Top Mail Marketing Stats of 2015

The year is winding down (Or just getting started, depending on your marketing calendar), and it feels like the perfect weather to sit in front of your laptop with a mug of tea and a nice end-of-year wrap up list. We can't provide you with the tea, but we can provide the list.

Here are some of our favorite statistics from 2015, showing off the power of print, even fifteen years into the 21st century. Click the links for sources, and tell us in the comments what Direct Mail statistics stood out to you, this year.

$46 billion was the amount U.S. organizations spent on direct mail in 2014—up from $44.8 billion in 2013. $9.3 billion is the estimated amount organizations will spend on data for direct mail in 2015, an increase over the previous two years.  

42% of recipients read or scan direct mail pieces. 

14.1% of individuals age 45-54 respond to direct mail pieces, making them the demographic most likely to respond. 

92% of young shoppers say they prefer direct mail for making purchasing decisions. 

70% of Americans say mail is more personal than the internet. 

76% of small businesses say their ideal marketing strategy encompasses a combination of both print and digital communication. 

98% of consumers bring in their mail the day it’s delivered.  

Consumers who received offline direct mail advertisements were able to recall 75% of the time.

Direct mail ads take 21% less cognitive effort to process compared to same ads on digital media.

Direct mail averages a 3.7% response rate with a house list (across all industries).

 

 

What Can Direct Mail Learn from Email?

Doing some reading and research, recently, we found this list from Digital Marketer, showcasing the best and worst email subject lines they had seen over their years of experience. The full list is worth reading, but what stood out to us were a few of the topics they believe are necessary elements of any successful email campaign. Here are three of the eight elements they suggest:

1 – Self-Interest
These are your bread and butter subject lines – you should be using them most frequently.
They are usually direct and speak to a specific benefit your audience will gain by opening the email. Self-interest subject lines also help pre-qualify openers by giving them a clue about your email’s body content.

2 – Curiosity
If self-interest subject lines work because they communicate a direct benefit of opening the email, curiosity-based ones succeed for the exact opposite reason. These peak the interest of subscribers without giving away too much information, leading to higher opens. Be careful though, because curiosity-based subject lines can get old fast and are the most likely to miss their mark.

3 – Offer
Do you like free stuff?  Do you like to buy things?
So does your email list. When you are giving something away or selling something your subscribers would be interested in, directly stating that in your subject line is a great way to convince them to open the email and learn more.

Notice anything?

These same topics and talking points would be just as at-home in a direct mail piece as they are in email. Really, what it comes down to is simple human nature. As much as some of us may not want to admit it, people are typically pretty predictable. By grabbing a consumer's interest with an eye-catching package, envelope, or postcard, you can dramatically improve the success of whatever piece of marketing that package is holding.

Simply sticking a coupon into a plain white envelope is not enough (except when it's exactly what's called for), and smart marketers and business owners are taking the extra time to develop more complex and interesting ways to deliver their marketing materials to their customers.

For the latest advances in print marketing, and information on how to take your mail pieces to the next level, contact us at 866.872.9249 or at info@trayinc.com

The Old Gray Mare - Finding New Ways to Succeed With Print Marketing

If you want to prove that print marketing isn't effective anymore, all you have to do is trot out an old played-out idea, and point at it's failings as proof that paper just doesn't hold weight, anymore.

But that's cheating - right?

Print marketing, like any marketing, thrives on creativity and innovation. Full page newspaper ads and cheaply-made postcards probably don't win over many new consumers. On the other hand, Milton Berle slipping product placement into a TV variety show probably doesn't do a lot anymore, either.

The real marketing success today are wholly unique, and eye-catching, regardless of what medium they're created in. The latest viral YouTube hit isn't relying on old boring ideas - so why should your print efforts fall back on old standbys? If your marketing is constantly going back to the same well of ideas, time and time again, it's time to start looking at the future.

At Tray, we strive to take the execution of print marketing off of your plate, so you can devote more time and head space to coming up with something new - something exciting.

After all, content is still king - a brilliant, thoughtful idea will always be successful. Our business is to help turn your brilliant ideas into a well-executed strategy. Talk to us today to find out how.

Start The Presses: The Resurrection of Print Catalogs

If you've been following your competition, it should be no surprise that catalogs are back in a big way. Once considered old fashioned, many major brands - including top retailers - are going back to the books to attract new customers. What started as a kitsch trend to appeal to hipsters and tactile-loving indie shoppers has caught on once again with everyone from millenials to boomers.

So what's inspiring this sudden return to traditional marketing?

According to Harvard Business Review, it may simply be a sign of the improving economy.

But then the Great Recession hit, and retailers looking to trim their expenditures cut catalog budgets.  With the concurrent rise in online sales and marketing, print media seemed like a waste.  Although some holdouts remained (notably, Patagonia and Brookstone), catalog circulation continued to decline for the next several years.  According to the DMA, in 2012 mailings dropped to its lowest level since it began collecting annual data in 2001.The recent resurgence in the popularity of catalogs raises questions about their value and long-term viability.  Is the latest rebirth of the catalog merely a reflection of the Great Recession’s conclusion? Will they once again fall out of fashion at the first sign of softness in the market?

We have a somewhat more optimistic view. Here are our top three reasons catalogs are back in style:

1. Brands that utilize all marketing channels are more successful than those that limit themselves to one area.

This shouldn't be surprising, right? The more audiences you speak to, the greater your chances of success.

2. Catalogs provide consumers with a physical reminder of your brand.

Emails can be deleted easily. Social media posts can be hidden and ignored. Catalogs are a physical object. Even if consumers are immediately discarding a catalog, they are still pulling it out of a mailbox, looking at it, and carrying it somewhere else. The more time they spend with that book, the more likely they are to open it.

3. Catalogs feel more valuable than digital communications.

Today's consumer knows that printed materials aren't free. A brand that puts the time and investment into developing a catalog (particularly one that feels tailored to the consumer) is a brand showcasing their value and worth to the people that receive it. It makes your brand feel more real, more trustworthy, than digital-only competitors.

So, what do you think is causing this resurgence of catalog marketing? When you're ready to print your own, give us a call - we've got the experience to lead you through this new (old) trend.

QR Codes: Where and How to Use Them

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

So, if you’re toying with the idea of addinga QR code to your next direct mail campaign, here’s what you need to know:

QR Codes Work

There is still some debate as to the effectiveness of QR codes. Some say they don’t pull in the numbers, others say they do. What’s causing the controversy? Many direct marketers aren’t using the technology correctly. However, when QR codes are smartly placed and properly used, the results speak for themselves. A 2013 report from ScanBuy shows 6.7 million scans in just one month.

They’re Not Limited to Retailers

Sure, QR codes are great for retailers. You scan, you get a coupon, BAM. Your chances of turning a prospect into a customer just skyrocketed. However, that’s not the only industry that benefits from the use of QR codes. Restaurants, such as The Melt, are now using the tech to allow their customers to quickly place an order. They scan the code as they walk in and before they are seated their order is already on the grill.

The use of QR codes even extends as far as the big screen. Producers used QR codes to help promote the 2010 movie Inception by placing them on t-shirts, posters, and other merchandise for consumers to scan. The code took them to website titled ‘What is Dream Share?’ - a page specifically designed to add intrigue and suspense prior to the big release date.

But There Are Limits

Ok, let’s get something straight here. QR codes can be great, but they do have their place and that place is not on the side of a speeding bus. How could anybody scan a code if it’s flying by them at 45 mph? Nor does it pay to place one on a poster in a subway station, where mobile service is questionable at best. Always keep accessibility in mind, and use the same logic when considering placement on your postcards and mailers. You won’t see any gain if your prospects can’t access the code.

With a well-considered strategy, QR codes can provide a wealth of opportunity you otherwise may have missed.

What’s your take? Have you come across any particularly innovative or creative QR codes? Tell us about it in the comments!

The Tray Way: What it Means to Create an Award-Winning Best Practice

It is hard for us to be disappointed with how our 2012 started.

Last week, the Print on Demand Initiative (PODi) announced that our organization won their Best Practices Award for digital printing, in the category of Marketing Resource Center for the DOT 2.0 project we did with DoubleTree by Hilton™.

We are extremely proud about the finished product, which was judged based on measured results, value proposition, functionality, scalability, relevance, creativity, and innovation. However, to get to the level of being a "Best Practice", it takes something extra, specifically a client / vendor collaboration that has a common goal of creating something that has the capability of being special.

The team of companies that worked on the "DOT 2.0" project had it in their mind to revolutionize a basic process for DoubleTree that many companies take for granted: Building a comprehensive, single-source, web-to-print toolkit for their international brand. In less than four months, the project team streamlined the collateral printing process of the entire company by creating a toolkit for each hotel property to utilize to develop their own specific promotional materials (e.g. door hangers, menus, key cards, conservation cards, stationery, vehicle signage, etc.). This process allows DoubleTree branding to stay uniform, but also allows for individual franchises to use unique add their unique information when necessary. Additionally, instead of two weeks for delivery, the printing and mailing takes closer to two days.

The goal, which we achieved, was for GMs and Directors of Sales to Directors of F&B and Front Desk Managers (or any hotel employee with the proper access) to order the items he or she needs – and any employee at all can reorder an item that was placed previously. This is especially important in an industry with a high employee turnover rate where the person who created a piece of custom collateral may no
longer be with the organization.

In all, to be recognized with an award for the development of a product that we worked hard on - and came out so successfully - is wonderful. However, beyond the outcome, it was the collaboration with the the client, and the fact that they were as pleased with the outcome as us that truly resonates, and in our mind, makes us a best practice.





The Tray PML Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.
information about the company and its successes, visit www.traypml.com

The Tray Way: Where will Marketing be in 2012?

The end of the year is approaching, which brings with it the end of procrastinating on planning for 2012. While we have a lot of great things to remember about 2011 - especially on the award front, we are looking forward to the opportunities that are ahead of us. So, what is the marketing community thinking about for this upcoming year? There is lots to read about, but one item that caught our eye was a recent press release out of the Midwest regarding forecasting marketing budgets.

According to research by Under the Radar, a Chicago-based firm, most U.S.-based marketing brand managers intend to increase their budgets in 2012, as well as plan to develop even more innovative marketing strategies. Other predictions include:

• Brand marketing managers are quite optimistic about the first half of 2012 and increasingly even more optimistic about the second half of the year.
• ROI will be a key focus, with results surpassing “brand image” in regards to how the budgets are broken out.
• The winners in 2012 will be those brands that can capitalize on innovative experiential marketing opportunities and treat each prospect as a unique customer.

Working with clients in many industry sectors, we agree that 2012 will see a demand for increased focus on the actual dollars-and-cents return that marketing investments are having. For some, this will mean finding the newest technology or platform and jumping full-board into it in hopes that it is the "silver bullet." However, we see this as an opportunity for an experienced firm that has an expertise in all forms of marketing processes to test new, innovative strategies on proven platforms. By continuing the process of integrating one or more current marketing techniques (print, web, social media, etc.), it allows marketing experts to be marketing experts and push a strategy forward, as opposed to research and learn about another platform that is based around potential. Additionally, by evolving and learning from what we know, this will allow for the opportunity to bring tried-and-true marketing processes back to the forefront.

In the end, if 2012 can keep pace with 2011 in the marketing landscape, we are in for an exciting year.

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The Tray PML Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Tray Way: Integrated Marketing Keeps Your Customers in Contact

Integrated marketing is something that we have spoken about a number of times in the past, and it is one of the most important concepts to keep in mind when marketing any brand. One key part of integrated marketing is maintaining communication with your customers. Marketing is not a one-way street, and if consumers have no easy way of responding to a direct mail piece, you may be missing out on valuable feedback and opportunities.

For a good example of how important this simple step can be, see this story from the MarketingWeek.co.uk blog. Contributor Lucy Handley is a marketing analyst, but she is also a consumer. Her work landed her on the mailing lists of a large number of companies, and when the mail marketing started coming in, she decided to explore how easy it was to respond to those companies.

The brands include Volkswagen, Visit Scotland, children’s retailer Great Little Trading Company, the League Managers’ Association and gifts website Not on the High Street…Unwanted emails I can easily delete, send to junk mail or unsubscribe to. But post, especially if it is totally irrelevant, is so much more intrusive and much more of a waste. This time however, I’m not chucking it away, I’m emailing these brands to get them to take me off their mailing lists.

When marketers are spending so much time focused on keeping a consistent brand from print, to social, to websites, it can be easy to forget details like email addresses. Make sure that your customers can respond to your direct mail in a number of ways, and that those methods are consistently checked, watched, and responded to. A rapid response time can help build trust with your customers, and can give you a second chance to win a sale that might have been teetering on the edge.

When trying to get in touch with Volkswagon, however, Handley found that her experience was far from that model.

…the highest profile of those brands, VW, performs much less well. But I must come clean: its dealership mailing was an MOT offer and was actually sent to my late father rather than me. This is surprising, given that two years ago, I had to go into the dealership to tell them, in person, that he had passed away. So I found the dealership online and emailed the relevant contact. Whose email then bounced back. So I emailed the manager, who has not replied. I also emailed via the VW brand website and have had no acknowledgement.

Ultimately, Volkswagon's poor response options left Handley without an easy solution to her complaint. If the mailer had directed her immediately to a different person, the company would have had the opportunity to respond with an apology, an offer, or a method of furthering their communication.

As Handley points out, direct mail doesn't come with an 'unsubscribe' button. There isn't an HTML form on your postcard asking the consumer why they turned down your offer. If you want to make the most of print marketing, make sure that you give consumers an easy way to stay in contact.

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The Tray PML Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our organization's capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Tray Way: Navigating the Mobile Renaissance

Sixteen years ago, in 1995, text messaging was still in its infancy. The technology wouldn’t become widespread for almost a decade, and wasn’t picked up by marketers for a few years after that. It seems like SMS and mobile marketing are still buzzwords thrown around by every agency, so how can we consider this the decade of the mobile rebirth?

Smart phone technology, led by the love-it-or-hate-it iPhone, has completely changed the way marketers can interact with consumers. Check-in apps, augmented reality, mobile websites, QR codes, and yes, SMS marketing, are but a handful of the advertising methods that have opened up to mobile marketers in the past few years. In 2010, the mobile market saw jumps in numbers that left many researchers stunned. Three studies, published in March and July of this year, share some of those statistics

The Growth of Mobile Marketing

• Of the world’s 4 billion mobile phones in use, 1.08 billion are smart phones, and a whopping 3.05 billion are SMS enabled.
• By 2014 [if current rates continue,] mobile internet should take over desktop internet usage.
• One half of all local searches are performed on mobile devices
• On average, Americans spend 2.7 hours per day socializing on their mobile device. That’s over twice the amount of time they spend eating…

For marketers looking to reach a large audience, there are few better avenues than smart phones. As an interactive medium, mobile marketing already has a leg up on passive ad strategies such as television and radio. In fact, of those that react to a mobile ad, “42 percent click on the mobile ad; 35 percent visit the advertiser’s site; 32 percent search for more information on their phone; 49 percent make a purchase and 27 percent call the business.”

Where Does Print Come In?

Since 2010, one of the most common buzzwords in print and mobile marketing has been QR codes. For an integrated marketing campaign, QR can be the glue holding everything together. Like Personalized URL (PURL) codes, QR codes allow smart phone owners to snap a quick photo with their mobile device, and in return, be presented with near-limitless information. QR codes can display text or images, or they can link directly to any URL, video, song, or other online resource. There is no need for the consumer to remember a URL, or write down a phone number, everything is done automatically, as soon as they click their camera button.

All of this means that you can easily print a customized QR code (which are completely free to generate) onto postcards, promotional products, posters, or letterhead. Then it is a simple step for the consumer to leap from the print ad to an online offering.

Even better, while marketers may be completely sick of hearing about the things, consumers are still impressed with the instantly gratifying reward that QR codes offer. The only thing better than a coupon is a coupon you don’t have to cut out, print, or download, right?

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The Tray PML Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our organization's capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.