Vol. 5 No. 4

New technology makes an 88 version mailing more affordable

Franchise companies have always been faced with the difficult task of promoting multiple locations in many different markets. Placing ads with dozens of newspapers and radio stations is a daunting task. Direct mail has always been a good alternative.

The 4-color shell of this Spring-Green mailpiece, was first printed on a web press. Version changes were printed on a sheetfed press and variable data was imaged with inkjetting. Christine Huber of A.M. Mailing Services, LLC, coordinated the production.

The Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp. was founded in Naperville, Illinois in 1977. Direct mail, in one form or another, has always been used in their marketing mix. There are currently about 100 Spring-Green franchises located in 20 states and most are locally owned and operated. Turnkey direct mail programs are a benefit offered to all of the franchise owners. This year over 50% of the franchise’s participated in the direct mail programs offered by Spring Green.

With direct mail, Spring-Green can use the same mailpiece format and rate structure for all franchise owners. A single direct mail promotion can send the same message all across the country. New printing technology has made it affordable to personalize each store location. Better yet, the offer can be changed for each market or even each customer!

The "Priced Selfmailer" is a new program offered by Spring-Green this year. Christine Huber, Customer Service Team Leader at A.M. Mailing Services, LLC, coordinated the project. The mailpiece involved a four-color, two sided tri-fold with two levels of variable printing on one side. Huber first scheduled the four-color shells to print on a web press. The press run of 1.2 million pieces included all the non-variable elements. The piece was trimmed and scored but not folded.

The first level of variable printing added the franchise-level information. This could include return address, telephone contact and promotional offers. These version changes were then printed in black on the pre-printed 8.5x14 shells. A sheetfed press was used to print each version. Less expensive paper plates and simpler press set ups provided huge savings over making these changes on a web press.

The second level of variable printing is record-level information. Not just the usual name and address data, but also a unique price quote. This quote was generated by the local franchise’s computer system based on customer specific information in the database. In short, a participating franchise would select the appropriate records in its’ database, choose a price per lawn care visit for each record, and then generate the mailing list with that unique price quote field included. The mailing lists were e-mailed to Huber. She matched up each list with the correct version and scheduled for production.

This variable data was inkjet printed on A.M.’s triple head Buskro systems. Variable data was imaged in three locations. The trifold mailer was then folded, spot glued, sorted and held for mailing. Each franchise chose drop dates to fit their marketing needs.

Production-wise there were many challenges for Huber. The two levels of variable print had to line up with the base-run, four-color copy. Close scrutiny to proofing was critical. From the administrative standpoint, she had to coordinate the franchise-level and record-level data provided from dozens of participating franchises. Nicole Harris the Support Programs Coordinator at Spring-Green worked closely with Huber to make sure all the data was collected in time to meet the production schedule. Finally, the mailing list data had to be matched up with the correct franchise version. All this was accomplished on time and without error.

Michael D’Aversa, the Marketing Manager at Spring Green, explained the program like this. "The individual franchise owners and managers benefit from a program of this sort in several ways. First, the program is made affordable by virtue of their combined volume. A mailpiece like this could not be produced cost-effectively in small volume. Second, it’s a hands-off project for each franchise once the order is placed. Besides generating the mailing list and e-mailing it to us, there is no labor involved for them. If a franchise owner coordinated his/her own mailing project, it would take hours of time away from their business…lawn and tree care. With this program, each franchise can execute a professional-looking direct mail piece without having to learn (or worry about) how it was done. That’s important because ease of execution increases participation."

D’Aversa summed up the success of their direct mail program. "Spring-Green franchisees didn’t become owners because they wanted to learn direct mail design and production. Professional lawn and tree care is their business and they do that very, very well. Professional printing and mailing is A.M. Mailing’s business. That part is best left to them because they do that very well too!"

Editors Note: Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp. is among the top five lawn service companies nationally. Direct mail helps them maintain a strong competitive posture in the markets where they operate. Through their network of franchises around the country, they have provided individualized lawn and tree care services to residential and commercial customers for 25 years. The company continues to grant new franchise operations. For more information visit www.spring-green.com.