All posts by Elena Squiric

Why You Should be Mailing Your Postcards Now for Summer

The Dallas Area has finally heated up, kids are in testing, and every parent is trying to figure out what to do for the next 3 months.

That can only mean that Summer is finally here for the Dallas Metroplex. Summer is full of celebrations, vacations and finding Dallas Child-Friendly Activities to fill up the days.

Dallas Child-Friendly Activities– Now is the time to start your Dallas Direct Mail Campaign! Summer Camps, Water Parks, play programs, sports clinics are all being booked now. Get your Dallas Postcard Printed and Mailed soon so you can get in front of the parents who are researching these options today. Provide them with a special offer or incentive to get them to give you a call where you can convert them into a customer!

Family Vacation– Every one is looking to have a fun family vacation this Summer. All businesses related to travel, entertainment and family fun should be targeting these potential customers with a Targeted Direct Mail program. Get your business in their hands today with a Custom Printed Postcard.

Receive $150 OFF your next order with Finishing & Mailing Center, 2 Weeks Only! Now is the time to hit your potential clients and alert them to your specials or sales this summer in Dallas!

Ever wonder what the difference is between different classes of mail?

Deciding which postage class to send out your mailing can be confusing.

You might wonder what exactly is the different between first class and standard class mail.
Cost and Delivery time are the most important factors between choosing to send your mail via First Class Mail or Standard Mail.

The cost of First class is the same price you would pay if you were to purchase a stamp at the post office. However, if your mailing exceeds 500 pieces you are eligible to receive discounted rates and your price per piece can drop as your quantity increases and you meet pre-sortation specifications.

First class mail is typically delivered between 1-3 days locally and 1-5 days nationally. One of the reasons you might choose to mail first class is that it takes priority over standard mail. So the delivery time is much more consistent than standard mail.

Standard Pre-Sort Mail, which is also known as bulk mail, is more cost efficient than first mail. With Standard mail you are able to drop the price per piece of your mailer as you meet various postal requirements. These requirements range from the quantity you are sending out, size regulations, location, to pre-sortation standards. Standard mail is typically mailed between 4-8 days locally and 10-14 days nationally. However, these times will vary especially around busy holidays since first class mail will take priority.

As you can see there are definite pros and cons to sending your mailer out via first class or standard. If your mailing is time sensitive and you would like it to arrive on a specific date then paying the extra postage and going with first class for the extra reliability might be best for you. But, if you have planned ahead and have more time to send out your mailing, Standard Mail might be for you so you can save on your postage costs.

Here at the Finishing & Mailing Center we have direct mailing specialists that can help you figure out which class of mail would be best for you. We have been helping business with their mailings for over 30 years and would love to help you as well. Give us a call now to speak to one of our direct mailing specialists today.

Keep your Clients with a Direct Mail Loyalty Program

Research shows that Direct Mail is one of the most effective and efficient mediums to increase your clientele.

Direct Mail is also one of the most effective and efficient ways to KEEP your clientele. You are able to grow a relationship with your clients by letting them know you appreciate their business. Many customers say the reasons they left their previous provider was that they “we’re never contacted’ or “the customer service was poor.” Do not lose clients for those reasons!

Engaging in Loyalty efforts for your clients is what keeps them coming back for your service/product. With Direct Mail you are able to send out tailored messages to specific individuals in your customer database.

For instance, if you are only targeting individuals who come into your store every 6 months and want to increase their visits to twice in 6 months, send them an offer that makes them want to come in! Many times price is important, but sometimes it is about creating a sense of appreciation for the consumers.

Call us today at 214-747-6244 and let us help you with your Direct Mail Loyalty Program!

Why Every Door Direct Mail might be perfect for YOU, or not.

EDDM, E.D.D.M., Every Door Direct Mail… there are many names that define the program that the United States Postal Office implemented to help business owners grow their business through direct mail.

EDDM is basically target mailing a postcard or flyer to only those specific carrier routes within a zip code you’d like to reach. However, with EDDM, the Post Office requires a larger size mail piece that also requires a higher postage amount. Specifically, the mail piece must be taller than 6.125” or longer than 11.5” and smaller than a 12”x15”. Postage is a flat fee of 17.5 cents. As a convenience, business owners no longer have to purchase the address files or pay to have the addresses printed onto the mailer. They do, however, still have to separate and label the mailers by the proper quantity and carrier route and that can be a real hassle.

Is it worth it? Figuring out if EDDM is worth your time, and the extra postage expense, is where we can help you.
More often than not, we can print and mail your piece (taking all the hassle out of the process for you) at a price much lower than you can get with EDDM. However, if you simply prefer to do EDDM, we can help explain the process to you and get you the best possible rate for the complete package.

Call one of our Direct Mail Marketing Specialists at 214.747.6244 and see how we can help you grow your business through Direct Mail.

Why you should be using Direct Mail

Direct Mail can be a simple and effective way to help you reach your target audience. Here are just a few reasons why you should start your Direct Mail Campaign today!

  1. Customizable. Your Direct Mail can be customized to each of your customers by name. You are able to get their attention immediately by adding this personal element to your Direct mail.
  2. Targetable. With Direct Mail you are able to reach your target market and break through the clutter to get their attention.
  3. Budget Savor. A Direct Mail Marketing campaign can be one of the most cost effective ways to get your message out there! If you get with the right company that is. Contact Finishing & Mailing Center and talk to a Direct Mail Specialists to see how we can help save you money.
  4. Tangible. Direct Mail gives you complete control over the delivery of your message. Unlike an email that can be deleted in the blink of an eye your Direct Mail piece is something your customers have in their hands and are more likely to look at.
  5. Measurable. Direct Mail is one of the best mediums for measuring your ROI.
  6. Testable. With Direct Mail you are able to test every variable to figure out what works and what doesn’t work.
  7. Strengthen relationship with your existing customers. With Direct Mail you can send a birthday card, anniversary card, or just a hope you are doing well card. This lets your customer know of any current deals you have going on and that you appreciate their business.

Call the Finishing & Mailing Center with your next Direct Mail Project and see how we can help you!

The benefits to using a One Stop Print and Mail Shop

Here at the Finishing & Mailing Center in Dallas we pride ourselves on being a one stop printing and mailing shop. What this means for you is that once you send us your artwork you are DONE. We do printing, ink jetting, saddle-stitching, collating, inserting, and mailing all in house; saving you time and money.

Here are a couple of the many benefits to using a One Stop Dallas Printing and Mailing Shop:

  1. We are able to get aggressive on pricing.
    Since we have all of our printing and bindery equipment in house we are able to save on costs. Having everything in house means we don’t have to utilize outside vendors which is what increases your prices. We can do everything from printing postcards, brochures, and flyers to mailing out thousands of letters to your mailing list. We know how important your direct mail campaign is to your company and we do our best to make sure you receive a fair price without the unnecessary mark ups.
  2. We save you time.
    Not only are we able to save you money, but we can also save you time! We are able to turn a new direct mail job at a moments notice because we control our own schedule. We are not dealing with other printers or binderies. We are dealing with our own staff, and can fit your job into our schedule as needed.

Getting that Competitive Edge for your Direct Mail Marketing Campaign

You are always looking for that competitive edge with your Direct Mail Marketing Campaign. You can get that competitive edge on your next campaign by using variable data images customized to each individual prospect (as we have talked about before in Variable Data Printing is Key). You could also get your market’s attention by using differently shaped postcards or UV spot coatings.

There are many ways to get your direct mail piece noticed.

Last week ADWEEK ran an article focusing on a company that took their direct mail to the next level. Bulk Cat Litter Warehouse wanted to increase their chances for their prospects to pay attention to their Direct Mail Flyer. What Bulk Cat Litter Warehouse did next to their bulk mailing is so creative and genius that the internet has been buzzing about this for days.

They decided to soak their direct mail flyer in catnip. The cats went absolutely crazy for it! In the video posted on ADWEEK you can watch as cats go into their owner’s bags and take out the flyer to play with it. This causes the owner to actually see what the postcard is about and in turn increases the chances that a prospect will turn into a sale.

Why Variable Data Printing is KEY

Why Variable Data Printing is KEY

Is your direct mail campaign lacking something? I don’t know about you, but when I open a letter and it says “Dear Elena” I am more likely to keep on reading then if it were to say “Dear Valued Customer.” I have never liked the “Valued Customer” salutation. To me it sounds so strange and so common that it is rather meaningless these days.

You lose that personal touch whenever you generalize a letter for hundreds or thousands of people. Your customer also loses that feeling that they are valued and that you do appreciate their business. This is why Variable Data Printing is Key. When you personalize your direct mail you are essentially engaging your customer. You are almost guaranteed to see a better ROI because your customer is more likely to keep reading the letter instead of throwing it away as junk mail.

Here are a few ways to make your mailing campaign as effective and efficient as possible by using Variable Data Printing:

  1. Determine who your target market is. You need to figure out who or what is going to be your ideal customer. Not knowing who you should be sending your direct mail to is a sure fire way to see a low ROI.
  2. Collect Customer Data on a regular basis. THIS IS THE BEST TYPE OF LIST YOU CAN HAVE. You are obtaining the information of your customers that you know are interested in your products.
  3. Measure and Analyze…..and then repeat. They key to success is to keep on testing everything. Testing is essential for anyone looking to increase the effectiveness of their campaign and grow their business
  4. Customization. VDP helps cut through all of the noise your customer is bound to face with Direct Mail by letting you customize your direct mail piece specifically for them. Since VDP helps reduce the noise significantly it will in turn help to increase your ROI.