• 15% of all consumers receiving at least a catalog and 12% receiving at least a letter, postcard and/or flyer from a company made a purchase on a company’s website.

• According to a survey of 6,400 online shoppers conducted by ComScore, households receiving print catalogs shop online more often and spend more meaningful time at retail websites. The results held regardless of age, income, region or education for the survey respondent.

• The DMA 2010 Statistical Fact Book noted that direct mail represents 52% of total mail volume in the United States.

• Direct mail expenditures in the United States are expected to rise nearly $48 billion – a 5.8% increase over 2010 notes the Winterberry Group Outlook 2011: What to Expect in Direct and Digital Marketing.

• Winterberry Group also reported that businesses in the U.S. spent $45.2 billion on direct mail advertising in 2010, marking a 3.1% increase from 2009 levels.

It’s obvious that the outlook for direct mail is positive and that it continues to be a reliable and profitable marketing channel!

Halm Jet Press equipment can print at speeds up to 60,000 envelopes per hour, four-side two-color bleed, up to and including a 9×12” printing area (one side) and 4 ¼x12” printing area (perfecting).

What does this mean for you, the customer? Faster printing time means quicker turnaround on your most time-sensitive projects. And, as we both know, less staff time spent coordinating projects ultimately transfers to positively impacting your bottom line.

Check out the full Halm Jet Press specs in the PDF sell sheet, then contact The Mail Haus to learn more about how we can offer a quick, high-quality solution to your next direct mail or envelope printing project.

That’s why this month, we’ve decided to focus on a few interesting statistics, garnering inspiration for from USPS’s Deliver magazine. Within each issue, Deliver features a handful of great stats that might help you build a foundation for your next postcard, personalized mailer, brochure or other innovative endeavor. In this post, we’ve compiled a few of our favorites to create a resource for our readers to turn to when in need.

So, let’s dive in! Did you know …

… global direct mail advertising is expected to grow $25 billion by 2015? (According to the online business information site CompaniesandMarkets.com.)

… the average cost, per lead or order, of catalogs is $47.61? (According to the Direct Marketing Association’s 2010 Response Rate Trend Report.)

… the response rate for letter-sized direct mail sent to house lists in 2010 was, on average, 3.42 percent? (According to the same DMA report.)

… that 79 percent of U.S. households either read or scan advertising mail sent to them?

… that 47 percent of U.S. households read catalogs? Only 19 percent discard them without reading!

… affluent households (those earning $150,000+ annually) intend to respond to 2.3 weekly advertising mail pieces?

… 85 billion pieces of direct mail were received by U.S. households in 2009.

What interesting stats do you have to share about the direct mail industry? Have you seen incentives to typically increase open rates? What about segmentation and personalization?

We’d love to hear your numbers, too. The more we share with each other, the more successful our campaigns can become.

The USPS “Quick Service Guide” to 301a can be found here if you want to scan it in-full. Otherwise, know that barcodes must be at least 1/8″ from any edge of the address side. Additionally, here are a few more barcode placement details, as taken directly from the guide:

Address block barcodes must be in one of these four positions:

• Above the address line containing the recipient’s name.
• Below the city, state, and ZIP Code line.
• Above or below the keyline information.
• Above or below the optional endorsement line.

Also note that:

“The minimum clearance between the barcode and any information line above or below it within the address block must be at least 0.040 (1/25) inch for POSTNET barcode or 0.028 inch for an Intelligent Mail barcode. The separation between the barcode and the top line or bottom line of the address block must not exceed 0.625 (5/8) inch. The clearance between the leftmost and rightmost bars and any printing must be at least 0.125 (1/8 inch).”

Finally, if your envelopes have windows or address label barcodes, you’ll want to check out the full 301a QSG on USPS’s website. They have a few more regulations specific to those mailing types listed.

Questions, let us know. We’d be happy to double-check your current envelopes or proposed barcode design to ensure it meets USPS regulations. Better safe than sorry!

The holiday season and retail catalogs have long gone hand-in-hand as seamlessly as turkey and mashed potatoes. Why? Because consumers are ready to buy, and marketers have found direct mailing catalogs to be yet another sales tool to target holiday shoppers.

CB2 holiday catalog cover, 2009

But, things are changing. A recent Direct Marketing News article notes that many large retailers are shifting how they use catalog direct mail pieces. Rather than sounding the “sell, sell, sell!” alarm, communication and branding take center stage. And, they’re more strategically targeted, too:

“Instead, they are shifting from mailing large catalogs to testing smaller, targeted books, as well postcards, coupons and other tools for customer acquisition.”

The bottom line is that catalogs can still work for a retailer, large or small. It’s just time to reassess what purpose it serves. If pushing a hard sell with your catalog has proven results, then continue. But if not, consider other options noted above.

We’ve found that small-batch personalization works wonders for retailers, especially during the holiday season. It makes your customer feel valued—a sentiment often left at the door of busy stores during the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season. Try combining a special offer (or, series of offers) with your mailer as well. It may be just the stand-out gesture needed for your target audience to choose your store over a competitor’s.

We’d love to hear from other retailers out there who utilize catalogs or other direct mailers during the holidays. Have you found catalogs to still be a primary source of sales? If not, what alternative routes have you taken to connect with holiday shoppers?

Mobius Award-winner: "Demolition Push Puppet" direct mailer

Find inspiration, of course! We thought we’d give you a head start by including some of our favorite design and idea inspiration websites within this post. From award-winning pieces to design blog showcases, we hope these resources help you get out of your creativity rut and move forward with the next big direct mail idea.

• In print and online: USPS’ “Deliver Magazine” – Archived issues accessible here: http://bit.ly/dfEDlz
• CLIO Awards – Best of the best in direct mail and more. Check out direct mail winners here: http://bit.ly/bclFjD
• All Graphics Design Blog – Oodles of interesting direct mail concepts and designs: http://bit.ly/OrM9v
• Google Image Search – At Google.com/Images, type in a search phrase such as, “Direct Mail Design.” You’ll find oodles of snazzy direct mail designs to get creative juices flowing!
• Clean Slate Design blog – Direct Mail category: http://bit.ly/cLlGiw
• Mobius Awards – Direct Mail category: (Click individual award images to see them larger): http://bit.ly/9RZufk 

… Any great inspiration spots we missed – either online or offline?

First things first: What exactly is a QR code? The “QR” in “QR code” stands for “Quick Response,” because it triggers just that—a quick recipient response to your marketing message. Here’s an example of what a typical QR code and smartphone looks like:

Image copyright: ZDNet.com

When people come in contact with a QR code on your direct mailer, they simply need to take a snapshot of it on their mobile smartphone, and the phone’s Web browser will automatically direct them to a landing page, personalized to your campaign or piece’s offer.

How cool, right? QR codes on postcards, brochures, pamphlets and other direct mail pieces literally connect the user’s offline and online experiences with the simple snap of a lens. (One caveat to this though: the mobile phone must be equipped with QR code reader software. This comes standard on most smartphones today, but is also available via application or other download.)

If you’re like us, your brain is probably buzzing with marketing possibilities that will really boost response rates. Here are just a few ideas we’ve brainstormed around here:

• Use individual QR codes per recipient to gather data about your customer actions, down to their location, gender, name and more (depending on your original mailing list). The possibility to uncover new insights on response and interaction rates is quite exciting!
• By directing to a specific landing page, you’ll be able to test what drives most Web traffic, time on site and patterns of browsing better than ever before. Test different landing pages for each piece or campaign to find what works best.
• If in the retail biz, push customers directly to an online sale. Related to the landing page point above, consider using QR codes to direct your customer to the exact sale item, section or online promotion you’re marketing. Or, direct them to a page that shows the item already in their cart! We’d be willing to bet sales in that specific area will skyrocket.
• If mailing a series of pieces, or using QR codes in other media, consider running a “QR code scavenger hunt” promotion, where users are rewarded for scanning in the most QR codes from various media with a sale, coupon, free gift or free service. It builds repeat visits while contributing to your research on what QR codes generate the most interaction.

At The Mail Haus, we use variable printing and camera-matched inserting on a regular basis to give our clients the personalization they need to really make their direct mailers succeed. Our hope is that adding QR codes to the mix will only boost your response rates even more! Contact us to learn more about how we can help in your next QR code campaign.

This got us thinking about some of the most creative ways we’ve seen the sense of touch capitalized on in direct mail pieces. Read on for some marketing inspiration that may serve as a springboard for your next direct mail piece to really jump out of the mailbox!

• Textured paper is your friend. Although not perfect for every application, a naturally rough paper (or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, a super-smooth gloss) can really make the difference in whether or not your piece will be picked up or thrown in the trash. Depending on your brand, you can really make a piece pop with carefully selected texture and paper weights.
• Size matters. An oversized postcard or jumbo envelope just beckons to be opened. Or, even better, “thump” pieces that give the hint that a prize lies within are likely culprits for increased open and response rates.
• Make it fun to open. Whether getting to break a foil seal with your finger, open a revealing flap or flip through a booklet of eye-catching graphics, the more fun it is to open and look through, the more effective your piece will be in reeling in the customer to spend more time with it (and, your company).

These are only a few ways how the sense of touch can play in your next direct mail piece. What other ideas are we missing? How do you entice recipients to feel the power of  your direct mailer?

But, rather than assume the worst, we say: Let’s work together! Direct mail has lasted so long as a viable marketing medium for a reason—it works. Social media reaches different audiences and can have a far different impact than direct mail, and vice versa. In some cases, using one effort to drive the other may be just the answer you need to boost your marketing impact and really hit those numbers home.

Here are a few tips on how to connect direct mail to your organization’s online efforts:

1. Use promo codes. On your next direct mail piece, print a promo code (i.e. SAVE10NOW)—redeemable online only—for your customer’s next product or service purchase. 
2. Use a call to action. Invite direct mail recipients to follow you on Twitter or “like” your Facebook page. Print the URL of your social account directly on the mailing piece. Go one step further and offer a reward for users once they complete your desired action.
3. Use alpha-numeric entry codes. With variable printing, you can use print unique contest entry codes on your next direct mail piece. Try delving out a unique code to each recipient and inviting him or her to go online and enter their code in a contest of some sort. 
4. Use mobile bar codes. When scanned by customers’ mobile phones, mobile bar codes immediately take them directly to a URL (that you choose) on their mobile browser.. Try out multiple bar codes that lead to different landing pages and ending actions to really test which pages produce the best results. 
5. Use simple promotion. Holding a webinar next month? Just launch a YouTube channel? Putting together a conference with off- and online counterparts? Consider using direct mail to promote your next big online event. Offline promotion can be just as important as online promotion in boosting event attendees and signups.

These are just a few ideas to add to your marketing arsenal. What others are we missing? How do you connect direct mail to your online or social media efforts?

The U.S. Postal Service is offering a free webinar on Aug. 24 featuring Catalog and Direct Mail industry “best practices.” Delivered by industry experts John Lenser, President, Lenser Multichannel Intelligence, and Michelle Farabaugh, Partner, Lenser Multichannel Intelligence, this webinar is designed to provide smart solutions on how to acquire and retain Web customers.

To participate in this webinar, please click here to register.

Webinar title: Driving Web Sales through the use of Catalog & Direct Mail

Information covered: A well-designed, customer-centric multi-media marketing program provides added value and differentiates your company from the competition while driving the highest level of marketing effectiveness.  In today’s competitive environment, retailers are challenged to acquire customers at a reasonable cost and retain them for many years to come.  The integration and role of catalog and direct mail into the overall internet marketing mix will be discussed as well as how to measure results in a complex, multichannel, multimedia marketing environment.
  
Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2010
  
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar seat now. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer