Category: Direct Mail
Reach more customers with mail
Customer acquisition has become a key challenge for marketers. The good news is there are three ways you can reach more customers with mail- Partially Addressed Mail, Direct mail and Door Drops.
Many brands face the reality of depleted marketing lists, so attracting new subscribers and increasing customer acquisition has become a top priority. Royal Mail Market Reach has published a guide on 3 Proven ways to boost your acquisition strategy.
How can mail boost your acquisition strategy?
Mail is a proven channel when it comes to boosting acquisition. Its physical and tactile nature grabs customers’ attention, putting your brand directly into their hands. And it’s this physicality that also means it’s a channel customers remember.
All reasons why mail, as part of a multichannel acquisition strategy, can increase awareness and help drive sales. Even digital first businesses like Google and Amazon use mail in their acquisition campaigns.
1. PARTIALLY ADDRESSED MAIL- Target new customers without requiring their data
Partially Addressed Mail is a highly targeted and responsible way to reach new customers. Instead of addressing the mailing to an individual, you can target small groups of around 15 carefully selected households.
There are a couple of ways of targeting new customers – ‘topping up’ and ‘lookalikes’. ‘Topping up’ targets people in postcode areas where you already have customers. ‘Lookalikes’ are simply new postcode areas identified as similar to those where your current customers live.
By combining both ways, you’ll get greater coverage of potential customers, helping to make your campaign successful. Partially Addressed Mail is therefore ideal for achieving targeted reach in specific locations, particularly when combined with other channels.
2. DIRECT MAIL- Reach new customers in a personal way
Direct Mail (DM) is addressed mail sent to a named person. It’s a strong acquisition tool because it opens a one-to-one relationship between your brand and prospective customers. In fact, 70% of people said mail made them feel more valued compared to 30% for email.
Personalisation is one of the reasons why DM has a 94% engagement rate, literally placing your brand into a named individual’s hands. If you have a database or purchase third party data, make Direct Mail a tactile and engaging part of your multichannel acquisition strategy.
3. DOOR DROPS- Reach more households, locally or nationally
Door drops are a flexible and cost-effective way to get leaflets, flyers and brochures into customers’ hands, either locally or nationally. Their versatility is what makes them so appealing.
Whether you want to achieve a broad reach across a specific area, or nationally across
multiple areas, door drops are a targeted way to find the right people at scale. They’re perfect for things like new store openings, events, or promoting services in your local area.
Door drops work hard, too. Research shows that 90% of campaigns that included door drops saw an increase in new customers, compared to 59% of those without.
In addition, 67% of people were prompted to buy after receiving a door drop. So, it’s no surprise that these mailings can add a healthy boost to your sales.
Conclusion
In a world where acquiring new customers is proving ever more difficult, mail gives you a choice of three flexible and effective ways to boost customer acquisition as part of your marketing mix.
At POSITIVE+ we can manage all aspects of your mail campaign. From data cleansing and personalisation to printing and postage, we can take care of the whole process to provide a seamless, cost efficient and high-quality campaign.
To bring your creative ideas to life call us today on 020 8544 5500, email hello@wearepositive.com or visit our Direct Mail page for more information.
Download Royal Mail’s 3 Proven ways to boost your acquisition strategy guide at marketreach.co.uk/3ways
ISO 9001/ 27001 Recertified
POSITIVE is delighted to announce that we have been ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 recertified for another year.
ISO 27001 is the Information Security Management Standard. Accredited organisations assess and prevent information security risks and safeguard their customer’s data and information.
Whilst ISO 9001 helps improve consistency, efficiency and productivity within organisations.
Both ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 certified organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained.
Following a successful annual audit, POSITIVE has earned the right to continue to display the coveted British Assessment Bureau ISO 27001 & 9001 certification marks, which demonstrate conformance to the ISO standard.
Mike Sullivan, Production Director said “We are particularly pleased to be ISO 27001 certified for another year, as it demonstrates that we have the correct processes and controls in place to keep data secure. This is particularly important for our direct mail service”.
POSITIVE provides Design, Print, Direct Mail and Multichannel Marketing solutions. All of our services are carried out in-house to ensure the highest quality from start to finish.
Whether you need to simplify processes, get to market quickly or just want to ensure you achieve your revenue goals, we can help.
To book your FREE consultation contact Sarah Carter, Sales Manager on 020 8544 5500 or email sarah@wearepositive.com
For further information about ISO accreditation visit https://www.british-assessment.co.uk/
Image shows company directors (left to right) Mike Sullivan, Danny Sullivan and Jay Sullivan with their ISO certifications.
Key Advertising Mail Metrics
The Joint Industry Committee (JIC) for Mail has been created to provide the industry with high valued metrics for advertising mail. The metrics can help to plan your direct mail campaigns. You will be able to use the same statistics as other media channels and will be able to compare mail and other channels through both frequency and reach.
For Key JICMail Metrics view our infographic here.
The JICMAIL data is collected through tracking the mail activity of around 1,000 households each quarter.
An app was created that allows the participants to take a photo of each piece of mail received within the first week. They then must log this piece of mail including what they do with it straight away and what they do with it over the next three weeks after the first week.
Advertising mail was split into two different categories; addressed mail which is mail addressed to an individual in the household and door drops which is mail with no address on it.
Key Findings:
- 27% of mail is still “live” after 28 days within the household.
- 21% of all mail items prompt a commercial action.
- 65% of all mail items are opened. Why not 100%? Because not all mail can be opened e.g. leaflets & catalogues.
Addressed Mail:
- 57% of all addressed mail is opened immediately, passed on 1.2 times on average and read 4.2 times by each person on average.
- The average household receives 1.3 items of addressed mail each day. Compare this to their email inboxes – ‘an average office worker receives 121 emails a day’ (Templafy.com).
- Households that comprise couples are more likely to return to their mail, same with 6+ person households
Door Drops:
- For every 100 door drops sent out 10 people will see them.
- The average frequency for door drop interactions is 3.
- Grocery, restaurants and local tradespeople see the highest frequency of re-reading for their door drops.
Positive offers the complete start to finish direct mail service, from data cleansing and management to printing and postage.
To book your free consultation call Sarah Carter, Sales Manager on 020 8544 5500 or email sarah@wearepositive.com
For further information about out more about our direct mail service click here.
For further information about JIC Mail visit https://www.jicmail.org.uk/
Positive continues to achieve ISO certifications
Positive are delighted to announce that we have been ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 certified for another year.
We first achieved the internationally recognised ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 accreditations back in 2016 following an independent assessment by the British Assessment Bureau.
ISO 27001 is the Information Security Management Standard. Accredited organisations assess and prevent information security risks and safeguard their customer’s data and information.
Whilst ISO 9001 helps improve consistency, efficiency and productivity within organisations.
Both ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 certified organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained.
Following a successful annual audit, Positive has earned the right to continue to display the coveted British Assessment Bureau ISO 27001 & 9001 certification marks, which demonstrate conformance to the ISO standard.
Danny Sullivan, Managing Director said “We are particularly pleased to be ISO 27001 certified for another year, as it demonstrates that we have the correct processes and controls in place to keep data secure. This is particularly important for our new multichannel service as well as our established direct mail service”.
Just last month Positive also gained FSC® recertification.
Positive provides Print, Direct Mail and Multichannel Marketing solutions. All of our services are carried out in-house to ensure the highest quality from start to finish.
Whether you need to simplify processes, get to market quickly or just want to ensure you achieve your revenue goals, we can help.
To book your FREE consultation contact Sarah Carter, Sales Manager on 020 8544 5500 or email sarah@wearepositive.com
For further information about ISO accreditation visit https://www.british-assessment.co.uk/
Image shows company directors (left to right) Mike Sullivan, Danny Sullivan and Jay Sullivan with their ISO certifications. If you’re interested in completing the ISO certification, contact ISO Certification Consultants.
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7 Advantages of Direct Mail post GDPR
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an evolution of the existing Data Protection Act coming into force on 25 May 2018. Direct mail will play a unique role in communicating with your customers post GDPR. It is important to know the advantages of direct mail and how it can help drive your businesses success.
Royal Mail recently released a guide on The GDPR Opportunity with Mail.
Here are our top 7 ways direct mail could help your business thrive in a GDPR world:
- You will not need consent for postal marketing – However you will need consent for some calls and for texts and emails under PECR.
- Mail is recommended by the DMA to get consent– Some organisations will decide to repermission some customer segments and mail is well suited for this.
- It is easy to stay in touch – Often people only have one postal address unlike email where people have multiple accounts. They also value being able to open a physical item, whether it’s a letter or a parcel packaged by Australia Post Boxes from PackQueen.
- Mail offers higher response rates than email – Mail is welcomed by recipients as it reassures people that companies recognise and value them.
- Mail primes other media – Royal Mail’s Private Life of Mail study proved emails and other electronic communications are better recognised and received if the recipient had been mailed in the weeks before.
- Don’t forget the power of unaddressed mail – Door drops can be delivered with addressed mail that enables you to re-engage without using personal data.
- No fines as yet for using mail for marketing – According to ICO website 17 penalties were issued in 2017 for channels used such as text, calls and email none for using mail.
Positive are ISO 27001 and DMA accredited print, direct mail and multichannel marketing specialists. We offer a complete start to finish direct mail service, from data cleansing and management to printing and postage.
Find out more about our direct mail service here.
For further information please contact Danny Sullivan, Managing Director on 020 8544 5500 or email danny@wearepositive.com
To download Royal Mail’s “The GDPR Opportunity with Mail” visit http://www.mailmen.co.uk/GDPR/mail-opportunities
Last Posting Dates for Christmas
Getting all of your deliveries in time for when you need them is always a major struggle. Unfortunately, this struggle is only worsened when you add Christmas to the equation. With everyone looking to get their parcels and deliveries done before the big day, delivery services everywhere will be in a mad rush to make sure that everybody is happy. Getting your deliveries to go overseas can be even more strife, since this usually takes a bit longer than most deliveries. However, there are services that allow easier parcel forwarding from the UK, and you may want to have a look at some if you’re desperate to get your parcel to its destination in time for Christmas. Thankfully, Royal Mail have announced UK and International posting dates for Christmas 2017 to keep everybody in the loop:
UK Last Posting Dates Christmas 2017
UK Business Contract Services
Tuesday 19th December – Royal Mail 48
Wednesday 20 December – Royal mail Tracked 48, Royal 24
Thursday 21st December – Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, Royal Mail Tracked 24
Friday 22nd December – Royal mail Special Delivery, Saturday Guaranteed 48
International Last Posting Dates Christmas 2017
International Standard and all International Tracking and Signature service
Saturday 2nd December – Africa, Middle East
Wednesday 6th December – Asia, Cyprus, Far East, Eastern Europe (not including Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia)
Thursday 7th December – Caribbean, Central and South America
Saturday 9th December – Australia, Greece, New Zealand
Wednesday 13th December – Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland
Thursday 14th December – Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA
Friday 15th December – Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
Saturday 16th December – Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
For further information visit https://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/rm-latest-posting-dates-christmas-2017.pdf
At Positive we can help get your Christmas mailings out on time. To discuss your Christmas campaign or to request a quote, please contact Danny Sullivan, Managing Director on 020 8544 5500 or email danny@wearepositive.com
ISO 27001 BENEFITS
ISO 27001 is the Information Security Management Standard. Accredited organisations assess and prevent information security risks and safeguard their customer’s data and information.
Why choose an ISO 27001 printer?
Choosing an ISO 27001 accredited printer will:-
- Keep your data secure
- Protect your reputation
- Reduce errors and costs
- Ensure legal obligations are met
- Manage and minimise risk exposure
Certified organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained.
Positive achieved ISO 27001 accreditation in 2016. We offer a complete start to finish direct mail solution, from data cleansing and management to printing and postage.
Our Surrey based factory provides the full range of integrated print services including digital printing, lithographic printing, large format printing and direct mail.
For further information, please contact Danny Sullivan, Managing Director on 020 8544 5500 or email danny@wearepositive.com
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5 Tips to Achieve Lean Direct Mail & Maximise ROI
The Direct Mail sector is worth £15.2 billion in the UK, however despite the maturity of the sector 20 million mail pieces are still being incorrectly mailed each month costing businesses an estimated £200-£300m annually.
Direct mail waste leads to poorer response rates, unhappy customers and increased overall campaign costs.
Lean Direct Mail (Lean DM) is a concept developed by The Software Bureau as a systematic process for mail providers to minimise waste and maximise results and ROI of mail campaigns for their clients.
5 TIPS TO ACHIEVE LEAN DIRECT MAIL
1. Pack Design
Up to 34% of postage costs could be saved by optimising the pack design to maximise discounts. Your direct mail provider should advise you on the cost differences between pack sizes, weights and formats.
2. Postage Discounts
Postage is often the most expensive part of direct mail campaigns. Downstream Access providers (DSAs) can provide discounted services, whilst opening a Royal Mail business account enables access to volume discounts.
3. Data Formatting
Incorrectly formatted addresses can result in adjustment charges, whilst addresses sourced from CRM and online data capture often include incomplete or missing data. The Postcode Address File (PAF) can be incorporated into many systems to verify and enhance your address data.
4. Data Quality
Around 1.5 million households move and 500,000 people die each year in the UK. Mailing to these people is not only costly but reflects badly on your brand. Data cleansing software such as Cygnus can identify and remove deceased, gone away and duplicate records. If you want, you can do your own self-service data preparation with companies such as Paxata to clean up spare data.
5. Returns Handling
On average 40% of returned mail is due to recipients wishing to opt out from mailings. Maintaining a customer suppression file is not only good practice, but will help you to improve your targeting for your next campaign.
About Positive
This blog was bought to you by Positive Images UK. We are an ISO 27001 and DMA accredited print and direct mail specialist based in Central London and Surrey.
Our direct mail services include design advice, printing, personalisation, stock management, postage, PAF verification, Cygnus data processing & cleansing, client suppression and returns handling.
Click here to find out more about our direct mail service.
How can we help?
To find out more about how our experience can help you:
Call us on 020 8544 5500 or email hello@wearepositive.com
Sources
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POSITIVE invests in Cygnus
Positive is delighted to announce that we have invested in Cygnus, the market leading data cleansing and processing software.
Cygnus allows Positive to deliver a breadth of data cleansing services from simple deduplication to deceased and home mover tracking, as well as mail sortation.
Danny Sullivan, Managing Director said “Cygnus will enable us to improve the quality of our client’s data and maximise their return on investment”.
Positive is committed to continually expanding its direct mail service. This month the integrated print specialist achieved ISO 27001, which demonstrates that we have the correct processes and controls in place to keep data secure.
For further information, please call us on 020 8544 5500 or email hello@wearepositive.com
For further information on Cygnus visit http://www.thesoftwarebureau.com/data-processing/why-cygnus/