list is updated. Vendors should be updating their lists on a regular basis. Some update theirs monthly, some weekly, and some even daily. You must ensure your data provider updates their information regularly. The update frequency depends on the nature of the list and how often you intend on using the addresses. At a minimum, you should expect your vendor to update their information on a monthly basis.

The frequency of the updates should provide a certain level of accuracy. However, other factors affect the accuracy of the information. Using the list yourself is always the best test for accuracy. Beyond testing it yourself, the experience of other clients will provide information about the accuracy. A third way to test the list is to have it validated using commercial quality mailing software package.

Depending on your use of the list, basic searches by zip codes may be all you need. In other cases, you may need extremely detailed filtering capabilities. For consumer lists, you may need options for incomes, children, buying behaviors, and hobbies and interests. For business lists, you may need only industries and revenue, or you may want tomorrow down to employees with specific job titles.

When selecting a list vendor, there are many considerations to ensure you receive a good quality list.

With any marketing, response rates vary with so many different factors. Direct marketing is no different. Specific variables for direct mail include the quality of the list, the design of the piece, the message and/or offer, the call to action, and the print quality.

Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to create the perfect campaign. However, with all things considered equal, the industry response rates average around 3-5%. Some mailings may do much better; others may not perform nearly as well.

Rather than focus on response rates, using Return on Investment (ROI) provides a more useful metric. Depending on your product or service, a profitable campaign could be made by only one sale. In other cases, you may need many, smaller sales to reach the break-even point.

Postal regulations change on a regular basis. Each year, postage rates are reviewed for changes. At the same time, other standards and requirements are reviewed. For businesses that mail, these should be reviewed and understood periodically. The list below highlights some of the most common answers to commonly asked questions. However, these may change, so be sure to refer to the USPS guidelines.

Letter-size mail is:

a. Not less than 5 inches long, 3-1/2 inches high, and 0.007-inch thick.

1. 0.007 inch thick if no more than 4-1/4 inches high and 6 inches long; or

2. 0.009 inch thick if more than 4-1/4 inches high or 6 inches long, or both.

b. Not more than 11-1/2 inches long, or more than 6-1/8 inches high or greater than 1/4-inch thick.

c. Rectangular, with four square corners and parallel opposite sides. Letter-size, card-type mail pieces made of cardstock may have finished corners that do not exceed a radius of 0.125 inch (1/8 inch).

d. Within an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of 1.3 to 2.5, inclusive.

e. Subject to additional dimensional restrictions, depending on mail piece design.

Barcode Clear Zone

Each letter-size piece in an automation price or an Enhanced Carrier Route price mailing must have a barcode clear zone unless the piece bears a POSTNET or an Intelligent Mail barcode with a delivery point routing code in the address block. The barcode clear zone and all printing and material in the clear zone must meet the reflectance standards. The barcode clear zone is a rectangular area in the lower right corner of the address side of cards and letter-size pieces defined by these boundaries:

a. Left: 4-3/4 inches from the right edge of the piece.

b. Right: right edge of the piece.

c. Top: 5/8 inch from the bottom edge of the piece.

d. Bottom: bottom edge of the piece.

5.7 Barcode in Address Block

When the barcode is included as part of the address block:

a. The barcode must be placed in one of these positions:

1. Above the address line containing the recipient's name.

2. Below the city, state, and ZIP Code line.

3. Above or below the keyline information.

4. Above or below the optional endorsement line.

b. The printing of the barcode is prohibited anywhere between the address line containing the recipient's name and the city, state, and ZIP Code line.

c. The minimum clearance between the barcode and any information line above or below it within the address block must be at least 0.040 (1/25) inch for POSTNET barcodes or 0.028 inch for Intelligent Mail barcodes. The separation between the barcode and top line or bottom line of the address block must not exceed 0.625 (5/8) inch. The clearance between the leftmost and rightmost bars and any adjacent printing must be at least 0.125 (1/8) inch.

d. If a window envelope is used, the clearance between the leftmost and rightmost bars and any printing or window edge must be at least 0.125 (1/8) inch. The clearance between the barcode and the top and bottom window edges must be at least 0.040 (1/25) inch for POSTNET barcodes or 0.028 inch for Intelligent Mail barcodes. These clearances must be maintained during the insert's range of movement in the envelope. Address block windows on heavy letter mail must be covered; such windows may be covered on other mail.

e. If an address label is used, a clear space of at least 0.125 (1/8) inch must be left between the barcode and the left and right edges of the address label. The clearance between the barcode and the top and bottom edges of the address label must be at least 0.040 inch for POSTNET barcodes or 0.028 inch for Intelligent Mail barcodes.

f. The rightmost bar must be at least 1/2 inch from the right edge of the mail piece, and the leftmost bar must be less than 10-1/2 inches from the right edge of the mail piece and at least 1/2 inch from the left edge of the mail piece; the top of each bar must be less than 4 inches from the bottom edge of the mail piece; and the bottom line of the address block, including the barcode, must be at least 5/8 inch from the bottom of the mail piece.

Physical Standards for Endorsements

The endorsement or, if combined, endorsements must meet these physical standards:

a. The type size of the endorsement must be at least 8 points.

b. The read direction of the endorsement and return address must be the same as the read direction of the delivery address.

c. The color contrast between the endorsement and the mail piece background must be kept at a reasonable degree. A brilliant colored background or reverse printing is not permitted.

d. A clear space of at least 1/4 inch around (above, below, and both sides) the total area containing the endorsement(s) is required. This 1/4-inch clear space is not required for an endorsement that is applied with a multiline optical character reader (MLOCR) inkjet and placed in the location directly below the postage area and any price marking if the endorsement is clear and legible.

Letter Tray Preparation

Letter trays are prepared as follows:

a. Subject to availability of equipment, standard managed mail (MM) trays must be used for all letter-size mail, except that extended managed mail (EMM) trays must be used when available for letter-size mail that exceeds the inside dimensions of MM trays. When EMM trays are not available for those larger pieces, they must be placed in MM trays, angled back, or placed upright perpendicular to the length of the tray in row(s) to preserve their orientation.

b. Pieces must be "faced" (oriented with all addresses in the same direction with the postage area in the upper right).

c. Each tray prepared must be filled before filling the next tray, with the contents in multiple trays relatively balanced. When preparing full trays, mailers must fill all possible 2-foot trays first; if there is mail remaining for the presort destination, mailers must use a combination of 1-foot and 2-foot trays that results in the fewest total number of trays for that presort level. As an alternative, if there is mail remaining, mailers may move those pieces to the next higher presort level at which there is a minimum quantity.

d. For presort destinations that do not require full trays, pieces are placed in a less-than-full tray.

e. Mailers must use as few trays as possible without jeopardizing price eligibility. For instance, a mailer will never have two 1-foot trays to a single destination; instead, that mail must be placed in a single 2-foot tray. A 1-foot tray is prepared only if it is a full tray with no overflow; or if there is less than 1 foot of mail for that destination; or if the overflow from a full 2-foot tray is less than 1 foot of mail.

f. Each tray must bear the correct tray label.

g. Each tray must be sleeved and strapped.

h. If a mailing is prepared using an MLOCR/barcode sorter and is submitted with standardized documentation, then pieces do not have to be grouped by 3-digit ZIP Code prefix (or by 3-digit scheme, if applicable) in AADC trays, or by AADC in mixed AADC trays.

 

Each Standard Mail mailing is subject to these general standards:

a. All pieces in a mailing must be of the same processing category.

b. Each mailing must contain at least 200 pieces or 50 pounds of pieces, for volume requirement eligibility unique to Presorted Standard price mailings. Other volume standards also can apply, based on the price claimed.

c. All pieces in an automation mailing must be eligible for an automation price.

d. All pieces in a mailing must be sorted together and marked under the standards for the price claimed.

e. Each piece must bear the addressee's name and delivery address, including the correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code, unless an alternative addressing format is used. Detached address labels may be used.

f. Postage must be paid with precanceled stamps, meter stamps, or permit imprint.

g. A postage statement, completed and signed by the mailer, using the correct USPS form or an approved facsimile, must be submitted with each mailing. In addition, mailings must be documented and the standards for the price claimed.

h. Each piece must meet the standards for any other price or discount claimed.

i. Any POSTNET barcode on a mail piece must be correct for the delivery address and meet the standards.

j. Mailings must be deposited at a business mail entry unit of the Post Office where the postage permit or license is held and the annual mailing fee paid, unless deposit elsewhere is permitted by standard.

There are many direct mail or fulfillment companies out there. Choosing one affects the quality of the entire campaign. Many companies offer pre-packaged campaigns based on specific industries. While these quick and easy to use, but each has been used many, many times by your competitors. Other providers simply take your order and produce and mail the materials for you.

If you have a complete campaign created and ready to go, these may be the providers for you to use. If, however, you need more help with the campaign, or need a custom campaign designed, you should work with a provider that you can talk with, preferably in person.

Working with a provider live, by phone or in person, your personality and business goals can be incorporated. You have the ability to talk through, and possibly sketch, some of the conceptual ideas to get a better feel for the materials. A live conversation allows you to discuss the options around the prospect list when defining your target market. Many times, a professional knows other options or criteria that may narrow the list to exactly the prospects you want.

Selecting a provider should be given careful consideration. The decision is based on your ability and confidence to create a successful campaign. If you're not sure, meet with someone. If you have a tested and proven campaign, go with the automated providers who can crank out your materials and get them in the mail right away.

Talking with many marketing experts, you'll hear you must reach prospects between three and thirty times. With internet marketing, you don't know who you're reaching consistently. Newspaper and magazine ads can be targeted, but you still can't ensure the right people see them. 

A well formed direct mail campaign can guarantee that you reach the right people with the right message. For even the most basic direct mail campaign, you need to consider the frequency between when the prices are sent. The number of pieces to be sent also varies based on the product or service. Too many, too quickly, and the prospects will be turned off by the campaign. Too few pieces or not frequently enough and the prospects won't remember and connect the materials. Other considerations include the choice of using a predefined series of pieces or sending multiple stand-alone pieces. 

These don't include the considerations relating the how the market is defined, the size of the market, the complementing marketing techniques used, or the design and message on the pieces. Each campaign develops through a process. While there is no way to define the "best" campaign, there are some basic rules that a campaign must follow to have any chance of success.

1. Use a list of 500 or more prospects for a valid statistical test.
2. Send at least three pieces to each prospect.
3. When possible, create three unique pieces or a series of materials.
4. Incorporate a tracking mechanism for each mailing sent or various pieces.

 

There are many other options or variations that can be included in direct mail campaigns. Each option or variation adds complexity to the campaign and must be chosen carefully. Initial direct mail campaigns should focus on the basic campaign rules defined above.

Beyond the considerations above, a campaign must adhere to all regulations and rules of the US Postal Service. These define the regulations as simple as the height vs. width and thickness. More complex regulations include encoding address and mailing data into an Intelligent Mail Barcode. Other sorting, tray requirements, weighing, and documentation requirements must also fall within the guidelines.

Marketing experts across the world agree on one idea; all marketing needs to be repetitive. Unfortunately, that's about all they agree on. All the research you do will find many opinions on how many times you need to reach each possible customer. These "touches" vary in formats, frequency, and quantity. At a minimum, most will recommend three touches. Some will recommend up to 30 touches.

All experts will agree on one thing; a single marketing attempt is futile. At a minimum, a three touch strategy should be designed. The three touches can vary in form and format. If you have the time and resources, a single mailing can be followed by phone calls and by a walk-in visit. It can refer to a television or radio ad, or even the local paper. These combinations make it complicated to manage.