Smart marketers market smarter

I was reading a recent article about how the recession has taken a toll on direct marketing.

I have no doubt that this is true. Everyone is under pressure to reduce expenses and tighten budgets, including the marketing department. While I don't see direct marketing going away, I do see an opportunity, perhaps even a necessity, for people to market smarter.

There are some simple and cost effective methods that have been in use by many for a very long time. However someone people might need some help to find some of these resources if the are just starting to feel budget pinch.

These are all very simple (and even obvious) methods to save money on direct mail and on postage costs, but you might be surprised how many people don't make use of these processes.

The first is to make sure that your mailing list is as accurate as possible. Sounds simple enough but where do you start? Address quality can easily be determined by processing your list through a CASS certified mailing list service. This software is designed to correct and standardize your mailing data. It also identifies problems with your data. These records should either be corrected or removed from your upcoming mail campaign. If the message can't be delivered then the recipient can't make a purchase from you.

The second method is to make sure that your addresses are current. This can be accomplished by processing your mailing list though NCOALink (previously know as National Change of Address / NCOA). NCOALink can identify records on your database that have moved and filed a change of address card with the USPS. you are then able to use this information to update your database with the current address when a match is made. NCOALink can also help identify undeliverable as addressed (UAA) mail. This identification is in the form of people who have moved but have left no forwarding address, and PO Boxes that are closed. Again, they key is getting your message actually delivered to your recipient.

Other methods include services such a the DMA Do Not Mail file and deceased suppression services. If someone has made it clear that they do not want to receive unsolicited mail then it's typically a waste of money and resources to send them a mail piece that the do not want to receive in the first place. Likewise, dead people can't make a purchase from you, and you take the risk of offending the surviving family members with your offer to their loved one that has passed on.

Taking time to clean you mailing list on the front end can save you big on a marketing campaign. These services are also surprisingly cost effective. If the smart marketers are doing, shouldn't you?

Direct Mail Job Postings

For those of you in the direct mail industry that might find yourself in the unfortunate position of looking for a job here is a resource that might be able to help.