Who should my marketing target?

You best customer is a current customer.  You should do all you can to market to your current customers, but when looking for new leads and prospect who should you market to?

The answer is simple market to people or businesses who look like your current customers.  Your customer database is extremely valuable not for just being able to market to your current customer base but also to better understand your customer base and why they use your product or service.

At Action Mail we can take your current customer database and append demographic data to it and provide a demographic report of your customers.  This will help you better understand what your customers look like including age, income, geographic distribution, gender, ethnicity, education level, marital status, and many more demographic indicators.  This information is very helpful in understanding the demographics of your customer base and how to market directly to them in ways that they can relate to.

In addition to helping you understand your customer database Action Mail can also help you market directly to audiences that look like them.  Using the information gathered in the analysis of your customer database, Action Mail can generate a list of new prospect that have the same demographic composition as your current customers.  This takes the guess work out of developing a marketing plan and you can look to gain more customers similar to the ones that have proven to generate revenue.

Action Mail can then help you design a direct mail campaign to target these individuals and can even help you develop specific messaging targeted at each segment.  Targeting the right people is the key to any successful direct mail campaign and what better place to start than targeting people with the same characteristics as your current customers.

Data Encryption for Mailings

Some mailings require additional protections to ensure data remains confidential when sent between parties.  For most of these mailings we use PGP encryption to protect data.  Depending on your data requirements we can always adjust to comply with your policies, but PGP encryption is most common in the industry.

Since different industries require different data security for mailings and each company typically has their own systems to protect and manage data, we will look to comply with the systems you have setup to manage your data.  Though if systems are not developed we recommend that you acquire a PGP encryption software to encrypt data that will be sent for processing.

PGP stands for Pretty Good Encryption and each file is encrypted and locked with a public key.  The only way for this file to be decrypted is for the owner of the public key to use their private key to unlock the file.  There are a number of PGP software providers but we prefer to use Symantec.

Data security is big part of direct mail  Action Mail will always keep files confidential and will work with your data management plan to make sure mailings and data storage complies with your policies.  

HIPAA Compliant, Protecting Data in the USPS Mail Stream

When sending confidential information or information the needs to be HIPAA compliant it is important that the information remains confidential even once it is mailed.  It is a federal offense to tamper with and/or open mail addressed to someone else, but precautions need to be taken to ensure information remains confidential while the mail remains unopen.  

It is important to use security tint envelopes that will prevent the contents from being seen through an unopened envelope.  Security envelopes have patterns on the inside of the envelope so that if someone tries to look through the envelope they will be unable to read the contents.  There are a few different tints available, but regardless of the tint security envelopes will be sufficient to ensure the data concealed in the envelope will not be able to be deciphered by looking through the envelope.

Many companies take the precaution of using security tint envelopes with confidential and HIPAA compliant mailings, but many do not evaluate whether confidential information will be able to be seen through the window on and envelope. It is important to design your mail piece to ensure that no confidential data can be seen through the window, as this can be seen by mail carriers and other individuals who come in contact with unopened mail.  Once inserted into envelopes letters will move, mail houses are required by the USPS to tap the contents of the letter to the bottom of the envelope and ensure that the address fits to a specific area within the window.  Yet, it is very likely that the letter can shift up in the envelope while the mail is being processed.  It is important to understand this and design the letter so that confidential matter cannot be seen if the envelope shifts.  The best way to do this is to ensure that the confidential contents are below the fold and thus cannot be seen regardless of how the letter shifts in the envelope.

It is important to take any step to safeguard confidential information. Ensuring the use of security tint envelopes as well as designing the contents appropriately will help ensure that confidential information cannot be seen when the piece is in the USPS mail stream

Facebook Ads, Cultivating Trust

With the growing concern of Facebook's data policy and how Facebook utilizes user data, Facebook Ads are becoming much more controversial.  It will be likely that response rates to Facebook Ads will decrease as Ads are now being looked at with some skepticism.  One solution is to use a multi-channel marketing approach supplementing direct mail with digital campaigns to build trust and a relationship with recipients.  

Direct Mail has similar capabilities to Facebook as list can be purchased that specifically target people.  Yet, direct mail is looked at as less obtrusive as the sources of the data are vast.  Since recipients cannot pinpoint where the data is coming from it is more difficult for them to realize why they are receiving a certain mail piece and they are more likely to focus on the offer instead of why it is being sent to them.  Direct Mail is also view as less obtrusive as a mail piece cannot follow you around on the internet and know your every mood, but in the same breath the mail piece will have multiple touches in the recpient's home. 

Direct Mail also has a more personal approach than Facebook Ads as each individual advertisement can be personalized and customized for each recipient.  This cultivates trust and a connection as opposed to users focusing on which algorithm is targeting them. It is also possible to retarget house lists and develop relationships with customers with constant communication.  

Facebook is a great marketing tool, but with all the negative publicity it will be beneficial to supplement Facebook marketing with offline channels.  This has also been proven to increase online response rates as there is a much higher brand recognition and sense of trust that can be built.

USPS Secure Mail Destruction

The USPS is now offering a services where a mailer may select to have deliverable first class mail destroyed securely by the USPS instead of being returned to sender.  This new services by the USPS allows mail with personalized information that cannot be delivered to be sustainable and securely destroyed.  Instructions for the USPS to destroy mail pieces in incoded in the barcode of the mail piece and will ensure that returned mail is destroyed instead of returned to the sender.

This service is helpful for information that contains sensitive data and allows mailers to ensure that either the piece is delivered as addressed or destroyed if the USPS is unable to deliver to the address on the mail piece.

There are no additional postage fees for this service but there is some additional work involved to set everything up correctly and monitor the destruction.  Please contact us to learn more.  

Mailing Magnets

It is possible to send magnets within your mail piece, but there are some restrictions which will allow the mailing to qualify for the best USPS and not stick to USPS equipment.  Magnets are a great way to extend the shelf-life of your offer and will get the attention of your recipient.

To send magnets through the mail and get the lowest USPS postage rates follow the guidance below.

For letter-size pieces:

• The magnet should not be thicker than 1/32.

• The magnetic surface may not exceed 26 square inches (length times height).

• The magnetic surface must face the carrier piece but can face either side of the piece

• Enclosed magnets cannot shift excessively.  They can be affixed to the contents, wrapped within the contents, or fill the mailpiece with no more than 1/2 inch clearance between the left and right edges of the magnet and the mailpiece edges.

• Magnets permanently attached to, or prepared as, an integral part of unfolded cardstock pieces should be located on the leading edge of the mailpiece.

For flat-size pieces:

• The magnet should not be thicker than 1/32.

• The magnetic surface must face the carrier piece but can face either side of the piece

• Enclosed magnets cannot shift excessively.  They can be affixed to the contents, wrapped within the contents, or fill the mailpiece with no more than 1/2 inch clearance between the left and right edges of the magnet and the mailpiece edges.

If you have samples of the mailpiece we can have it approved by the USPS to ensure it can run smoothely on the USPS machinery and receive the stamp of approval from the post office.

Direct Mail Price Match

We do our best to match our competitor's listed price, while continuing to offer the same quality and service our customers are accustomed to. 

When comparing estimates or quotes it is important to compare apples to apples.  With direct mail there are many different ways one can conduct a mailing, and each technique or tactic can have a very different price point.  For this reason we custom quote every job to make sure we provide options that are best suited for your mailing and goals.

Direct Mail is complicated and often a few additional expenses can save thousands in the long run and result in a much higher ROI.  For most mailings postage is one of the largest expenses.  Many times a few extra services from a mail house may result in thousands of dollars in savings on postage.  You also want to ensure the accuracy of the mail house, because once your pieces are delivered to the post office the USPS will not refund postage. 

There are different ways to design a mailing which could be a bit more costly but will result in a better looking piece to represent your company appropriately as well as increase your ROI.  For instance using a better quality paper stock can give your direct mail piece a very different look which will better represent your brand and set your piece apart in the mailbox.  There are also additional touches you can add to mail pieces like personalization, live stamps, intricate components, etc that can cost more but have also been proven to increases ROI.  Additionally using a more expensive list will result in additional costs of both the list and per piece postage, but a targeted list will have a higher ROI and you will save on avoiding wasted postage and printing that would have been sent to people outside of your target audience.

Action Mail's direct mail prices are many times the lowest, but instead of the lowest price we focus on providing the best product for you at the best price.  Sometimes it will be a product at the lowest price but other times it will be a bit more expensive but will be higher quality.  We will try our best to price match, but we make sure to provide you with the best priced product for your goals which many times is not cheapest option.

Appending Email Addresses to Data

It is possible to append email addresses to direct mail lists.  All you need is a list of names and addresses and Action Mail can append email addresses to your database.

Match rates are typically about 20%, but it depends on the list, and it is only possible to know the match rate once the list has been processed.  The email addresses we match have opted in to receive marketing emails.  Yet, this does not mean it is appropriate to use these email addresses to send email blasts.  Many email providers ban the use of purchase lists on their platforms, and if you send bulk emails from your own account it is probable that your server will be black listed for sending spam.

Action Mail typically recommends the use of appended email addresses for matching the email address with an IP address or account, so that you can target the individuals through banner adds or social media marketing.  We have also seen people use these lists to send individual emails as opposed to researching and looking for each email address, though this will need to be done carefully to avoid spamming individuals and having a server blacklisted.

We recommend that appended emails be used to target individuals solely by matching the email address to an account or IP address.  Success with email appened data really depends on how it is used and the expectations and understand on what should be done with the data

Prospecting Email Blast

Sending an email blast to your clients who have opted-in to receive emails is a great idea, but what about generating new prospects through email blasts.  This is much trickier due to opt in laws and servers being marked as spam.  

Action Mail offers a service where you can rent an email list of emails who have opted in to receive marketing emails and we can send this prospecting email on a white listed server.  This allows you to access a large quantity of prospects while following the law and protecting your servers.

The open rates are typically about 7% and click through rates are about 1%.  This is not bad especially since these are cold leads.  Conversion really depends on the offer, email design and landing page.

We typically do not recommend stand alone email campaigns but recommending combing them with a direct mail campaign.  Stand alone email campaigns will let you target a large quantity of people for a low cost per an email, but emails to cold leads often get discarded or looked at with suspicion.  When these emails are combined with a physical direct mail piece it will increase the response rates of both the email and the direct mail piece.  It is often also recommendable to send multiple blasts and to cultivate the relationship.

Emails blasts can be an effective marketing tool, but we advise to use caution when implementing them, have realistic expectations and supplement email campaigns with direct mail campaigns

Targeted Political Mailing

Direct mail is integral for political campaigns, but there are a few different approaches that can be taken for political mailings.  Many political campaigns saturate areas, mailing to everyone in a specific area.  This has advantages in that the campaign has a wide reach and there are also postage savings as well as the ability to mail larger pieces at similar postage rates.  This is great for some campaigns, but other times a more targeted approach is necessary.

Targeted political mailings can use data from the registrar of voters or other data sources to specifically target voters, interests, or demographics.  One advantage of targeted political mailers is that you can specifically target voters which saves money on postage and printing.  You can also eliminate certain voters and focus on your mailings on your base.  

Targeted political mailings also give you the option of tailoring the message of the mailer to the specific audience.  Lists can be created and/or segmented so a specific message that resonates with a certain group or demographic can be used.  Creating specific messaging for based on data can be much more effective then canvasing an entire area with a generic message.

There are additional costs in using a targeted approach like an increase in postage, possible increases in printing costs due to variable data printing, list costs, increased design costs for different messaging, etc.  Yet, many times these additional costs are offset by the fact that the mailings will be smaller than the saturation mailings so you will spend less on postage and printing.

Both forms political mailings are very effective but the choice as to using a saturation mailing vs a targeted approach will depend on the type of campaign and which strategy is best suited for the campaign and its messaging.  It can also be very effective to use a mixture of generic and targeted mail pieces.

Machine Insertable Envelopes

Selecting the correct envelope can save thousands in labor costs.  In order to automate the inserting/stuffing of envelopes they will need to be a certain design, as the machine inserters are only compatible with certain envelope types.

Most envelope manufacturers will brand their envelopes as machine insertable, but below are a few tips in order to identify and select the correct type of envelope.  Additionally, if you are looking for something a little bit different than standard envelopes some can be custom made to be machine insertable.

Size: The simplest envelopes to insert by machine are #10, #9 reply envelopes, 6"x9" and 6"x9.5".  For other sizes it is best to contact us to see the most cost effective way to insert these envelopes, as depending on the piece some envelopes are actually more efficient to hand insert.  You will also need to ensure that there is enough room in the envelopes for your inserts.  Many times people try to insert a #9 into a 6x9 which is just too tight of a fit.

Flap: Typically the flap style is what will determine if the envelope is machineable.  The flap needs to be short (about 1.5") and will need rounded corners with about 0.25" radii.  Below are a few samples of what this typically looks like.

Envelopes with square flaps like the one below are not machineable.  Many invitation style envelopes are designed like this.

Seal: Machineable envelopes should be gummed moisture sealed envelopes. Peal and stick as well as press and stick envelopes will not be able to be machine inserted.

These are the basic factors contributing to whether an envelope can be machine inserted, but it is best to contact us to make sure everything is correct.  We can also provide envelopes to ensure they are machine insertable and are the most efficient for your specific mailing. We can also provide color printed envelopes or custom make envelopes for your specific mailing.

Why you should not use word for mail merge documents.

Microsoft word has the ability to create mail merges but we often recommend not using this function as there are a few issues with mail merges in Microsoft Word.  We prefer to use software which allows us to create mail merges within PDF documents.

The problem with word is that the program was not designed specifcally to create mail merges.  Using a PDF software give much more control over the merge and allows for many additional functions.  PDF software allows additional rules to be created, and essentially any rule can be coded into the document.  Some examples are dynamic changes to formatting, change to fit options, variable imagery, etc.  It is also much better to print variable data from a PDF, as opposed to printing from a word file.  

PDF software also allows more options to review the merge to make sure nothing is being truncated or causing unintended changes in the document.  Microsoft word documents often change depending on the settings on each computer.  The alignment and design of the document can also be difficult to control especially with variable data being inserted into the document.

Though we highly recommend using setting up variable data mail merge documents in a PDF software, we can and do use microsoft mail merges for some mailing.  This should only be done for simple merges with address merge and perhaps a variable salutation.  Everything else we recommend using PDF software.  The best way to set something like this up is to send a PDF document with either notes or highlighted fields that indicate the merged field and any other notes indicating special requests.

Proof of Mailing

There are different types of proof of mailings available depending on the type of piece being mailed as well as the how granular the proof of mailing needs to be.

Bulk Mail Receipt: The simplest proof of mailing is a postal receipt.  This can be obtained easily for any bulk mail.  The receipt indicates that the post office received the quantity indicated on the receipt and weight verified the mailing.  This does not provide details on each individual piece

Tracking: Tracking can be added to packages which can then be looked up to see their delivery status.  Tracking can also be added to bulk mailings, but this needs to be done prior to the job being processed, includes an additional fee, and is not 100% accurate as it just indicates that last scan at the delivery post office and many post offices do not have the technology to track every piece.  Bulk mail tracking also gives you an idea of where the mail is in the mail stream and it is difficult to track individual pieces.

Certified Mail: Certified mail will allow you to track the delivery to the post office and receipt of the mail piece.  This is expensive and often not cost effective for bulk mailings.  There are options to certify mailings in bulk but it is still very time consuming and expensive.

Use of Permits: Another way to obtain a proof of mailing is to use your own permit which you will be able to see each transaction on the permit through the USPS dashboard.

Seeds: You can also include seed names in your list so that you know the mail was delivered.  This is a good indicator that your mailing is in the mail stream

For bulk mailings, postal receipts and including seed names should clearly demonstrate that mailings went out, but for some mailings it may be beneficial to include tracking and even certified mail to prove that the mail is in the mail stream and being delivered.  For packages tracking is usually sufficient as all carriers have robust package tracking.

How to reduce shipping costs

The easiest way to reduce shipping costs is by reducing or optimizing packaging.  Depending on the size of the product there are different ways to optimize shipping, but in essence the smaller and lighter the package is the less shipping will cost.  Every ounce matters so reducing packaging or using light weight packaging will have a huge effect in reducing shipping costs.  There are risk involved.  If less or lighter packaging is used this will reduce the integrity of the package and could risk breaking products which will cause losses in product and additional costs to re-ship, as well as an unhappy customer.  Packaging is important for your brand and the customer experience, so it is also important to weigh the aesthetics of the package in addition to the weight and size. It is best to test different packaging types to find a balance of the best packaging to use which will also reduce your shipping rates.  If we are provided samples or even descriptions of the products we would be happy to provide suggestions.

Packing by Hand

Many products are too delicate to pack or insert by machine, so we offer our white glove fulfillment and packing service.  This service can be used for product kitting and fulfillment but can also be used for fulfilling packets, certificates, or complicated mailings.  Sometimes it is even faster and more accurate for us to fulfill by hand.

How to determine if you fulfillment requires hand fulfillment?  Below are a few examples of products that could be hand fulfilled:

• Delicate products that needed to be packed precisly
• Products that require a specific presentation
• Packets or envelopes with multiple sheets of variable information and/or varying page length
• Folders with variable information or insert inside and outside of the folder
• Bulky and irregular shaped products or inserts

There are many different situations when hand packing can be advantagous.  It is best to contact us and we can provide the best recommendation for your specific needs and projects.

Next Day Print and Mail

Need a quick turnaround or have a rush job that needs to mail as soon as possible.  Quick turnarounds and next day jobs depend on the mailing type (postcards, self-mailers, letters), complexity, readiness of the artwork and proof approval, availability of postage funds, size of the mailing, among other variables.  The typical turnaround time for mailings is 2-3 days and for printing and mailing is 2-6 days depending on the complexity and requirements of the job, but contact us if you have a rush job, we can see if we can accomadate your needs.  We highly recommend having everything ready for your mailing well in advanced to ensure ample time to review artfiles, check noncassed and moved records, use less expensive postage, and ensure everything is ready well ahead of the scheduled mail date but we understand that this is not always possible.  Rush and next day turnaround mailings are more expensive, but sometimes there is no choice.  If you have a rush mailing and printing let us know when you need the mailing out by and we can see if we can complete the turn around for you.

What are typical prices for Direct Mail?

Effective direct mail should be custom quoted for your specific job, as no two jobs should be the same.  Due to this it is very difficult to provide typical pricing and costs for direct mail.  Though there are different variables which can effect the price of your direct mail piece.  Below are a few examples:

Printing: Size, color, variable data printing, paper type, volume

Lists: Complexity, Business vs Residential, Names Included, Removal of Duplicates, Suppression List

Postage: Size, weight, and design of the piece, urgency, type of mailing

Direct Mail Services: Complexity, design of the piece, number of inserts, requirement of hand inserting, requirement of tabbing

For examples of ballpark pricing of differently designed pieces please visit here or contact us to receive a custom quote designed specially for your needs.

Customer Database Analysis: Who are best Customers?

Your best customers are your current customers, but do you know who your current customers are and how to target to similar potenial customers.  In additional to marketing to currrent customers it is beneficial to target to propects that look like you current customers.

 Action Mail is able to take your customer list and analyze demographic indicators of who your customers are.  With this information we are able to generate a report demonstrating the percentage of your current customer database that fall into differnet demographic categories.  These categories include, age, gender, income, geography, vehicle types, education level, net worth, presence of children, just to name a few.  

 With this report you can better understand your customer and target new customer that look like your current customers.  Once this report is created there are a few options, we can pull a list that we can generate using the statistics of your report and target a look a like audience or we can focus on a few of the most relevant indicators and generate a list using these indicators.

 Understanding the data behind your current customers is very helpful in creating new campaigns, and in the long run will save money on wasted printing and postage to individuals outside of your target demographic.  Contact us to learn more about how we can analyse your data and target your marketing

Next Day Flyers, Vista Print, and Other Online Printers

There are many online printers to select from but online printing can often be more expensive and of lower quality.  Working with a local print and mail house like Action Mail is a much difference process than submitting files online and hoping they come out as you wished.  Below are a few advantages of using a printer like Action Mail.

Price: Often times online printers are more expensive than printers like Action Mail.  There are costs like additional services (4 color printing on both sides, paper quality), shipping, etc that increase the advertised cost on many websites

Turnaround: Action Mail can many times have faster turnaround times than online printers.  Especially if the printing is being mailed, Action Mail can help you avoid delays and costs associated with shipping.  Action Mail's printing turnaround is typicall 3-6 days depending on the quantity and piece, but we also have the ability to expedite printing if needed.

File Review: Many online printers will print files as they come, whereas Action Mail will review your files to make sure files are setup to print correctly and we will even have a quick review of the content to see if we can identify any errors like spelling errors, etc prior to going to print.  This is very important especially for direct mail printing, as Action Mail will ensure that your printing meets USPS standards to get you the best postage rates

Support:  Many online printers do not have support that you can easily contact to ask questions.  At Action Mail you can always contact one of our sales representatives for help with your printing and mailing needs.  Action Mail can also provide advice on the best stocks to use for your specific job and ways to reduce your print costs.