Wow Direct Mail Newsletter

W O W Mail

t c e r Di

Design Resources

Letter from the editor Dear Reader, 56% of consumers think print marketing is the most trustworthy of all marketing channels. [source: http://printinthemix.com/Fastfacts/ Show/749]

That’s just one of the many reasons why direct mail is so effective. A printed piece offers a tactile experience, the ability to read at one’s leisure, and a welcome break from the digital overload that accompanies email and social media.

Whether you already have your own in-house direct mail list or you need to purchase one to get started, Conlin’s is here to help you every step of the way. This direct mail guide brings together some of our best resources for mail, from our campaign planning article to our popular Direct Mail Checklist.

Email us at marketing@conlinsprint.com with any questions or comments about our direct mail resources. We look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

We are so exci ted to share with you our co mpany video, created by Mae stro Filmworks.

This video feat ures Bill and Bi lly and provides a behi nd-the-scenes lo ok at Conlin’s print pr ocess and our loyal employee s!

Watch the video on our homepage at

ConlinsPrint.com

THE ANATOMY of a DIRECT MAIL PIECE There’s a lot that goes into the design of a direct mail piece. Not only do certain elements (such as the address and indicia) need to conform to post office standards, but there’s also a bit of a science behind the design. The size, colors, and verbiage you choose all determine the effectiveness of your message.

Here are a few important points to remember when designing for direct mail:

Variable Data Allows for Personalization!

Ted, GET YOUR CUSTOM ERS

ATTENTION WITH PERSONALIZED

Bright and Eye-catching Imagery

DIRECT MAIL!

POSTCARD FRONT

Flip the postcard for more details.

Display important information in larger text (Company name, Contact Info, etc.)

Use ‘bait’ to keep the recipient’s eye moving through the piece

Logo and Return Address

LET US SHO WHAT WE CW YOU AN DO! Conlin’s prof es

sional and ex will ensure perienced st your projec aff t is done rig on time, an ht, delivered d within your budget.

First time. Ev er y time.

PO ST CA RD BA CK

Bold Website

• Pre so rt Lis ts for Ma xim um Po sta ge • IM b (In tel Dis co un ts lig en t Ma il Ba rco de ) wi • No Ad dit ion th Ma ilTr ac al Ch ar ge k Tra cin g for a Lin k to • CA SS Ce rtif Tra ck Yo ur Ow ied (Ve rifi ca n Ma il! tio n Sta tus • Du pli ca tio of an Ad dre n De tec tio n ss Lis t) an d Eli mi na • NC OA Ce tio n rtified (N ati on al Ch an ge • Ad dre ss fro of Ad dre ss m Yo ur Da tab Lis t) as e of We Wi Fit Yo ur Ne ed ll Fin d Lis ts s tha t • Fo ldi ng , Ins ert ing , Wa fer Se ali ng , Ta pin • Va ria ble g, an d UV Co Da ta (U nli mi ted Fie lds ) ati ng • Us e Ou r Po sta l No Pro ble m) Pe rm its or Yo ur (N on -Pr ofi t Pe rm its Are • Fu ll Co lor Enve lop e Pri nti ng • Un iqu e Sh ap e Die Cu ttin g • To tal Pro jec t Ma na ge me nt Inc lud ing Po st Of fic e De liv ery to the • ED DM (Ev ery Do or Dir ec t Ma il)

1011 West Eig hth Ave. King of Prussia , PA 19406 610.337.4460

or Postage rmit e Indicia P on ti a Inform Add postage information here.

ConlinsPrin

t.com

123 Design, LLC Theodore Ma rcus 9070 Wellingto n Drive, Suite 921 King of Prussia , PA 19406

Customize Recipients

CALL 610.33 7.446 Include a Clear Call to Action

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Mailing Pane

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T C E R I D E V I T C E F F E N A N A L S P E T S E HOW TO P L P M I S 3 N I N G I MAIL CAMPA

ys s will alwa n ig a p m a c le your three simp g tool, but re n a ti e re rk e a H . m l d e u is a powerf ey are properly plann ext campaign.

Direct mail th ve when ils of your n ti ta c e e d ff e e t s th o n be m lp you pla steps to he

1. SET THE GOAL. Before you determine any details about the campaign, you first must define the end-goal that you want to achieve. Your goal needs to be SMART. For those unfamiliar with the concept of SMART goals, this acronym stands for: • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Realistic • Time Sensitive*

or to get customers to check out your website.

A FEW EXAMPLES: Get 100 new visitors to our website by date*.

Give 20 quotes for our party planning services by date*.

Obtain 3 new logo design clients by date*.

Your goal doesn’t necessarily need to be sales related. It could be to incite people to request quotes for products or services, to spread brand awareness,

*While it’s not always necessary to give your campaign goals a deadline, putting a time limit on whatever you are offering in your mailing will give a sense of urgency, which could instigate a quicker response.

2. SELECT YOUR LIST. Now it’s time to choose your list. Having the right list is every bit as important as designing an effective mail piece. Sending a great piece to the wrong audience will still result in a failed campaign.

Your goal is to send a relevant and effective mailer to a carefully selected list. Here are a few key questions to ask: WHAT INDUSTRY WOULD I LIKE TO REACH? Narrowing this down can help you target your campaign more effectively than if you try to reach a broader audience.

WHAT TYPE OF LIST WILL I BE USING? If you have collected data from your customers, you could send your mailing to your customer list (or to a specific segment of that list).

Your other option is to purchase a new mailing list.

You can choose lists that meet the specific criteria of your desired audience. For example, you could request a list of retail businesses within ten miles of

you. You could further divide the list by income level, years in business, and more.

WHAT SIZE LIST SHOULD I BE USING? To determine list size, refer back to the number you determined when you set your SMART goal. The average response for a direct mailing is 2%, but you may want to use a 1% response rate to create projections, especially if you are using a cold list.

Keep in mind that if you are selling or prospecting new clients, a response does not necessarily equate to a sale. If you know from experience that out of 10 leads, 2 of them will usually become new clients, you’ll want to take those statistics into consideration as well.

Obviously there’s no infallible way to predict response rates, but these numbers should help you estimate the size list you will need to achieve your goals.

3. DESIGN THE CAMPAIGN. Before you start designing, make sure you craft two things: 1) a powerful headline and 2) a clear call-to-action.

HEADLINE. The most important part of your campaign is the headline. If the headline doesn’t grab their attention, then your piece will most likely end up in the trash. Don’t rush through this - many marketers spend hours creating the perfect headline.

When crafting the headline, consider your audience’s felt needs, and write something that will speak to those needs and offer a solution. Draft up a few sample headlines and have others review them to

test their effectiveness.

CALL-TO-ACTION. What action do you want your customer to take in response to viewing this piece?

Refer once again to your SMART goal - perhaps it was, “Give 20 quotes for our party planning services.”

Your call-to-action could be, “Call ###-###-#### for a quote!”

Now that these two items are determined, you can draft up supporting content, select images, and design the piece.

l i a m t c e r i d f “80-90% o , while only gets opened email gets 20-30% of ood day.” opened on a g r Solutions)

(Resource fo

6 WAYS TO GET YOUR DIRECT MAIL ENVELOPE OPENED Direct mail can be a powerful marketing tool, so if you’re using mail as a part of your marketing campaign, you’re already a step ahead. Go even further by making sure that your envelope stands out from the rest of the pile!

Here are a few easy tricks for getting that envelope opened: 1. USE BRIGHTLY COLORED ENVELOPES Stand out from the pile of white envelopes by using eye-catching neon colors.

2. ADD “BAIT” TO YOUR ENVELOPE Bait is a great way to entice the recipient to open the envelope.

For our magazine campaign, we used the line, “Take a look inside!” to get people curious about the contents.

3. A UNIQUE SIZE OR SHAPE Make your mail piece oversized so it doesn’t get lost in the pile.

Better yet, send a small package.

Packages create a sense of intrigue about what’s inside and are more likely to get opened than an envelope.

4. USE REAL STAMPS AND/OR HAND ADDRESS This is more labor-intensive, but for a small mailing it lends a personal touch. People are less likely to write off a handwritten or hand-stamped envelope as “junk mail,” and are therefore more likely to open it.

5. USE METALLIC OR TEXTURES Add tactile interest to take your envelope to the next level! A metallic envelope catches the eye and has a unique finish.

You can also try envelopes in a variety of textured stocks that include smooth, linen, vellum, and feltmark.

6. USE A WINDOW ENVELOPE If your mailer contains something beautiful or unusual, give recipients a peek inside by placing it in a window envelope.

DESIGN RESOURCES:

Conlin’s has free resources available to help with your design. We’ve pulled together a few of our favorites for you!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAN EFFECTIVE DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS (WITH PRINTABLE CHECKLIST)

A SIMPLE 4-STEP GUIDE TO DIRECT MAIL

EVERY DOOR DIRECT MAIL VS BULK MAIL: WHICH SHOULD YOUR BUSINESS USE?

DIRECT MAIL TEMPLATES AVAILABLE IN OUR RESOURCE LIBRARY”

Visit ConlinsPress.com to access these resources!

1011 West Eighth Ave. King Of Prussia, PA 19406 610-337-4460 kingofprussia@conlinsprint.com

Follow @ConlinsPrint for #Printspiration, design tips, and behind-the-scenes pics!

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ConlinsPress.com | 610-337-4460 FOR PRINT TUTORIALS, DESIGN RESOURCES, AND MARKETING TIPS, VISIT WWW.CONLINSPRESS.COM.