Save Money on Direct Mail to the USA

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If you’re a Canadian company with customers in the United States, the rising Canadian dollar has probably reduced your Canadian dollar revenue. You’re probably scrutinizing all of your costs looking for every opportunity to save.

If you send more than 200 items per mailing, such as marketing literature, newsletters or catalogues to your customers south of the border, consider the following tips that can help reduce your mailing or direct mail costs.

  • Can you reduce your postage costs?
    Are there ways of bundling, pre-sorting and routing that can reduce your total postage costs? If you are mailing to the USA in lots of 200 or more,  there can be a cost savings opportunities available to you.
  • Can the weight of your direct mail piece be reduced?
    Weight counts and choosing a lighter weight of paper stock can be critical. Using a smaller envelope will also reduce weight. Or you might want to redesign from a flyer to a drive-to-website postcard.
  • Can the size of your direct mail item be optimized for a lower cost?
    Perhaps your marketing agency suggested a non-standard size mailer so that your direct mail item would stand out in a pile of mail. Could this be resulting in significant extra cost?

If you send more than 200 items per mailing, savings can quickly add up.

As part of our direct mail and mailing fulfillment services, we regularly discuss cost-saving tactics like these with our customers. Call us today to discuss how you might be able to reduce your direct mail costs.

Donna Kutter
Dare Marketing
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Double Duty: Learn More About Your Buyers With Help From Your Rebate Fulfillment House

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Do you ever wonder about the people who buy your products? You can learn a lot about who buys your products by collecting data through a rebate program. You can ask buyers why they bought your product or if there is a new product line that you should consider. Perhaps there’s a need you currently aren’t meeting. Wow! Now you know what to market to your clients.

Here are 5 different things you can find about your customers:

  1. Who they are
  2. Why they bought your product
  3. Where they bought your product
  4. What they think about your product
  5. Which related products are they thinking about buying next.

    To collect this data, are you taking advantage of all the services available from your rebate fulfillment house? If you are working with a fulfillment house as part of your rebate fulfillment program, why not have them capture the data for you?

    A fulfillment house typically has both the experience and manpower to efficiently capture data and provide it to you in a summarized, easily digestible format. Data capture can be tedious and requires time that may not be easily available in your office.

    Why take the time to capture the data? Data not gathered is a lost marketing opportunity. Even just names and addresses can be used as the building blocks for an email newsletter (with permission, of course). A rebate fulfillment program can be designed to ask customers strategic questions such as “How does our product compare with our competitors?”

    Build your data capture goals into the design of your rebate fulfillment program. Consult your fulfillment house early, as they may have some ideas on how to make the data capture of your rebate program even more effective.

    Do you have comments about rebate management or rebate fulfillment programs? We welcome discussion, so please do comment.

    Donna Kutter
    Dare Marketing
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    Direct Mailing List Quality Key to Successful Direct Mail Campaigns

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    Some days it can seem like your direct mailing list is out-of-date before you finish compiling it.  No sooner have you included a new name on your list than your new prospect has moved.  Maintaining your direct mailing list is a continuous process.  And by paying attention to a few important details you can save a few dollars.

    Here are three common problems to watch for in your direct mailing list:

    • Are there duplicate addresses?

      • Do you have the same person appearing more than once on your direct mailing list?  Possibly under different pseudonyms?   For example, does your direct mailing list have Mr. Smith listed as Joe Smith, J.S. Smith, or J. Sam Smith – all with the same address?  Mailing to Mr. Smith three times not only wastes your money but is likely to irritate him.

    • Are all of your addresses complete?

      • A direct mailing piece that has an incomplete address will simply be returned to you.  Postal codes for example, present their own set of problems.   Have all of your postal codes been input into your direct mailing list accurately? Have zeros been accidentally keyed in for the letter O?   A search function on your mailing list program will be able to help you identify these errors. 

    • Is all of the information on your direct mailing list current?
      How old is your direct mailing list?  When was the last time you checked each listing? Whether you maintain your own direct mailing list or purchase a list from a service provider, it is well worth the cost to update the information through an outbound calling service that will verify your contact’s name and address. After all, people change jobs, move or change interests.  A direct mailing list provider will be able to help you with this service.  

    Nobody wants part of their direct mailing campaign delivered to the wrong person, or worse yet to the wrong person twice!  A direct mailing list that is accurate and current can be the key to a successful direct mailing campaign.

    Do you have processes that’ve worked for you to help you keep your direct mailing lists in order?
    Donna Kutter
    Dare Marketing
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    Tips on Choosing a Fulfillment Company That’s Right for You

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    One of the topics of focus of the October 2009 issue of Direct Marketing News (dmn.ca) is fulfillment.

    In this issue, Donna Kutter has contributed some tips on choosing a fulfillment company. Donna’s article, titled Not All Fulfillment Houses are Created Equal, is on page 7 of the October issue of DMN.

    This article can also be read on Dare Marketing’s website:
    Not All Fulfillment Houses are Created Equal.

    How does this compare with your experience selecting fulfillment companies?

    Make Sure your Direct Mail Project gets to your Customer On-Time!

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    There’s nothing more disappointing than having your direct mail campaign arrive in your customer’s hands late because one your vendors needed a little extra time.

    To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, create a critical path or ‘work-back schedule’ allowing extra time between the stages of your direct mail project.

    When does your direct mail brochure have to be in the hands of your customer? Subtract one day from your delivery date, and you are ready to begin creating your direct mail critical path.

    • Begin with your Fulfillment House
      Provide the specifics of your direct mail project to your fulfillment house. Remember, that polybagging and other types of piece work require extra time. They will also be able to help you estimate the time Canada Post takes. Sure it’s cheaper to use ad mail, but it can take up to 10 days to get your direct mail marketing piece into the hands of your customer.
    • Printing and Designing your Direct Mail Collateral
      Make sure you understand from your design team how long it will take to get your direct mail postcard, flyer, package or brochure to the printer. Add a few days for last minute changes, just in case market conditions change and you have to tweak the mailing. Discuss with your printer how long it will take to print your direct mail brochure. Remember to add time for delivery to the fulfillment house and a few days for disruption and contingency.

    A well planned but flexible critical path will ensure that your direct mail piece is in the hands of your customer when scheduled.

    Do you have a tip that’s worked for you to help you get your direct mail project done on time and on budget? We’d love to hear your direct mail project tips.

    Donna Kutter
    Dare Marketing
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    Save On Your Direct Mailing Postage Costs

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    The decisions you make when planning your direct mailing campaign can greatly affect your direct mailing costs. Here are a few tips to help you trim the postage costs for your direct mailing project.

    FOLDING = SAVINGS
    Size does matter. The smaller the envelope, the lower your direct mailing costs. If it’s a flyer, letter or brochure to be sent in an envelope, consider designing your direct mail item so that it fits a #10 envelope. By simply reducing the physical size of your direct mail piece, you can cut your costs in half.

    WEIGHT = SAVINGS
    Paying attention to the amount of paper you use can really save you dollars in your direct mailing costs. Postage costs are determined by the entire weight of your direct mail item – (including the weight of the envelope you use). Printing on two sides or choosing a lighter weight of paper will help to reduce your direct mailing costs.

    VOLUME = SAVINGS
    Use bulk mail. Did you know that addressed direct mail containing over 1,000 pieces can be sent out using Canada Post Admail rates? These rates are drastically cheaper than regular letter mail and can help keep the costs of your direct mailing project in line.

    Do you have another favourite tip that’s helping you keep the lid on your direct mailing costs during these tough times?

    Donna Kutter
    Dare Marketing
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    Dare Marketing Joins WEConnect

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    Dare Marketing is proud to be certified by WEConnect Canada, a non-profit organization supporting supply chain diversity through delivery of independent international certification for women-owned companies.

    WEConnect Canada is a part of the WEConnect International network, which works to support the growing corporate and public sector demand for diverse supply chains that include women’s business enterprises based in Canada and around the world.

    Read the full press release on Dare Marketing’s website.