The Ridiculously Inexpensive Magic Of Direct Mail Letters!

          

The Ridiculously Inexpensive Magic Of Direct Mail Letters!  

Forbes Direct Mail Article

Great article from Forbes on the effectiveness of traditional direct mail and how it can make your phone ring! If you are not currently utilizing direct mail you need to rethink that strategy and reintroduce a multichannel marketing strategy.  If you need help call DeFrance today and we can help point you in the right direction.  

 P.619.474.8626   E.defrance@defranceprinting.com

 

Super Cool Fold of the Week

Here is another great example from Fold Factory...... If your interested in learning more about custom direct mail campaigns, call DeFrance today! 619.474.8626

Bring Your Mail to Life

Coming out in 2013 is something called Augmented Reality. It's a great way to make your direct mail piece come to life through an Iphone, Ipad or any other smart device.  More to come.......

PRESS RELEASE: Local Printer Honored for Sales and Management Skills

It's been way too long since we have posted anything on our blog, not because a lack of projects or ideas to share, we were caught in the political wave of work and have been fortunate enough to have amazing clients that keep us busy. Keep an eye out in early 2013 for lots of projects and promo, after all it's a special year our 120th in business.

In late September DeFrance attended our first CPrint board meeting in Oakland and it was a great experience.

Here is a copy of the press release, while this only lists 2 names there is a whole team that has achieved this.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 18, 2012 Local Printer Honored for Sales and Management Skills Ron and Ronnie Williams, DeFrance Printing, National City, CA, received the top award for both sales growth and management skills from CPrint® International during its semi-annual board meeting in Oakland, CA. Each six months, CPrint® selects the printer who has demonstrated a significant sales growth over the past year, as well as the most significant positive changes in their company over the past six months from among its participants.

According to Todd Nuckols, CPrint® president, DeFrance Printing is among an elite group of companies whose growth and profitability are increasing in the face of ever increasing competition. “DeFrance Printing continues to prosper as it focuses on principles and practices geared to exceptional service to both customers and opportunities for staff,” said Nuckols. “DeFrance Printing is achieving success by being the best print provider for its business customers.”

CPrint® is an organization of independently owned family-based businesses that strive for professionalism and performance among small business that commonly lack highly developed systems and leadership. Companies from throughout North America participate in the program.

DeFrance Printing is the only printer in San Diego that qualified for the prestigious CPrint® designation. The CPrint® designation is available only to printers who demonstrate exceptional quality and service by maintaining standards in operations, training, equipment and software as well as worker benefits and working conditions. This program requires annual onsite recertification as well as participation in continuing educational programs.

DeFrance Printing is located at 320 West 17th Street, National City, CA 91950. For more information about the company, call 619-474-8626, e-mail ron@defranceprinting.com, or visit the company’s website at www.defranceprinting.com.

For more information contact:
Clark Workman
CPrint® International
4710 Chimney Drive Charleston,
WV 25302
(304) 965-7100
www.cprint.com

Direct Mail Spend Expected to Grow 4.6% This Year

"The power of direct marketing".
Click the link to read more results from the DMA. Good info and shows how each aspect of marketing will grow through 2016.

Direct Mail Spend Expected to Grow 4.6% This Year

USPS Summer Sale!

Good morning!!!
We'll you've either clicked on the QR code, typed in the URL or just happened to find us online. Regardless of how, thank you for reading.

If you haven't heard yet the USPS is offering a 3% discount on postage to pieces that include QR Codes which can be read by smart phones.



The requirements are:

1.All mailpieces in the mailing must include a mobile two-dimensional barcode on the outside of the mailpiece or within the mailpiece.

2.The mobile barcode must be used for marketing purposes and must be relevant to the contents of the mailpiece. The objective of the two-dimensional mobile barcode on eligible mail pieces must be to initiate interaction with consumers via mobile smartphones to market, promote, or educate.

3.Standard Mail and First-Class Mail letters and flats must be sent with postage paid entirely using a permit imprint and submitted electronically using Postal Wizard, Mail.dat, or Mail.XML to qualify for the discount. (Mailings submitted via Postal Wizard claiming IMb postage rates cannot exceed 9,999 pieces.)

4.The Mobile Barcode Promotion must be affirmatively claimed on the “Incentive Claimed” line in the certification section of the postage statement.

5.Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011.

This discount is really straight forward, integrate a QR code in your printed piece and receive the discount, simple. We are encouraging all of our mail & marketing customers to participate and enjoy the discount. Call or email us to day to learn more about this amazing deal!

DeFrance Printing
619.474.8626
ronnie@defranceprinting.com

Generate Better Returns with Custom Direct Mail | Deliver Magazine

This is a great article on how custom Direct can and does make a difference in your marketing. It's funny because when talking postcards, selfmailers or newsletters people are constantly hammering on the price. Now, I understand price is important but isnt your ROI (Return on Investment) more important? If not it should be, read more to see why-

Generate Better Returns with Custom Direct Mail | Deliver Magazine

After reading this article if you want to learn more about custom directmail call DeFrance today, we're here to help.

Ronnie Williams
619.474.8626
ronnie@defranceprinting.com

Direct Mail Design and Best Practice | Business 2 Community

Good read especially if your direct marketing.

Direct Mail Design and Best Practice | Business 2 Community

If you need help creating or improving your marketing campaign call DeFrance today!
619.474.8626

8 out of 10 Marketers Recommend Direct Mail to their Colleagues who Chew Gum

New survey shows Direct Mail still important to business to business marketers.

8 out of 10 Marketers Recommend Direct Mail to their Colleagues who Chew Gum

If you need help creating an effective campaign call DeFrance today!
619.474.8626

Postage increase in 2011

Postal rates will increase January, 2011.

The United States Postal Service today filed for a price increase with the Postal Regulatory Commission. Overall, the increase will average 5.6%.

First-Class Mail will rise 5.4% on average making a first class stamp 46 cents. Presorted letter prices will increase an average of 2.1 cents. Presorted flats will jump about 12%, on average.

Standard Mail prices will increase an average of 5.6%. The increase for standard letters will be about 5.0% and flats 5.1%. STD parcels will jump 23.3%, since they currently do not cover their costs. Other classification changes will be proposed as well.

Periodicals will increase by 8% and Package Services will increase 7%, except for Bound Printed Matter flats which will rise only 5%.

The Postal Service acknowledges the price increase will impact customers, but expects the total net benefit of the higher prices to be about $2.3 billion, an amount that will reduce the agency's anticipated Fiscal Year 2011 loss to about $4.7 billion.

The Postal Rate Commission has 90 days to respond and could make changes to the proposed rates. Implementation is planned for January 2, 2011.

We will keep you updated on further developments.
With our inhouse mailing services DeFrance can save you money on postage ensuring you recieve the optimum postage rates on first class, bulk mail or non profit mailings.
Call today for more info-
619.474.8626

Postcard Artwork

DeFrance recently we teamed up with Palm Canyon Resort in Borrego Springs. Like alot of businesses right now they dont have an endless budget so we created a postcard template that can easily be changed while keeping the overall theme consistent. Borrego is a beautiful place to visit offering hiking, mt. biking, off roading, golfing, great food and yes, flowers.
Borrego is located within 2 hours of San Diego and make's a great getaway. For more info go to www.palmcanyonresort.com

Forcasting 2010

"For 2010, I think-I hope!- we'll begin a conversation about balance in the marketing mix. Social media has been the "Next Big Thing" for a couple of years now, but despite the heavy hype, there's been relatively little discussion about it's place as a tool in a toolbox, as opposed it being the salvation of marketing and branding.
Print isn't dead. Television isn't dead. Radio isn't dead. Billboards aren't dead. Direct mail isn't dead. Even newspapers aren't dead. They are all very much alive and there are great opportunities to use them in conjunction(instead of replacing them) with social media and other new media.
By applying the fresh perspectives and philosophies found in new media to more traditional areas of marketing, we can uncover opportunities to innovate and extend beyond what other's have done in the past. Here's hoping 2010 is the year we dust off some of the great media vehicles of the past, and discover new and relevant ways to use them to connect with our audiences."
James Archer Managing Director of Forty Agency

Advanced Viewing

"Oversized windows entice recipients to find out what's inside."

"Back in vogue are oversized-window envelopes that give recipients enough of a peek at the contents to convince them to open it.
The Wilderness Society- a Washington, D.C. based non profit- adopted the larger windows for its bimonthly donor recruitment package, which it mails 2 to 3 million of annually. It now places the traditional single envelope used for the prospecting piece inside another envelope with an oversized window, and donors have taken notice.
When the double-envelope approach was tested against the single envelope, the oversized-window piece produced a 35 percent higher response rate, according to Robin Hickman, the group's director of membership services. She adds that a subsequent test also generated a higher response rate, proving that doubling your efforts really can pay off. - Paula Andruss"

by Paula Andruss from the December issue of Deliver Magazine.

8 Reason's

By David Frey, Marketing Best Practices, Inc
Direct mail is perhaps, one of the most powerful marketing mediums in use today. Few other marketing tools can deliver your message with exact precision at such a low cost. The amount of mail in your mailbox everyday attests to the effectiveness of this medium (If it didn't work, your mailbox would be empty!).
Here are eight reasons why I believe direct mail is still king of the marketing mediums:

Reason # 1: It works when you're notLike the old saying goes, "In rain, sleet, or snow" the mail arrives. Whether you're sleeping, vacationing, working, or walking, your direct mail is working for you. It gives your best sales presentation over and over again without you having to be present.

Reason# 2: It leverages your effortsDo you want to know how to waste your time? Give your best sales presentation to one person at a time. If you do this, you'll only sell one widget at a time. Send out thousands of letters and your best sales pitch is being presented to thousands of people simultaneously. That's called "leverage!"

Reason # 3: Allows you to target with precisionInstead of "spraying and praying" your message to people who may or may not be interested or even qualified to take advantage of your offer, direct mail allows you to pinpoint the people who fit your psychographic, demographic, and geographic profile.

Reason # 4: You get an immediate responseOnce you send out your direct mail piece it doesn't take long to get a response. Within one to two weeks you'll receive about 80 percent to 90 percent of all those who are going to respond. If your campaign works, you'll know about it quickly. If it's a bomb, you'll that quickly as well.

Reason # 5: It's easy to track your return on investmentIf you're a small business owner you can't afford to waste a single penny on wasteful marketing. With direct mail marketing you can code your mail pieces to determine the exact number of responses you received from each campaign. And as I said before, the results of your direct mail campaign come back fast, so once you know what worked and what didn't, you can immediately start to "tweak" your mail piece to increase your response and hold your marketing dollars accountable.

Reason # 6: It's relatively inexpensiveWith just $.34 (at the time of this writing) you can send out a direct mail piece that includes your full marketing message. It is amazing what you can get into a small business size envelope and keep under the $.34 limit. Photos, newspaper articles, letters, special reports, and more can be put in these envelopes for under $.34. This means you can reach 100 target prospects for only $34. Comparatively speaking, that's a bargain!

Reason # 7: It gets one-on-one attentionOne of the best things about direct mail is that it gets one-on-one attention from your target prospect. Unlike billboards or radio and television commercials that get your attention while two to three other things also have your attention. Direct mail is opened one piece at a time and read one piece at a time. It gives you the best chance of catching your prospect's attention and keeping it for a period of time.

Reason # 8: It's something you can touch and feel—it hangs aroundDirect mail is something that you can hold in your hand. It's not made of electrons that can be deleted with the twitch of a finger. It's not a radio frequency signal that is here and then gone a moment later. It is physical. It is something that can hang around for a period of time. It has "lingering" marketing effects.

All these reasons I've mentioned make direct mail a very powerful marketing medium that, if done right, can have a very high return on your marketing dollar.

Reasons' that compel consumers to open their Direct Mail

As recent survey from Vertis Communication asked adult consumers a question, "Which one of the following makes a difference as to what direct mail you open?"

The results:
1) Timing of the piece arriving coinciding with need for the service/product = 67%
2) Consumer's name on the front of the envelope = 66%
3) A special offer or discount = 54%
4) The package looks important = 52%
5) Feel something in the package = 51%
6) A free gift or token inside = 42%
7) Donated material enclosed = 35%
8) None of these = 5%

So what can you do with this information, well implementing some of these tactics in with your current direct mail campaigns would be the first step, then testing which method or methods work best to fit with your products or services and budget. Remember just because you try these tactics doesn't mean it will work, to work the best you will also need a targeted list, great follow up and as I said in my previous entry consistency. Call today for any questions or if you want us to come by and help develop an effective campaign for your business.


Thanks

Ronnie

The results above are from Vertis Communications, property of an annual study tracking consumer media and buying behavior across a wide variety of industry segments... from 2009

Tradeshow Marketing for RealComm

The end of June is the Realcomm 2009 in Chicago, a 2 day real estate technology conference. This year Realcomm and it's exhibitor's stepped up marketing, contacting attendies early ensuring they stop by their booths. Over the past 2 weeks we produced 11 different postcards all digitally printed. Our job was to work with Realcomm Exhibitors from reciept of artwork, print and mailing. As always they we're a pleasure to work with and we feel that everything turned out great.

To find out what type of marketing will increase attendance to your booth call today!

619.474.8626

Thanks

Ronnie

Valentines Day = Variable Data

By now many of you have received DeFrances Valentines Day mailing, our very first Variable Data project produced entirely in house. The concept was mine, the graphics we’re Jeanette and Troy/ Carrie handled to printing, variable data and mailing of the piece.


We have developed a monthly direct mail campaign for 2009 showcasing our capabilities. Each month we will feature a different printing process, showing how to bring in new customers and increase your sales. As I have mentioned many times before, direct mail works plain and simple, but it only works when you target your audience and create a piece that will catch their attention getting them to buy buy buy! Marketing or direct mail campaigns should be tailor made to fit your specific needs. Please call us today to set up an appointment on how this can help you.

619.474.8626

Direct Mail at it's best

We love notes likes this -“A note on the “disruptive mailer” tube direct mail: end December we shipped out 1k mailers augmented in January with telemarketing to follow-up and boost response. Result: we secured 235 secured leads 23% response rate significantly higher than traditional direct mail 3% to 8%. We’re excited!”

(from)

Bernadette A. Hiskey

Director, Brand Marketing

In my last blog I talked about all of the benefits of Direct Mail, the above is a perfect example of how effective a small mailing can be. The only harm would be not to try one. This was originally posted by Ron Leland at http://reallifebranding.com/blog/

Why Direct Mail?

Seems fitting, since I'm planning out DeFrance's direct mail campaign for 2009 that I go over the benefits and reason's why Direct Mail is still great.
Direct Mail is Tangible-
Different from other types of media, with direct mail you can target your audience and deliver your message directly in their hands, at work or home. Offers can be customized to fit potential clients purchasing habits, behaviors and more. Direct Mail is perceived to be more personal and important than other media.
Results are Measurable-
Counting your return on investment can be easily measured. When you track your mailings you know exactly how many piece's you mailed, how much it cost and how many responses you received. Most other types of media send your message to a much less defined audience, including people who do not fit your criteria.
Mail is flexible-
You can include product samples, send a simple post card, mail a catalog, send a letter or mail whatever you feel will capture your clients attention and meet your marketing goals. All direct mail and printed material is dimensional and the recipient interacts with it in both a visual and tactile way. Unlike email or TV, the recipient can't jut hit delete or turn the TV off.
Direct Mail is Versatile-
You can easily customize your message to your target audience. Use it to direct potential clients to your website, generate store traffic, identity qualified leads, gather information on your clients, make a direct sale, or use it as support for other types of media.
Direct Mail Provides a Solid Foundation for your Marketing-
Direct Mail is a critical part of your business advertising. Your customers and prospects respond to different types of media. Many of your customers will prefer the personal touch of mail. Use direct mail as a vital part of your multimedia marketing and grow your business and brand.

More Facts from the USPS-
-Two-thirds of Americans view traditional mail as more personal than Internet communications.
-The same number say mail is more private than email.
-68% of Americans say mail is more secure than Internet communications.
-Among the age groups known as Gen X (Born 1965-1976) and Gen Y(Born 1976-1994), 70% say they sort their mail immediately and 66% say they read it regularly.

let me know if you have any questions or want to start a marketing plan.
ronnie@defranceprinting.com
619.474.8626