Vol. 7 No. 4

DM News & Tips

USPS releases household mail study
Advertising mail represents more than half of all mail received by households. More than 91 billion pieces of Standard, Nonprofit and First Class advertising mail is delivered to households annually. That represents about 15 pieces per household per week.

Direct mail’s environmental impact - minimal
Although advertising mail has increased, it represents just 1.8% of all waste. Recycling efforts have improved in the last decade. The amount of direct mail found in landfills has actually declined by 5%. The production of household ad mail accounts for only .13 percent of the energy used in the U.S.

Postcards still get read
Postcards may lack the sophistication of an expensive envelope package. But, a postcard mailing can still be an effective promotional device. They are inexpensive, easy to prepare and considered newsy by recipients. Use postcards for reminders of events, announce price reductions, offer quick tips, drive traffic to a web site, acknowledge an order or just say thanks.

Get more mileage from newsletters
Newsletters are great tools for building and maintaining customer relationships. Many are sent as a selfmailer. Try including them in a promotional package to prospects. A newsletter provides the recipient more in-depth information about a company. It can add credibility to the promotional offer. It shows a prospect what they’ll be getting if they become a customer.

Bigger can be better
Standing out in the mailbox is not easy. There are plenty of bells and whistles being used on envelopes. Jumbo packages are working for some companies. A 9x12 or 10x13 envelope will dominate most mailboxes. There’s room for great graphics and lots of teaser copy. If the primary purpose of the envelope is to get the package opened... maybe a bigger package will get more of them opened. It’s worth a test.