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5 Signs You Need A New Direct Mail Vendor

Are you happy with your direct mail vendor? Do you think they could be doing a better job?

There is a lot that goes into an effective direct mail campaign. Choosing a highly qualified direct mail vendor can be the difference between a successful direct mail campaign and a poorly performing campaign.

Here are 5 signs you need a new direct mail vendor.

They Provide Incomplete Success Metrics

Tying your marketing investments to profit is critical to understanding what type of marketing works for your business and which ones don’t. Direct mail vendors that don’t track your performance will hinder your ability to be successful.

Metrics you should expect from your direct mail company include or help you calculate:

  • Detailed response rates
  • Conversion rates
  • Cost per lead
  • Cost per acquisition
  • Lifetime value

With the detailed data that comes from these metrics, you can identify which campaigns are working and better focus your marketing on your most likely prospects. You will see better engagement, more conversions, and you’ll eliminate the cost of targeting unlikely prospects.

They Can’t Integrate Into Other Marketing Efforts

Direct mail is generally one part of your larger, overall marketing plan. To reach your customers where they are, which is everywhere, your direct mail efforts should be choreographed with other marketing efforts such as email and social media.

Integrated multichannel marketing can increase the success of your direct mail campaigns and marketing strategy as a whole. If your current provider does not offer integration as part of their direct mail solutions, look for a company that can:

  • Target customers through direct mail AND online
  • Online and social media follow-up
  • Allow for multi-media efforts (QR codes, unique purchasing incentives)

See increased success with a direct mail vendor that can help you combine direct mail with digital marketing. Marketers see conversion rates of 40% in campaigns that combine direct mail and digital marketing. Also, customers targeted with multichannel marketing spend three to four times more than single-channel customers.

Reach out to learn how you can boost success with One Stop Mail’s integrated marketing platform- LIFT.

Your Current Direct Mail Provider Has Ineffective Graphic Design

direct mail integration

It’s not enough to have a good product and just send a mailer. You have to capture the customer’s attention in order to tell them about it. That’s why graphic design is is vital to effective direct marketing solutions.

Not all direct mail providers do graphic design for mailers in-house. Even providers that claim to offer graphic design services, don’t necessarily do it well.

While this is subjective, ask yourself how the results of your direct mail campaign match up with your expectations. If there’s a gap between expectations and results you may need to find a vendor with better graphic design.

Compare your results with industry standards. The average response rate for most direct mail is between 2% and 4%. Response rates can fluctuate depending on your industry and the type of direct mail sent (postcards have the highest response rate). Higher response rates can be seen in

  • Real estate
  • Car sales
  • Charities
  • Medical practices
  • Home improvements

If your direct mail campaigns are not meeting expectations, maybe you need a more effective graphic design that is eye-catching, on brand, and has a clear call-to-action.

They Have Bad Targeting & Lists

Direct mail success starts with targeting the right customers and knowing which type of list to use. The right list will put your mailer in the hands of the most likely prospects and valuable customers.

Similar to graphic design, you can look at your direct mail results and key performance indicators to see if your direct mail vendor is targeting the right customers.

Look for companies that provide you with different types of lists and good reasoning on when to choose which type of list:

  • EDDM lists by zip-code/mailing routes
  • Demographic-based targeting
  • Consumer behavior-based targeting
  • Business-to-business mailing lists

They Treat You Like A Source Of Profit – Not A Partner

There are no statistics to cite when evaluating this – it’s a feeling you have as a customer. Yes, you want a direct mail provider with industry experience and expertise, but you also want a partner who that understands no two businesses are the same and is driven to help you succeed.

Ask yourself questions like:

  • Has your mailing house taken the time to get to know your organization’s unique needs?
  • Do they respond timely and thoughtfully to your questions or requests?
  • Do you know members of their team or just the person doing the selling?

If the answer is no, then it’s time to find a direct mail partner that is invested in your success.

Partnership

Partner With a Direct Mail Vendor That Does it All

If you’re not happy with your current direct mail provider, it’s time to make a change and partner with one of the best mailing companies.

One Stop Mail has nearly 40 years of print and direct mail services. Your success is our success, and we believe that you deserve quality direct mail design, printing, and mailing services. We work to discover your business’ untapped potential and find ways to continue to expand your influence in your market and succeed in your business.

One Stop Mail provides everything you need for a successful direct mail campaign from start to finish. Our innovative team is committed to crafting direct mailing solutions to meet the needs of your business.

Ready to Make a Change and Boost Your Direct Mail Results?

Contact the team at One Stop Mail to learn how we can help boost your direct mail results and request a free quote.

Pool Service Marketing Tips image One Stop Mail web

5 Pool Service Marketing Tips To Attract New Customers

“Summertime and the living’s easy” or so the song goes. A clean, cool pool makes summer living super easy. If you’re a pool service pro, this season is likely your busiest and most lucrative time of year. Keep your calendar full and hold off the competition with the latest targeted pool service marketing tactics.

Whether you have an established route of customers, you’re building from scratch, or expanding into new territory, these 4 steps can make summer an easy, fun season for pool owners in your area!

Pool Service Marketing Tip 1: Stay Within Their Sights

Pool Service Marketing Tips with pool service man cleaning and checking PH level of pool One Stop Mail webIf you’re not ready to expand, it’s smart to stay visible. Even your best customers could be tempted by a “new customer offer” from a competitor. Remind your customers and tell prospects what your super-power is to maintain your customer base.

Remind them why they want your services – you’re the best pool maintenance and repair service with hundreds of perfect Google reviews, or perhaps you include an extra service like basic deck-washing at no additional fee, or maybe you offer pool accessories at rock-bottom prices.

Now that you’ve determined that you need to communicate to your customers, what’s the best reminder? Swimming pool postcards – here’s why:

Postcards have staying power

The results are in, and surveys show that marketing mail stays around an average of 17 days. Imagine how long pool owners will keep a colorful postcard or killer offer. It’s the perfect size to hang on a refrigerator, bulletin board, or tape to a whiteboard giving decision-makers repeated exposure to your service.

People read marketing mail

The same survey says a whopping 42.2% of people read or scan their mail; 59% say that they look forward to receiving it. That’s good news for you and your pool service because your message will probably be well-received in most homes.

Pool Service Marketing Tip 2: Speak Directly to Customers

Pug Postcard for variable data printing personalized for pool party webThere’s a reason why major online brands present browsers with a personalized experience – it’s because they get better responses. And, a 2020 Forbes article tells us why – shoppers prefer personalized experiences.

If it’s true online, wouldn’t it be true for postcards received in their mailbox? Using a customer’s name tells them that they are important to you and can be a door into their world.

Today, the marketing pool services business can personalize every aspect of a postcard – the recipient’s name, the offer, the call-to-action without emptying the piggy bank. Personalization, also called variable data printing, is within reach thanks to digital technology.

Pool Service Marketing Tip 3: Target Best Customers

If you’ve been in business for a while, you know the characteristics of customers who get the high-cost services and stay with you long-term. They probably live in a particular neighborhood, are of a particular age, have kids, and have a college degree.

Compiling a mail list of potential best customers to receive your swimming pool postcards offers the best chance of success.

Reach out to new homeowners. Since they’ve recently moved to the area, they’ll be looking for local service providers – including pool professionals! Remember to include a new mover special to attract their business.

Sure, you could send a postcard to your entire service area, but why not save some budget to do multiple mailings? Remember – you want to target your best new customers, stay in their sights and that means multiple exposures to your service and superpower.

Take Your Pool Service Marketing to the Next Level

If you want to stand out in a crowded mailbox, a professionally designed postcard is a must. The design and offer should be so compelling that the recipient wants to give it an honorary spot in the kitchen or office.

pool service man cleaning pool webAdditionally, mailing list professionals can help you create ideal lists to reach the customers you want. Don’t waste time and cash by using a scattershot approach to pool service marketing – if you want results, get experienced pros.

One Stop Mail has worked with business owners to reach their sales goals through direct mail marketing. They’re mail list experts with professional graphic design services on-site.

For 15+ years, they’ve offered exceptional printing and fulfillment services, and have created direct mail campaigns for business customers of all sizes. They can recommend the type and frequency of mailings to help you meet your goals.

Want more tips to help you reach your business goals? Check out these direct mail resources.

Holly Emerson One Stop Mail Staff


To get a quote on your next pool service marketing project, contact us or call (602) 233–3003.

Crush Your Revenue Goals With a Direct Mail Campaign woman checkin her mailbox web

How to Crush Your Revenue Goals With a Direct Mail Campaign in 2021

If you’re starting the year with big revenue goals to accomplish, that can be a huge, continuous task. Establishing a target and a plan to achieve it is essential if you want to reach for the stars – and we are here to help. Here is your blueprint to create a winning direct mail campaign in 2021.   

Why a Mail Campaign? 

It converts prospects into buyers.  

Yes, email is a less expensive way to reach customers and prospects, but it doesn’t convert prospects into buyers. According to the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA)/Data & Marketing Association’s (DMA) 2018 response rate report, an average of 4.9% of prospects who receive direct mail will order from that company. Only 1% of prospects responded to an email. 

When buyers receive a mailer from a company they’ve purchased from before, 9% of them will make another purchase. 

If you want more buyers, go with direct mail.  

How Does Mail Get Sales?  

Crush Your Revenue Goals With a Direct Mail Campaign young woman opening mail webResearch shows that Americans prefer mail. 

Marketing research heavy-weight Marketing Sherpa says 76% of people trust ads that they receive in the mail. 

The organization points to the scarcity of print that makes it so valuable to recipients. Think about how many ads, catalogs, mailers that you receive daily and compare it to the number of emails that you receive. If you’re like most, you get 121 emails each day on average. How much harder is it to be noticed in the inbox versus the mailbox? 

If you want your message to reach your recipient, use mail.  

Create a Mail Campaign in 2021 

If you don’t already know who your best customers are, research your target market to determine demographic markers, such as whether the decision-maker is male or female, what’s their age and education level. Your marketing message will vary depending on who your customers are and what you’d like to offer.  

Are you trying to generate business with new customers? Are you looking to retain current customers? Are you trying to win back customers who haven’t used your services for a while? Answers these questions to understand your overall goals and what your mail campaign will help you accomplish.  

Craft a Compelling Offer 

When you want to reach specific revenue goals, make it attractive for customers to say yes by giving them an exciting offer that makes them want to say, “Yes!” 

You don’t have to discount your products or services if you frame your offer to appeal to your best audience. Or get loyal customers to offer a genuine testimonial. To learn more about how to craft an offer to help turn prospects into customers, read on

Build your List(s) 

Crush Your Revenue Goals With a Direct Mail Campaign managing mail webWhat makes or breaks your direct mail campaign in 2021 is your list. If you’ve been using a mail list that isn’t performing the way that you want, it’s time to upgrade.   

Scrub the non-performing addresses from your list and rebuild it with addresses that will perform better, like recipients that fit the demographic profile of your best customers. To find them, you’ll need expert list builders, like One Stop Marketing’s professionals.  

In addition to cleaning up your house list, they’ll be able to put together a customized prospect list or can provide you with all new movers in your neighborhood or will work with the post office to complete Every Door Direct Mail, or EDDM.  

Put Together your Mail Schedule 

If you’re like most business owners, you may have noticed a seasonality to your business. During certain times of the year, there’s a spike in business. If you scheduled mailers to reach your customers, could you increase those spikes in revenue?  

Pre-plan for the year and create your compelling offer to get the best result.  

Mailer, Flyer, or Postcard? 

Decide which mailed collateral will help you stand out in mailboxes and get you the best result. If you’re unsure, work with an experienced print and mailing house to help you balance the attention-grabbing graphics and size of your mailer with your budget.  

If you require graphic design expertise, One Stop Mail has that, too.  

Crush Your Revenue Goals With a Direct Mail Campaign flyer postcard web

Personalize Your Offer with Variable Data Printing 

Research shows that people who see a letter or postcard with their name on it have a better feeling about the sender and are more likely to buy. A survey shows that 59% of buyers say that personalization influenced their buying decision.  

Fortunately, digital printing has brought the cost of variable data printing down in recent years, making it an affordable, as well as profitable, option.  

Get the Right Partner for your Direct Mail Campaign

When it comes to developing a successful direct mail campaign in 2021 and beyond, a solid partner with experience is essential. One Stop Mail has more than 14 years in direct mail and guides you at every step of your campaign development. 

If you have big revenue goals to hit, the professionals at One Stop Mail are waiting to help you get started. Contact us, or call 602.932.0276 and get started today. 

Graphic_Design_Logo_One_Stop_Mail

Is It Time To Update Your Brand’s Logo?

Is It Time To Update Your Brand’s Logo?

When is it a good time to update your logo? That is the question that many wrestle with in companies but there isn’t a hard and fast answer. There are a few things that can cause you to update it. These things include age, complexity, company changes, or you want to stay current with recent trends. We’ll take a look at each instance, and help you answer the above question.

The Logo Is As Old As The Company

Many people in the company, particularly those who were there from the beginning, may feel attached to the original logo. It is hard to let go of something that represents the founding of the company. However, consumers today are highly perceptive of old logo designs, which is why it’s always important to keep your up to date. More than likely you are using it with your marketing materials, so you want to make sure that a consumer’s first impression of your brand is a contemporary design.

Busy Designs Don’t Translate

One thing that you should keep in mind is simplicity over complexity. In this day and age, your logo must be able to translate online. If it is too complex and doesn’t look good on your website, that is a clear indicator that a redesign needs to happen. One of the biggest things you should think about first before redesigning is how you will use your logo. Are you going to be putting it on merchandise? Or on other sorts of promotional products? If that is the case, you will want to make sure the design can translate into different mediums, otherwise, you are going to end up with too many different designs.

Rebranding as the Company Evolves

Another great time to consider rebranding the company with your logo is if there are changes taking place with the company. These could be internal changes, moving the company a new direction, and as such, will need a new look. Perhaps your company merged with another well-known brand, and you want to take advantage of that branding opportunity. In any case, both would be great examples of why a company would want to change their logo.

Consumers Are Trend Sensitive

Consumers are very aware of what is current and what is not. The current trend for logos has been minimalist and geometric in their design. As such, something that doesn’t fit into this trend could come off aged in the eyes of consumers. However, of all of the reasons to change your logo, this one would probably be at the bottom of the list. You don’t want to have an old logo, but you also don’t want to create something that doesn’t fit with your brand just for the sake of keeping up with trends. You should only do it for this reason if it makes sense with your brand image.

Getting The Right Design

Don’t make the same mistake when you first designed your logo by hiring an amateur. Find a professional that can understand what you are looking for and deliver. This means you need to define why you want to change your logo, what you want it to convey, and what your budget is for designing this change. With these three things, you can ensure that you don’t waste any time, and get your new logo out into the world.

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Applying Color Psychology To Direct Mail

Color is a key influencer in one’s decision to make a purchase. Although your messaging needs to be strong, color can prevent your message from resonating with your target audience. This is why it is important to know the audience you are targeting and what specific colors for this audience would be best to use. This is important because according to Satyendra Singh, it takes only 90 seconds for a customer to form an opinion about a product. Moreover, 62-90% of that interaction is determined by the color of the product alone.We are going to give you a basic understanding of color psychology so you can optimize your direct mail campaign with greater intent.

Basic Color Generalizations

When you are approaching your color selections, you should be aware of on a basic level what color categories evoke in the the viewer. According to an article by the Entrepreneur called 10 Direct Mail Secrets,” typically “warm colors are exciting and energizing; cool colors are relaxing and refreshing. Bright colors speak loudly; dull colors suggest quietly.” With these in mind, you can start to narrow down what color scheme would be best suited for your direct mail materials. Of course, when color is involved you have to consider price, that is why you should limit your direct mail piece to one to two colors. Not only will it save you money, it will also make sure you don’t overwhelm your prospect—in this case, more is not better.

Narrowing Down Your Colors

So the main concern of any color selection is determining which ones will help produce conversions. Here is a basic rundown of what color each means from Color Psychology In Marketing: The Complete Guide:

  • Red-emotion, love, fear, and survival. Due to the latter, it is important to use it sparingly. It is a great color to get someone’s attention.
  • Orange-physical comfort, warmth, food, and shelter. Excites appetite.
  • Yellow-happiness, uplifting, radiant. Excellent option if your message is positive, but this color also should be used sparingly for it is known to cause anxiety if used too much.
  • Green-nature, peace, harmony, balance. Great for reducing stress and promoting overall well-being.
  • Blue-cerebral, mentally relaxing, non-physical response. Useful for producing a sense of calm and trust. Used too much though can make one feel cold and disconnected.
  • Purple-spiritually uplifting, physically soothing, energetic, imaginative. Can evoke opulence, magic qualities, and mystery. Too much purple can be distracting.
  • Pink-sensitive, nurturing, romance. Evokes a sense of understanding, but too much can make your message come off as immature.
  • Brown-stalwart, symbol of protection, stable. Brown can come off a bit boring, but as with all colors, it’s all about context.
  • Black-serious, independent, evil, death. This is a double edge sword for too much can produce the last two unwanted reactions, but used sparingly can be used with great effect.
  • White-purity, clean, peace. Can trigger a sense of new beginnings, but can also cause someone to feel isolated or lonely if used too much.

Picking The Right Colors

As you can see, color can make or break the message you are trying to convey. Carefully consider how you want your target audience to react to your message, and use that to focus in on what colors would be best. With each color, there is a threshold that you will determine if it is just the right amount, or too much, which can change the meaning of your message. As with all marketing strategies, the best place to start is gathering as much information as you can about your audience. Doing so will make sure you do not select an ineffective or misleading color.

One Stop Mail Graphic Design Services

Stellar Design Trumps Immaculate Wordsmithing

The most important aspect of a direct mail campaign is the imagery you choose to incorporate into the design. People in this day and age have become expert skimmers. This is why it is important to grab their attention with an image so that your words do not become an afterthought—it urges them to dig deeper rather than toss it aside.

Images Are Not Complimentary

An image should not be thought of as something that complements your message. It needs to hold its own weight and represent your message wholeheartedly. A great image is going to have the power to make people stop, and look further into what they are currently holding in their hands. This is mainly due to the fact that people can process images 60,000 times faster than they can words.

Moreover, the imagery will enable you to stand out from the competition. This greatly increases the chances that someone will engage with your marketing copy instead of passing over it. According to Compu-Mail post on print ad statistics, 73 percent of consumers prefer mail to other ad types. And according to the Direct Marketing Association 2014 Statistical Fact Book quoted by Beasley Direct, across all ages, the fraction of households who immediately discard print ads is lower now than in the 1980s, averaging about 6 percent. These are the statistics that are driving companies to use direct mail marketing campaigns. This is an opportunity for your business to break down everyone’s expectations and stand out amongst the competition. With a great image, you can deliver your unique message more effectively and overcome the consumer’s predisposition to marketing messages.  

Don’t Do it Alone

Hiring a professional graphic designer will help you avoid  the mistakes of going over budget, wasting invaluable time, and producing an unprofessional looking design. They have done this before and can help break down the process so you can better understand the overall direction and design decisions. Let’s face it, your business deserves the best, so don’t waste your time on amateur work.

The next thought that might be entering your head is where do I look for a great graphic designer and what criteria is pertinent in determining their ability to deliver? With One Stop Mail, you can lay those thoughts to rest. Our professionals will be able to help you craft a design that will make you confident in reaching your desired campaign goals.

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Top Graphic Design Trends 2015

Is your graphic design style with the times?

Trends in advertising and design are changing even more quickly than ever before, “thanks” to the digital revolution and the rapid spread of new design paradigms across the world.  Everyone is fighting to stand out on store shelves and in mailboxes, which means there’s a near-constant evolution of design ideas.

If you’re still using marketing materials from a couple years ago, you will almost certainly see a major boost in interest if you update them to more modern styles.  And if your competition hasn’t updated theirs, your materials will definitely stand out among all the rest.

So, we wanted to highlight some of the major design trends that became prominent in 2015.  These are the directions you should be looking with your art design in the months to come.

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Graphic_Design_for_Direct_Mail_Branding

Cohesive Direct Mail Graphic Design Builds Brand Recognition

For a long time, matters like “branding” and “image-building” were largely seen in marketing as the province of the largest businesses.  Coca-Cola cares about “positioning,” but why should Bob’s Corner Store worry about such things?  Smaller and local businesses are simply focused on local traffic, right — so why should you be concerned about branding in your direct mail graphic design?

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