Client Center    |    Careers    |    Contact  Statement Rendering  Direct Marketing  Commingling  Commercial Print  Process Outsourcing  Business Continuity Home > Frequently Asked Questions FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is there any mailing format that consistently performs better than the others? In a word, no. But you can take advantage of the fact that Direct Mail allows for testing with prompt results. So you can determine the format and approach that works best and provides maximum cost-effectiveness for your market. Should a mailing be personalized? Generally, it's a good idea. Personalization will usually increase response rates, and the more personal you make your mail, the better you're likely to do. Personalization can be as simple as using the recipient's own name in the salutation to as sophisticated as changing blocks of text according to the individual's past purchasing patterns. Higher levels of personalization do add to the cost of the mailing, so you'll want to consider at which level your cost-per-order will be lowest. Why database marketing? It provides a level of targeting and personalized selling that's been a dream of direct marketers almost since the field began. Thanks to today's sophisticated yet inexpensive computer technology, it can be expedited efficiently, simply, and cost-effectively. Database-driven Direct Mail is a superb tool for generating efficient responses, strengthening customer relationships, and settling the foundation for even more powerful marketing programs in the future. Database-driven marketing is heralding in an exciting new age for direct marketers some might even call it a revolution rife with opportunities that were never possible before. How does Direct Mail relate to other advertising media? Many marketers have found that a mailing's response will be higher when it's part of an integrated campaign, which also includes advertising in the print or broadcast media. The resulting "recognition factor" can work in favor of a mailing and bolster its results. If Direct Mail is your only advertising vehicle, you may want to adopt a different creative approach than when your packages are supported by other media. How can the success of a Direct Mail campaign be measured? It depends on what you want your campaign to do for you. Ask yourself some questions. Are you selling directly and looking for cost-per-order that provides a certain profit margin? Are you trying to build in-store traffic? Are you attempting to create long-term customer loyalty? Do you want to generate requests for information at a certain cost-per-inquiry? Are you willing to settle for a break-even response rate if it means garnering a list of names that you can continue to sell to in the future? In other words, the measure of your success is in the mastery of your goals. When I send out a mailing, how long should it take for responses to start coming in? And when can I be fairly certain that responses have run their course? For one thing, response time will depend on whether you mailed First-Class or Standard Mail A. First-Class packages reach their destinations sooner, and so naturally bring back a faster response. If you chart responses against time elapsed, you'll generally see the classic "bell-shaped" curve well known to statisticians. What are the distinguishing strengths of mail? When designing a mailing program, it's helpful to keep the medium's unique capabilities uppermost in mind. That way, you're likely to take advantage of everything that it has to offer. Consider mail's five special strengths, and how you can make them work most effectively for you: Targetability. When you use mail, you select exactly whom you want to talk to. You speak to people in their own language and about their individual needs. You can target in many different ways geographically, demographically, psychographically and combine approaches for still greater selectivity. You can even time your efforts to coincide with a critical point in a customer's buying cycle. Efficiency. With mail, you know that every dollar you spend is being directed at people who are genuine prospects for your product or service. Instead of paying for circulation or viewership that may not be relevant to your needs, your budget is working all-out where it really matters. Flexibility. Mail can handle a wide variety of advertising or marketing tasks. Mail can sell directly, of course. But it's also the medium that can deliver a sample right to the consumer, bring back the information you need to build a database, or develop a dialogue that helps to create a lifetime customer. Measurability. There's no guesswork when it comes to the results of a mail campaign, and virtually no waiting. If you've got a winner worth rolling out, you know right away. By allowing you to rapidly compare the merits of various strategies, mail provides the kind of knowledge that will help you in every aspect of marketing. Accountability. Because you can prove that mail works, it becomes its own justification. As responses pour in, the value of your program speaks for itself. This high level of accountability enables you to proceed with a high level of confidence. About Us    |    Service Solutions    |    Freq Asked Questions    |    Careers Copyright © 2007 Corporate Mailing Services Inc. All Rights Reserved.