The United States Postal Service (USPS) does an amazing thing for $0.44 per letter – which is you can drop a letter in the mail anywhere in the US and it will reach it’s destination in 1-3 days – first class mail. So whether you are mailing it to Florida from Alaska it will get there for the cost of $0.44.

Mail costs though add up when you want to mail lots and lots of mail a.k.a. bulk mail. And here’s where knowing delivery options makes it helpful to determine what kind of mailing you’d like to do:

• First Class Mail: 1-3 days, discounts available include presort, automation and prices are based on weight and shape of the piece.
• Standard Mail: 3-10 days, discounts available include presort, automation, nonprofit and prices are based on the piece weighing less than 16 ounes and a minimum mailing quantity of 200 pieces or 50lbs of mail.
• Express Mail: overnight, lower online pricing and some volume incentives, prices are based on weight and destination – though they have flat rate options available.
• Priority Mail: 2-3 days, lower online pricing and some volume incentives are available, prices are based on weight and destination – though they have flat rate options available.

Excuse my lame attempt at humor, but in the direct marketing industry sometimes you hear the oddest questions.

That said, there are a number of effective self-mailer formats available to use for direct mail campaigns. Typically a self-mailer is a piece of paper that has been folded down so it can mail without an envelope (saving on production costs and sometimes postage). A good self-mailer is designed to engage the consumer, provides more space than a post card and can include a reply card or other response tool.

A few types of self-mailers:

1. Snap pak: you’ve seen these, typically these are used for solicitation campaigns, larger quantities of these are produced on an in-line web press w/ selaed ends and side (think about those lovely mortgage offers, or sneaky car warranty offers that appear to be from your manufacturer when in fact they aren’t). These are used when the information inside of the mailer contains private information that you wouldn’t want to have appear if the piece of mail got opened in the process.
2. Sleeve mailer: this is another sealed mailer – usually is a piece that wraps around the inserted piece. Again, like the snap pak these are used when there is information that you don’t want seen be anyone during the mailing process.
3. 2 panel or 3 panel: like any brochure you’ve seen, a piece of paper (or card stock) folded over and wafer sealed to be dropped in the mail.
4. Check book style: this is where there is a piece of paper that wraps around and seals with pages inside that have been either stitched in or glued in to the other edge.
5. Horizontal mail: with a flap that tucks into it and folds on the short end – these are popular for conference registration pieces lately because the smaller size gives a cheaper postage rate.

Using a self-mailer goes back to the basic premise – you must figure out what the goal of your campaign is and then determine the most effective tools for reaching your objectives. Good luck!

Creativity is essential to be effective in your marketing endeavors. As defined by Dictionary.com:

1. the state or quality of being creative.
2. the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.
3. the process by which one utilizes creative ability: Extensive reading stimulated his creativity.

1. Always ask yourself, how can this idea be more creative?
2. What is different about this campaign from our competitors?
3. What ties this to our current marketing efforts?
4. What doesn’t work? Why?
5. What does work? Why?
6. Will you still like the campaign in 3 months?
7. Does the campaign align with your strategic plan?

Good luck!

Interesting facts from the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), in 2010 every dollar spent on direct marketing advertising resulted in $12.57 in direct marketing-driven sales, on average.

I am absolutely fascinated by the role that common sense plays (or doesn’t) in direct marketing.

The definition of common sense (from dictionary.com):

– n

1. plain ordinary good judgment; sound practical sense

– adj

2. inspired by or displaying sound practical sense

When a small company wants to launch a campaign they frequently use common sense – why? Well, quite simply, they can’t afford to not. The marketing budget is small, the need for new and repeat customers is great, and they don’t want to screw up. A good example of common sense marketing by a small company can be found in the work that California Tortilla does marketing their restaurants.

California Tortilla is a rapidly expanding restaurant franchise that originated in the DC Metro Region with one store and has spent the last decade growing. The self-described Queen of Burritos, Pam, has fun with the brand – another hallmark of their restaurants. CalTort doesn’t take itself too seriously and that is conveyed to you consistently through the marketing efforts. CalTort consistently displays common sense with their marketing efforts – emails to draw you into the restaurants on slow days, rewards for loyal customers, secret password days and free pop tart days. Plus the brand doesn’t overwhelm your email box with too many messages, they don’t overwhelm your mail box with too many mailings, and they tie in the campaigns so well with the brand image that it is always fun.

common sense. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/common sense

In the world of “personalized” communications there is one concept that many have trouble with – versioned versus variable.

Versioned: means that for the campaign you have a few options that you’d like to use for the campaign art and copy; and a recipient list for each version.

Variable: means that for the campaign you have ONE data list for the campaign and elements in each piece will change based on what the recipient’s record says in the data list. Elements could be copy, photos or both. If a campaign has multiple elements that change sometimes it could be termed “Versioned/Variable.”

Lots of times I’ll hear that someone wants to do a variable data project - but they describe a versioned project. They have MULTIPLE recipient lists that they want to send a direct mail piece to and for each TYPE of list they have a mailer associated with it. The copy and images in the mailer don’t change based on the recipient, just the file that is used to process the list.

True variable data uses typically uses ONE list with the elements in each record that are to be variable. For instance, if the record is flagged as female versus male, then the images may change based on that distinction. Other elements that are used in variable data campaigns: age range, education level, household income, pet ownership, number of kids, married versus single, past purchases…the list goes on and on.

With variable data the sky is the limit, it is wise to discuss your goals with your partners to ensure you don’t get caught up in the “variables” and never get the piece out.