We’re used to hearing that direct mail is dead, but with a recent article that calls for traditional marketers to retire, we feel the need to speak up. In an article published earlier this month on Business2Community.com, contributor Beth Romelus made the claim that traditional marketers should retire in the face of technology and rising
A school district in Wisconsin learned a tough lesson about direct mail recently: Don’t skimp when it comes to your list. When the Milton School District tried to use direct mail to send surveys to all residents within the district boundaries, their initial mailing missed more than 2300 homes. What went wrong? The school district
If you’ve landed here hoping to see a video of people in suits fighting like animals in the wild (think Mean Girls), you’re probably going to be disappointed. Sorry. If you’re interested in seeing how sales and marketing can work together to make wonderful things happen, then you’re in the right place. This post is
The marketing world can be a scary place. With so many mediums and channels available, it’s often easiest to follow the latest trends – or to stick with only what you know has worked in the past. Unfortunately, neither of these option is great. Consumers’ expectations of brands are evolving, and it’s important that your
By Dave Hytinen I’ve seen something disturbing in the marketing community, and I’m calling it out. My name for it is “couch fishing”. Couch fishing = passive marketing; i.e. waiting for qualified prospects to find you, rather than seeking them out. Think of it this way: You’re wearing your comfy clothes and relaxing on the
It’s Thursday night, and you’re at a local bar with some friends. Somehow, they’ve convinced you to sing karaoke, but when you get up on stage, you find out the screen that displays the lyrics is out of order. You know the beat and some of the verses, so you go for it anyway –
A short while ago, we wrote a post describing the ways that you can get the most out of transactional mail; that is, documents such as statements, bills and notices. One of the four suggestions was to “include personalized messages to cross-sell, upsell or educate.” Lucky for us, there is a much shorter term to
By Dave Hytinen Think about your favorite song. Is the tempo fast or slow? Is the rhythm soothing or exciting? Now think about the last marketing campaign that really resonated with you. Can you remember how many times or how often you noticed elements of the campaign? Though it may be difficult to recall, the
UPDATE: Looking for more current direct mail stats? Read 6½ direct mail stats every marketer should know. More than any other marketing medium, direct mail gets a bad rap. For years, we’ve heard and read statements like “direct mail is dead,” and “I’d rather spend my budget on digital than get pitched in the trash,”
Direct mail presents a rare opportunity to engage your audience’s senses. Take advantage by incorporating a fragrance into your next direct mail piece. A benefit of direct mail is the tangible value it holds for recipients. Unlike many other marketing channels, direct mail can be physically held by your audience. And because of this, direct