Vol. 7 No. 3

DM News & Tips

First Class mail declining
The USPS delivered 103.6 billion pieces of mail in 2001. That all time high has since dropped by over 4 billion pieces to 99 billion in 2003. E-mail, faxing and online bill paying have all been contributing factors to the decline in First Class mail usage. In contrast Standard mail volume has increased to 90.4 billion pieces per year. Those increases can be attributed to an improving economy and marketers who are redirecting telemarketing and e-mail marketing dollars to direct mail.

USPS surveys customers
A recent survey conducted by the postal service showed that 44% of direct mail is being read by recipients. Only 6% of direct mail marketing was considered objectionable. It was concluded that while mail is intrusive, it’s not obnoxious like telemarketing and spam. That’s the advantage of direct mail. The Postmaster General, Jack Potter, projects direct mail to grow by 8% annually for the next several years.

Consumer marketplace is changing
Marketers who are crafting brand messages to targeted demographic and psychographic groups are finding they are chasing a moving target. The most recent U.S. Census shows that only 24% of all U.S. households are traditional. Families with married parents and children under the age of 18 are no longer the norm. The other 76% are made up of non-traditional household units that keep changing. Single professional females are a growing consumer segment. Young single parents are coping with running a family on their own. Recently divorced, middle aged men and women are seeking new experiences. Gay couples are raising children. Boomer empty nesters are filling a huge marketing segment. Targeting specific wants, needs and emotions is more important than ever.

24 words that improve copy
When writing direct mail copy use words that sell. Always include some of the traditional marketing words like free, save, new, easy and love. Then pepper your copy with emotional drivers like understand, proven, health, money, safety, discover, right, results, truth, comfort, proud, deserve, happy, trust, value, fun, vital and guarantee.

Tip to test
Add perceived value to an envelope package with this simple idea. Print a teaser statement on the outer envelope warning DO NOT BEND. Even though nothing inside will be damaged by bending, it gets more envelopes opened and creates interest in the contents. Tests have shown increased response rates with this simple teaser.