Vol. 7 No. 4

Glitz, gimmicks and pizzazz for
direct mail marketing

This CMM mailpiece for Krispy Kreme is a gimmick design that really stands out in the mailbox clutter.

How do you get a mailpiece to jump out of the mailbox? That was the focus of a recent seminar sponsored by the Wisconsin Publishers Production Club. They invited leaders in the field of novelty and specialty printing techniques - to show off their stuff!

Given today’s competitive climate, companies need to be more market driven. Production people need to be able to respond. Attendees of the WPPC seminar were offered a variety of ideas that have helped marketers improve their ROI.

A.J. Buran of the WS Packaging group in Algoma, Wisconsin, presented some specialty labels, stickers and scratch offs that have tested well for direct mail. The WebDecoder™ (featured in A.M. Letterlink Vol. 4 #3) is designed to drive traffic to a web page. It has produced response rates as high as 60% with targeted lists. It’s a simple peel off sticker that clings to a computer screen. When the promotional web page is accessed, a hidden message can be read through the WebDecoder™. The prospect might win a free gift or find a password to enter a sweepstakes.

Buran provided samples of piggyback labels, scratch off games and peel off coupons. All of these products can be affixed to a mailpiece. They keep a recipient interacting with the mailing, which improves response rates.

Sean Hurley from Madison Cutting Die showed how specialty finishing can improve a mailpiece and provide a solution. MCD specializes in enhancing printed materials through foilstamping, embossing and diecutting.

Hurley explained that there has been an increased use in foilstamping and embossing in direct mail. “Like an exclamation point,” said Hurley, “foilstamping and embossing conveys quality, richness and the feeling of authenticity.” It’s an investment that can be well justified. He gave an example of an airline that tested foilstamping on a direct mail piece. The foilstamped mailpiece increased response by 40 percent and generated 300 percent more revenue than the control piece.

The seminar was moderated by Marty Ochs of A.M. Mailing Services. He showed attendees one of the newest products designed for direct mail marketing. Shipshapes worked with the USPS to develop a new category of direct mail called Customized Market Mail (CMM). Almost any free-form shape can now be mailed without an envelope under this classification.

These CMM mailpieces are printed on a plastic substrate. They can be die-cut into the shape of a car, a plane, an ear of corn, or a box of Krispy Kreme™ donuts. A CMM Krispy Kreme™ promotion was sent to a targeted geographic area. It produced a 10% response rate. “This is a revolutionary approach to direct mail that enables your message to pop out of the clutter,” said Ochs.

Ochs pointed out the effectiveness of several unique mailing applications that A.M. has produced for clients. Repositionable Post-it™ notes (RPNs) can now be affixed the outside of an envelope (as seen in A.M. LetterLink Vol. 4 #2). They can be used as teaser copy, a coupon or a reminder device for a website or phone number. A.M. Mailing can personalize the RPN in color while inkjet addressing the outer envelope. “RPN’s have increased response rates by as much as 45%,” said Ochs.

A.M. has a clear vision polywrap that will protect and illuminate a catalog or direct mail package. This package has an advantage over the full window 6x9 or 9x12 envelopes. The contents of a polywrapped package can be seen from both sides!

Trying one of these gimmick items could be the boost your next direct mail package promotion needs. The only way to know for sure is to test it against a control mailing. If you’d like more information on any of these products or services, call A.M. at 608-884-3452.