The USPS has announced many changes to the self-mailer requirements. The post office is extending a 1 year compliance period from Jan 2012 to Jan 2013. During that period the current mail piece designs will be accepted. Starting Jan 5, 2013, you must comply with the new rules as outlined by the post office.

Here are a few of the most important changes:

• The new maximum size for a self-mailer will be 6 x 10.5.
• The maximum weight will be 3 ounces.
• No perforated tabs.
• Tabs must be made out of paper, no plastic.
• No loose pieces inside of self-mailers, they must be attached with a glue dot or folded over an inside mailer flap.
• The tab sizes will vary between 1 inch, 1.5 inch and 2 inch tabs depending on the paper stock and folding.
• Minimum paper stock thickness will be 70# up to 1 ounce, once you go over 1 ounce the minimum is 80#.
• The maximum number of mailer panels is 12.
• The final folded edge will only be acceptable below the mail panel or to the right of the mail panel.

Here is a link with detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new requirements. Due to the complexity of the new regulations, if you are planning a self-mailer, call us to discuss the most cost-effective options. We can help you with what paper stock to use as well as the best layout to save you money.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

So, how do you use QR Codes in your direct mail to get the best results? Here are a few ideas:

1. Create a drawing for free products or services and have the recipient scan the code to be entered. Use this opportunity to ask them some questions that will further help your marketing.
2. Create an event calendar, which when the QR Code is scanned, is auto updated into the recipients phone calendar.
3. Create a QR Code that links to details about the product or service you want them to know about on a mobile friendly page.
4. Create a QR Code that will automatically dial your number when scanned for the recipient to get questions answered immediately.
5. Create a QR Code that links to a mobile website with a virtual tour.
6. Create a QR Code that allows people to register for your event and pay for it at the same time.
7. Create a QR Code that links to your inventory for your customers to know how many items you have available. Make sure they have a way to order from that site too.
8. Create a QR Code that links to customer reviews so they can see what others are saying about you.
9. Create a QR Code that gives a special offer to only those who have scanned the code.
10. Create a QR Code that links to nutritional information or online menu ordering.

There are so many ways QR Codes and be used so be creative and fun with it. You can add pictures and themes to your QR Codes to make them interesting. Make sure that all your linked sites are mobile friendly and easy to navigate. No one wants dead links and hard to push buttons.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

These days the key to your direct mail campaign is integration with social media. So how can you design your direct mail pieces to easily incorporate social media?  We have some ideas for you.

Here are 4 easy ways to design a direct mail piece with social media in mind.

1. Include social media information for your recipients to connect with you
   Take advantage of social media by letting your customers know that they can find you on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and on your blog by adding the buttons and contact information to your direct mail piece.
2. Personalize your direct mail with variable data printing
   Variable data printing allows you to personalize each direct mail piece with text and images that are directly related to the recipient. This personal touch lets customers know you know them and care enough to make it personal. By using intelligent customer data, you can provide them with relevant products or services. By creating that 1to1 marketing you will beat a generic message every time. You can also incorporate their social media information for a true social connection.
3. Use PURLs as a way to drive the online connection
   By using PURLs, you provide the recipient with a personalized landing page where they will be able to engage, interact and respond to your direct mail. This online connection allows you to provide the recipient with more information as well as your social media connection and sharing links. Another benefit is that you can track exactly who has responded to your piece as they do so and see what social media information they were clicking on.
4. Use QR Codes for a faster response
   QR Codes on your direct mail piece give recipients the option to respond to your direct mail piece using their cell phone, no matter where they are. Since they don’t need to memorize a URL or punch in a long URL code into their browser to access more information or respond to your offer, it makes is so much easier for them to respond. All they need to do is snap a quick photo with their phones. This allows for a quicker response and still drives them online to your content and social connections.

By integrating social media into your direct mail, you can give your pieces a boost.  Give your recipients the chance to interact with you on many levels. The more options they have the better your response rate is going to be.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

The first thing your readers see is your subject line. You need it to be powerful. The best email subject lines are short, descriptive and give the reader a reason to read more. Stay away from using cheesy phrases. They will be ignored. The best thing is to keep your subject lines simple and to the point.

There are 3 words you need to avoid using in your subject lines. They are:

• Help
• Percent off
• Reminder

Avoid using ALL CAPS or exclamation marks in your subject lines. Subject lines created as questions can often perform better. Personalization of a recipient’s first name or last name does not improve open rates, however providing a city name, does. When creating email newsletters make sure to continue to change the subject line with each issue. Pick an important article and use information from that in your subject line. As a general rule in email marketing, keep your subject line to 50 characters or less. The from information can be as important as the subject line. It needs to work together with the subject line. The from line should communicate who you are as the sender and not change. Save any humorous ideas for the subject line.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Tips on Using Symbols

1. Tell a story. Remember, not all symbols are created equal. Do your research and make sure the symbols incorporated in your design convey clear and concise meanings.

2. Check for conflicts of interest. Do not use multiple symbols in one design that could possibly represent conflicting ideas. It is ok to combine ideas, but be careful to not overload on symbols, or group symbols that cause conflict. You want the design to convey a united message.

3. Examine symbols from multiple perspectives to avoid misinterpretations. What a symbol represents in one culture may not be what it represents in another. This is extremely important for companies who seek to create international identities.

4. Make sure your communication is clear. Each design should clearly communicate something. That something is left up to the viewer to determine. Symbols are very powerful communication when used correctly.

A symbol is usually a picture that tells a story or a combination of graphic elements that represent something to the viewer. Therefore, you must avoid misinterpretations of your symbols. The last thing you want to do is use a symbol incorrectly and as a result make the company look bad. Today people and companies are more readily recognized for what they represent than for who they are. Symbols have become very important, and the use of them increasingly complex.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org.

If only postage was still $0.24 like these old stamps! Alas that is not the case, the USPS has formally announced their intent to increase postage rates on January 22, 20112. Click here for a price chart. Overall the average price increase is 2.1%.

They have also announced changes to the self-mailer requirements. There are many changes for self-mailers. Here is a link with detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new requirements. The post office is extending a 1 year compliance period from Jan 2012 to Jan 2013. During that period the current mail piece designs will be accepted. After that, you must comply with the new rules as outlined by the post office. Here are a few of the most important changes:

• The new maximum size for a self-mailer will be 6 x 10.5.
• The maximum weight will be 3 ounces.
• Tabs will no longer be able to be perfed.
• Tabs must be made out of paper, no plastic.
• No loose pieces inside of self-mailers, they must be attached with a glue dot or folded over an inside mailer flap.
• The tab sizes will vary between 1 inch, 1.5 inch and 2 inch tabs depending on the paper stock and folding.
• Minimum paper stock thickness will be 70#.

Due to the complexity of the new regulations, if you are planning a self-mailer, call us to discuss the most cost-effective options. We can help you with what paper stock to use as well as the best layout to save you money.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Words have the power to inspire, empower and create desire. In marketing, the words you choose are extremely important. Some words will bring you a great response and others can kill it.  With that in mind, here is a short list of the best words to use in your marketing campaign as well as the worst ones. Sometimes knowing what not to say is more valuable than knowing what to say.

Best Marketing words to use:

• Free
• Amazing
• Discover
• Easy
• You
• Yes
• Guarantee
• Because
• Health
• How To
• Sale
• Benefits
• Save
• Money
• New
• Now
• Proven
• Results
• Safety
• Announcing
• Fast
• Power
• Secrets
• Solution
• Why

Avoid these! Worst marketing words to use:

• Expensive
• Charge
• Price
• Cost
• Sign
• Loose
• Buy
• Risk
• Deal
• Obligation
• Complicated
• Sold
• Try
• Bad

Of course there are many more in each category but these are the best of the best and worst of the worst. When creating the copy for your campaign make sure to consider how each word builds toward or away from your message. Keep in mind that you need to use words that drive the action of the recipient toward your call to action, such as call, email, visit a website. Wonderful words will mean nothing if they are not driving the correct response.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

These days it literally pays to add social media to your direct mail campaigns. Direct mail is a great way to reach prospects without being intrusive. Social media can help get the focus onto your direct mail campaign. Use social media to create the interest and direct mail to get the sale. So, how do you do that successfully? Here are a few ideas:

1. Start including your social sites on all marketing materials. This will get customers and prospects used to visiting these site for information.
2. Make sure that you are updating the sites and letting them know when to expect the next direct mail offer.
3. Highlight the rewards of getting the offer and encourage them to sign up to get direct mail from you if they are not already.
4. Build suspense around your campaign. Get people excited and talking about it. Write clearly and highlight the benefits.
5. Remember in your social media to be consistent with the brand message and on target with the current campaign.

Social media can be used to increase your brand awareness and build your direct mail list at the same time. Instead of focusing on your website, turn that focus to social media and your marketing campaigns. Get creative and have fun with it. The more engaged you get your customers and prospects the better results you will see.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Generating ideas for your direct mail campaign designs can be difficult. One easy way to spark ideas is to pay attention to the direct mail that you receive both at home and at work. Save the pieces that caught your attention either in a good or a bad way, then analyze them to see what made you react. Compare the pieces to determine what prompted you to open or discard them.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Were you drawn to (or put off by) the size, shape, color or feel of the mail piece?
• Did teaser copy catch your attention or arouse your curiosity?
• Was the mail piece addressed in a way that made you curious?
• Were you drawn to the marketer’s message or offer? How did they do that?
• Were the important points organized, clear, and compelling? How was this accomplished?
• Did the mail piece ask for the order or a response in a way that moved you to take action?
• How long did you spend reading the mail piece?

Direct mail is an outreach to consumers, donors, or businesses designed to generate a response: a donation, a request for further information, a purchase, or a visit to a website. Direct mail is effective because it can be targeted at a specific audience; it arouses interest; and its results can be measured. When done properly, direct mail creates a relationship with an existing or potential customer.

When designing your mail piece are you taking all of these factors into consideration? Have you looked at your piece through the eyes of your recipient?

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

The most important factor is understanding the role of social media in your marketing. What do we mean by social media? Well social media is an online form of social interaction. The most common platforms are Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. With these platforms social media allows brands to become more personalized. Marketers can communicate in a conversational way with customers and potential customers.

Marketing is a tool we use to inform consumers about our services or products, who we are and what we offer, social media does that well. It allows businesses to create a personal identity based on the brand, humanize it. Social media must be a part of your everyday marketing in order to keep the momentum and attention you need for it to be successful. Social media marketing not only works for small businesses, but large ones as well, what role should it play in your marketing?

The best part about social media, is that it allows businesses to build relationships with customers. By building these relationships, businesses increase the brand awareness and referrals. Social media marketing should be personal and fun. Relate to others as your peers and engage them in conversations. Don’t just talk about product news, get ideas and feedback from them. If you have a question, use your followers as your target market. Create fun interactive campaigns that can be shared by followers.

It is important to do social media right! Social media is not the be all end all of marketing. You need to incorporate it into your other marketing efforts. The role of social media in your marketing is to be accessible to those interested in your product or service and visible to those that don’t know your product or service. This way you create not only repeat-buyers, but customer loyalty.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

There are many things to consider in direct mail. Avoid those “oops” moments by following our top 10 guidelines. Save postage and ensure a better response!

1. Most important is to have a specific call to action. What do you want the recipient to do? Make sure you tell them that.
2. Give your recipient multiple ways to respond, a phone number, email, QR Code, website and any other method you can offer.
3. Make sure you target your list to people who will respond to your offer.
4. In your design make sure your aspect ratio, the length divided by the height, is between 1.3 and 2.5 for letter size pieces.
5. When choosing your paper, make sure the thickness is .009 or greater for letter size pieces.
6. When designing your mail panel, make sure that you have enough room for addressing and a barcode. We recommend a 4 x 2 area.
7. Be colorful, but choose your colors wisely. Here is information on colors.
8. Make sure to use white space, creating an open airy feel. When copy and art is too crowded together it can be intimidating and not be read.
9. If you are considering die cutting your mail piece, keep in mind that letter size pieces have to be rectangular, so you will be required to put it in an envelope if you cut off the corners.
10. Use personalization beyond just the name and address, use information about the individual to have a more one to one feel.

There are many more tips we can give you. If you have a specific question please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

If you think colors don’t have anything to do with your marketing here is a great example. McDonald’s changed their colors by converting to red and yellow after a university published findings that they were the most agitating colors.  McDonald’s doesn’t want you to miss their signs when driving. You may have noticed that Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and many others have since copied them. But, McDonald’s continues testing every  detail so they continue to beat competitors! Do you know why fire trucks are red and taxi cabs are yellow? Studies have shown the first two colors processed by the eye and sent to the brain are red and yellow.

So what does each color represent? Here are some of the associations:

• Red:
  stimulates appetite, commands attention, alerts us, creates sense of urgency, considered sexiest, symbolizes heat, fire, blood, love, warmth, power, excitement, energy, strength, passion, vitality, risk, danger and aggressiveness, associated with debt
• Orange:
  associated with vibrancy, tropics, warmth, contentment, instills sense of fun and excitement, implies health, suggests pleasure, cheer, endurance, generosity and ambition, makes product seem more affordable, appeals to a wide range of people, both male and female
• Yellow:
  sunshine hue, spiritual color, represents warning, happiness, warmth, creamy and warm shades most preferred, bright shades can be irritable to the eye in large quantities, speeds metabolism, often used to highlight or draw attention
• Green:
  money, nature, olive shades with health and freshness, environmental concerns, suggests fertility, freedom, healing and tranquility, represents jealousy, businesses use to communicate status and wealth, is calming, refreshing, easy on the eyes
• Blue:
  favorite color of businesses, suggests sanctuary and fiscal responsibility, inspires confidence, most popular and second most powerful
  color, darker shades are authoritative, dark and bright shades represent trust, security, faithfulness and dignity, paler shades imply freshness and cleanliness, although they can imply weakness
• Purple:
  represents royalty and luxury, darker shades wealthy, suggests spirituality and sophistication, paler shades, such as lavender, feminine
  and romantic
• Pink:
  very feminine, represents gentleness, romance, well-being and innocence
• White:
  associated with innocence, purity, peace and contentment, considered clean and sterile, cool and refreshing, can have a calming, stabilizing influence
• Black:
  ultimate power color, suggests strength, potency, authority, boldness, seriousness, stability and elegance, distinguished and classic, great for creating drama, more weight than other colors, too much can be ominous
• Gold:
  suggests wealth, considered very classy
• Gray or Silver:
  associated with conservative qualities and considered traditional, business-wise symbolizes high-tech and suggests authority, practicality, earnestness and creativity
• Brown:
  associated with nature and the earth, dark shades represent wood or leather, associated with warmth and coziness, suggests richness,
  politeness, helpfulness and effectiveness, solid, credible, mature and reliable, light shades imply genuineness

As you can see, there are many ways to look at colors. Keep these in mind when designing your campaigns and have fun with it!

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

On October 18th, the post office filed for a postage rate increase with the PRC. They want to increase postage rates approximately 2.1% starting January 22, 2012. The PRC should make a final ruling next month and we expect that the rate increase will be approved.

Click here for a postage rate chart.

This postage increase along with structural changes are helping the post office cut into their deficit. Taxpayers do not fund the USPS, postage does. However, it is an agency that is closely linked to the government and needs special approvals prior to making many business decisions, including job cuts and price increases. Due to these restrictions, the post office cannot operate like other private businesses are able to, and this impacts both profitability and efficiency. For more information on postal reform check out this blog post.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Social Media is the new kid on the block for marketers. With some statistics indicating that 65% of adults who use the internet are using social media, marketers need to use it too. However, by using both direct mail and social media you can increase your reach and retention. So how can you incorporate your marketing with social media into your direct mail? Well, here are a few ideas.

• Add a QR Code to your mailing. Make sure the link you are sending them to is mobile friendly and relevant to your campaign. Videos are both fun and interesting to viewers. Do not send them to your home page. Create special landing pages for your campaign.
• Add social media logos on your mailings and website. Seeing Twitter, Facebook and other logos on your mailing will make recipients aware of the channels they can find you on. This will increase your social presence.
• Make sure to incorporate your social sharing options on the landing page of your website and any other pages where information is available, such as blogs and white papers. The easier you make it for people to share your information the quicker your social engagement increases.
• Incorporate your social media sites into your PURL pages and thank you emails to drive people into your social media sites.
• Use your social media sites to link back to your campaign landing pages. Allowing people to respond via mail, and online will only increase your responses.

As always make sure to track your responses. Know how many people respond  in each way. That way you can better target your next campaign.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Marketing to create buzz, helps spread information about your product or service through word of mouth. Hopefully it’s positive buzz. Here we will discuss 5 ways your marketing can help you generate positive buzz for your organization.  How powerful can buzz marketing can be for your company? Extremely! Consumers trust people around them to provide them with good references. You want to be one of the referrals.

1. Identify key individuals who are major influencers for your industry or product. Woo them and get them talking about you.
2. Be sure to include in your electronic marketing, ways for the information to be passed onto others, through social media share buttons or email.
3. Create contests that are fun and exciting. Make sure the prize ties in with your branding and is something your target audience will want.
4. Create suspense around what you are trying to market. Give only few details. People love to talk about what they don’t know and what that could be.
5. When possible create a “scarcity complex”. People jump all over each other to get to do something for a limited time or only so many have been produced.

When used correctly marketing with buzz can be very powerful. Who knows better than your mother, sister, or best friend what will work best for you. We listen to  the people closest to us as well as people we see as knowledgable about a subject. By harnessing that with buzz about your product or service you can drastically increase your referrals and therefore your profits.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-611 or email us at info@eyecomm.org We are glad to help!

These days marketing campaigns consist of many channels. Companies want to build long-term customer relationships. Can a company market too  much? Can you actually drive customers away instead of increase their interaction with you? Yes you can!

A research study on the ideal volume of email, direct mail and telephone communications found that 3 phone calls, 3 or 4 emails and 9 to 10 direct mailings were the best. Whenever it went over these amounts the negative reactions increased.

Do you know which channel has the most effective communication method? That would be direct mail.  Consumers view the mail they receive as less intrusive than phone calls and emails. Direct mail can be viewed at one’s leisure.

Contrary to what some people believe, direct mail is not considered “junk mail” by the individuals receiving it. They pay attention to the advertising they receive. Nearly 90% of consumers say they want to receive sales and promotions via direct mail.

When consumers are provided with a direct mail piece its sparks an interest that does one of two things, drives them to the store to purchase or drives them online to get more information. Direct mail is essential for converting desire and intention into action.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

The USPS is in need of reform. The success of our industry which not only includes mail providers and the post office, but printers, paper vendors, software providers, publishers, equipment manufacturers, greeting card providers and millions of businesses that rely on the post office for distributing communications, depends on a successful post office. We are very concerned about the harm that could be done to our company and the economy if Congress fails to address the problems facing the USPS.

Congress must pass postal reform legislation in 2011. This legislation is critical to the health of our company and millions like it in the U.S. We are part of a mailing industry that contributes nearly one trillion dollars to the economy and employs over nine million people. Over one million of those jobs are in California.

While the Postal Service is an important part of our industry, it is crucial for businesses and individuals who rely on USPS to deliver a wide range of products including bills statements, invoices, insurance information, periodicals, greeting cards, prescriptions and advertising for large and small businesses.

The Postal Service is a user fee based system, funded almost entirely by postage and 90 percent of that postage comes from commercial sources. Action is needed to insure the viability of the Postal Service.

Key elements to consider in any postal legislation include:

• In 2006 congress mandated that the USPS pre-fund its retiree medical system on an accelerated schedule. Those payments exceed $5 billion per year for a ten year period that began in 2007. In the severe recession we have faced, these payments have assured the USPS incurs annual deficits.
• In 2010, two independent actuarial studies showed that the portion of federal retirement attributed to postal employees is over funded by between $50 and $75 billion.
• The USPS will not be able to make its scheduled retiree medical payment this year and will literally run out of cash before the end of the year if no action is taken.
• If the USPS collapses, the impact on the mailing industry will be severe. This industry includes paper, printing, mail service, equipment manufacturers, software developers, internet sales, publishers, greeting card manufactures and the millions of businesses that rely on mail to communicate with customers and potential customers.
• If Congress takes no action and the USPS collapses, the taxpayer will be obligated for the entire failure of the system since previous Congresses guaranteed all of the retirement benefits of postal employees.
• Congress created the Postal Service as an independent federal service forty years ago. At the same time, it created an arbitration system that compromises the ability of the USPS to reduce labor costs, limits the ability of the USPS to close and consolidate facilities while requiring universal service six days per week.

Key Provisions necessary for effective postal reform:

• Allow 5 day delivery service, which is estimated to save the USPS $3 billion per year.
• Enable the USPS to close or consolidate facilities and relocate money-losing post offices into existing retail businesses, saving millions of dollars.
• Allow USPS leadership to make crucial cost cutting business decisions, including downsizing the workforce and exploring alternative ways to administer benefits.
• Equitable retiree health care funding including credit for overfunding of CSRS and FERS.
• Avoid large postage increases which will discourage businesses from using the mail and result in further erosion of mail volumes. Any postal reform should achieve USPS solvency by cost cutting, not by postage increases over and above the CPI cap now in place.

Legislation is pending in the House and Senate to address many of these critical issues. PIA/SD is currently working on a strategy to mobilize the print, mail and communication industries.

PIA/SD members and staff recently met with Congressman’s Issa’s office on this important issue. We need your help to bring this issue to the attention of our elected leaders. We need you to urge your customers, and urge your employees to write about preserving jobs in this industry by cutting costs rather than raising postal rates.

The quickest and easiest way is to go to www.capwiz.com/printing where you can simply input your zip code and the district contact match for both federal and state elected officials will display. Simply copy the letters at the bottom of the linked page here and paste into the body of the form. Hit send and your email will be sent. We also encourage you to copy the letters at the bottom of the page liked Here on your letterhead, sign and send in the mail.

Stay tuned for the next steps you can take to impact postal reform.

If you have any questions or concerns call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

These days we need a way to reach our customers and get noticed. Direct mail is a very effective tool to do just that. Here are 5 ideas to get your direct mail campaign to stand out and get noticed.

1. Use color envelopes. Color is inviting and not used often enough. Your envelope will get opened because it is unique. There are many standard colors available that do not drastically increase your costs. Keep in mind some colors are not USPS approved.
2. Use stamps. There is a stamp for each postage class, use them.
3. Use larger pieces. You can use up to a 6.125 x 11.5 piece and still pay the lower postage rate. Take advantage of that. Larger pieces get noticed.
4. Add fun taglines to your envelopes, get your recipients excited about what they are going to find in the envelope.
5. Target your message to the individual. The better targeted the message the more likely they are to respond.

Remember to change only one thing at a time so that when you are analyzing your results you will be able to see if the change you made has increased your response. It would be best to have a control group of what you always have done and then split off a segment to try the new piece with. This will give you the most accurate results.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Social media marketing centers on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it. A corporate message spreads from user to user and amplifies because it is coming from a trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself. Is this how you are using social media? You should be.

Social Media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone. Increased communication for organizations increases brand awareness and improves customer service. Additionally, social media serves as a relatively inexpensive platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. With emergence of channels like Twitter, the barrier to entry in social media is greatly reduced.

So the key factors that ensure social media success are:

1. Relevance to the customer
2. Value it provides customers with
3. Listening to what customers are saying
4. Strength of the foundation

A strong foundation provides a platform which the organization can centralize its information and direct customers on its recent developments via other social media channels, such as article and press releases. Oftentimes, corporate social media platforms are used to offer unique incentives to customers who are willing to engage with the organization. 

Do not use social media marketing to only send out information that is boring or already known. You must supply information that is relevant and of value. Make sure you are listening to the feedback you get from customers with each campaign. With that valuable information you can build better and more effective campaigns.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Done right, direct mail can be a very cost-effective way to reach targeted prospects and customers. Return on investment typically exceeds most other forms of advertising; however, inefficient list targeting and poor mail piece design can cost you money.

Tough economic times can put a real strain on your marketing budget. Here are 5 ideas that will save you money now.

1. Mail to the right people by targeting your lists to reach only those people most likely to be interested in your product or service. Many tools are available to profile your mailing lists utilizing the amazing amount of information accessible today on households and businesses. Ask us about enhancing your data  to target the right audience. You can mail fewer pieces and get better results.

2. Clean In-House lists. Avoid undeliverable mail by updating your lists at least four times a year. There are several ways to get address updates for people who have moved and to eliminate invalid or incomplete addresses. Mail that does not get delivered or is sent to the wrong address wastes your money.

3. Size matters. For lower postage rates, keep your mail piece at letter size, no larger than 6 1/8” high by 11 ½” long. Mail pieces larger than that fall into the flats category and have a significantly higher postage rate. Flats can cost more than twice as much per piece than letters.

4. Location, location, location. Make sure the address and barcode block on letter size mail fits into the USPS OCR read area. If it doesn’t fit, you pay for it with additional postage. We can provide you with a template to guide you.

5. An ounce of prevention. Send a mock-up or pdf file to Eye/Comm, before your mail piece is printed. We will gladly assess it for automation compatibility, or, if necessary, send it the Postal Service for a ruling. There is no charge for this service and it can save you lots of money and avoid costly delays.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Ok, so we have all heard the term “outside of the box”. Here we want to relate that to marketing. Sometimes we are at our wits end when trying to come up with marketing ideas. So here we have 5 ways to help you find that “outside the box” idea.

1. Talk to other people in your organization that have nothing to do with your marketing. Ask them to contribute an idea or perspective on an idea you already have. 9 times out of 10 they will look at something from a perspective you never thought of. This can help you to take your marketing in a different direction.
2. Go boldly where you have never gone before. In other words try something completely new. Do not be afraid to make a mistake. Think big, bold and fresh, nothing is off limits.
3. Question all of your previous ideas. Do not limit yourself to your common notions, pull yourself out of the common and ask why. It is best to not do this alone. Put together a team and question each others ideas.
4. Take a look at how your competition is marketing. Can you go bigger and bolder than them? Can you do the opposite? What is the next big thing waiting around the corner?
5. Ask a child what they think about your product or service. The child’s perspective is literal, innocent and can truly inspire great ideas.

Generally you want to stand out, be remembered and make a great impression with your prospects and customers. The way you go about doing that will be different for everyone. Just remember to be open to the ideas of others and to really consider all options.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Now is the time for innovative ideas in direct mail marketing! The best way to get a great response to your campaign is to generate an emotional response in the recipient. The fastest way to reach our emotions is thru our senses. People use 80% emotion and 20% reason to make decisions. Adding layers of senses to your direct mail can drastically improve your results.

1. Sight – this is the most used sense in direct mail. We use color, pictures, logos and words to appeal to the sense of sight.
2. Touch – Direct mail is very tactile. The texture and shape of a direct mail piece can be designed in such a way that it is fun to touch. There are many coatings that can be added for a soft or rough feel, increasing the recipients involvement with the piece.
3. Hear – It is common these days to see cards with sounds. Have you thought of adding sound to your direct mail? A sound can help set the mood of emotion you are trying to reach.
4. Smell – This sence is directly linked in the brain to emotion and memory. Adding smell to your direct mail can greatly increase your message being remembered and acted upon.
5. Taste – This is closely linked with smell. Not everyone will be able to offer taste as an option in their direct mail, but if you can, wow what a difference it will make.

You want to create an experience your recipient will remember by incorporating more sensory stimulation. When you use more than one sense in your campaign you increase the likelihood of greater emotion. That greater emotion translates into a stronger connection with your brand, building loyalty, which ultimately drives more purchasing. Just adding one other sense to the direct mail piece can really help.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

With a slower economy these days we can all use a little help to boost our results. Here are 5 tips to get you started on increasing your direct mail results:

1. Look closely at your offer. Consider sweetening the deal or at least appearing to do so with some creative wording. Remember to highlight the benefits to the recipient, not the features. People want to know “what’s in it for me”. Motivating the recipients to respond is key to increasing your results.
2. Look closely at your list. Is the list targeted well for the offer you are making? Sometimes it makes more sense to mail fewer pieces to better qualified recipients. If you need to supplement your list with a purchased list, contact your provider to help you determine who is best for your offer.
3. Make it personal. Appear to speak directly to your recipients. They want to feel special. Variable digital printing provides a tool for customizing every mail piece with personalized messages and images. This can dramatically increase your response.
4. Increase the number of ways your recipients can respond. Include a phone number, email, QR Code, mail address and website. Make them easy to find. Consider including a business reply card. Even in this day when people may respond by telephone and internet, business reply cards improve response rates. Their very presence communicates that a response is requested.
5. Clearly state how you want the recipient to respond and set a designated respond by date to encourage quick response. This will enable you to capture them while the “iron is hot”.

Lastly, in order to know how well these tips have helped you, there must be a tracking method. Here are a few options you could use for tracking:

1. Direct recipients to a special website landing page rather than your company’s home page. You can easily do that with a QR code, or by creating personalized URLs for each individual.
2. Use a code on all reply devices and ask for a code for online orders.
3. Ask a recipient to bring the piece into your location for a gift or discount.
4. Use a special email address created for the campaign.
5. Ask recipients to mention a promotion code when they call your company.

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Here are the most important tips for social media marketing:

1. Social media is networking. It takes time. You can easily spend your whole day on social media sites. It is important to set time limits for yourself and not take on all sites at once. Start with the three big players, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Then as you become more comfortable, add more.
2. Use online tools to help you manage your social media time. There are many software tools out there to help you manage, track and update across multiple social media platforms.
3. Make sure that the information you are providing is useful to your customers and prospects. If all you throw out there are messages about how great you are and they should use you, you will not have any followers. Provide useful tips, ideas and information to create a sence of value to following you. Make sure to listen as people respond to you.
4. Make it easy for people to share your content by adding share buttons to your website and online documents. If you have a blog, make sure to add them there too.
5. Don’t forget that this is networking. Treat your contacts like you would a person at a networking event. Continue to nurture the relationship and build trust. Most important, be personable. People enjoy interacting with real genuine people.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

You can create very unique QR Codes for your marketing pieces. Get your designers excited about QR Codes! The more they stand out the better chance you have that someone will scan your code. It is very important to provide instructions on how to scan and a reason for the recipient to scan the code. Keep the instructions and reason short and sweet.

Here are some things to keep in mind when designing a unique QR Code:

1. Keep the 3 squares (two upper corners and one bottom corner) clear and discernible. They are the most important part of the barcode.
2. Keep your logo or other art in the center of the barcode.
3. You will need to keep at least a 1/16 white space around your barcode, in order for the barcode to scan.
4. Test your design on multiple phone types and scanners. What works on one may not work on another.

Another key element with QR Codes is to design landing pages with mobile in mind. Using a unique design to increase your scan rates is only the first step. Your landing page must be easy to navigate with a mobile phone. Use large buttons and only key information that the user needs.

If you have any questions, call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Email marketing can enhance your direct mail marketing with a lift on average of 11%. The emails can be timed based on your direct mail in home dates, allowing for a double punch of your message. You can also easily add a follow-up email one week later to grab the attention of those who put the mail piece aside for later and have forgotten about it. There are a couple of good things to note about follow-up emails:

• You can send multiple email reminders without being overbearing, but don’t get too carried away
• You are more likely to receive a prompt response to your follow-up emails, than single emails with no tie to another campaign
• The recipients feel part of your business and more involved when multi-channels are used

Direct mail still represents 17% of the overall marketing budget, which is larger than the share held by any other media. Second is email. Direct mail has the most targeted messages at 29% followed by email at 22%. So when your campaign incorporates both you have a much larger impact. This will increase your ROI. One important fact to remember when planning your campaigns, is to keep the message and branding consistent between the direct mail and email. You want the recipient to associate them.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Recently the focus of marketing has been with online tools such as email, web and social media. Instead of incorporating a mix of on and offline marketing, the focus shifted to the easier option of  online. Today more than ever, direct mail reaches people in ways that online cannot. When the physical piece lands in the mail box the recipient touches and looks at the piece. Giving ample opportunity for your offer to be viewed. Email can be deleted without ever being opened and search ads may not even be noticed on the cluttered web page. That said, it’s still important to use multi-channel marketing. The more ways you reach your prospects the greater your ROI will be. A full campaign should include elements of email, web, social media and direct mail.

So lets outline the benefits of direct mail:

• Direct Mail touches people every day.
• Many people look forward to receiving their daily mail. In fact, 98 percent of consumers bring in their mail the day it’s delivered, and 77 percent sort through it immediately. In addition to that kind of exposure, Direct Mail offers these benefits:

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Getting your marketing mix right is the key to growing your business. Here are some ideas that can help you get on your way to better marketing.

Choose one goal: Build your campaign around this goal. Decide what method will work best toward your goal and create a plan of action.  By starting with only one goal you can stay focused and monitor the effectiveness.

Monitor results: It is important to track your results. That way you can tell if your marketing is working. You will also want to test new things to see what has the best results. By sticking with one goal to start out, you will have the time to make sure you are getting the results you want and when you are not, then make changes.

Multi-Channel: Integrating your campaign across many channels helps broaden your reach. Your website, emails, direct mail and social media should all be based on your single goal. Keeping your branding the same will help people see a cohesive message across all channels.

Before you add another goal to your overall strategy, make sure it can be integrated with your existing methods. This integration can help you get the best results for your efforts. As you integrate each new method into your marketing strategy, make sure to test and track. Testing and tracking is the key to the best marketing mix.

Retain your company values: Make sure as you are creating strategies that you remain true to your company’s core values. When we choose to deviate from them it will be noticed and your ultimate branding message will be diluted.

Keep within your budget: Probably the most important factor is your budget. Make sure your strategies fit your budget and long-term plans.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

The USPS summer sale on direct mail with QR codes is in full swing! Are you saving 3% on your postage by using a QR code on your direct mail? You should be. The sale only lasts until August 31st 2011. Add those QR Codes now! Not sure what a QR Code is? QR codes, or quick response codes were created by the Japanese in 1994.

In order to read QR codes you will need to download a barcode reader application. Then point your smart phone camera at the code,  the QR code will instantly decode and take you to a website, video or more. They can be scanned upside down or side ways and still work.

Scan the code above and see our website. Codes can be many sizes from a billboard to a 1.5 inch square so you can place them anywhere. Why do people scan QR codes? Well, they are curious, to get discounts or other offers, and to learn more. How do you get started with QR codes? Well there are many free sites available to generate your code. It is also recommended to include a way for people to sign up for your emails, twitter and any other information your company provides.

Click here, to check out our post for details of the sale. You can use the QR code to link to your website, video or whatever is currently relevant to your offer. 

Call us today to start your next direct mail campaign with QR Codes! 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Seeking to prevent another taxpayer bailout, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, introduced legislation to implement sweeping, structural reforms of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The legislation represents the most fundamental reform of the postal service that has been proposed since USPS was first created from the old Post Office Department.

“The Postal Service lost $8.5 billion last year. It is going to lose, at least, $8.3 billion this year. And it is projected to lose $8.5 billion the year after that,” Issa said. “Congress can’t keep kicking the can down the road on out of control labor costs and excess infrastructure of USPS and needs to implement reforms that aren’t a multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded bailout.”

Highlights of the Postal Reform Act include:

• Postal BRAC: Creates the Commission on Postal Reorganization to eliminate costly excess capacity and facilities. Over its first year the CPR will recommend closures worth $1 billion/year for post offices. Over the second, it will recommend $1 billion/year closures for mail processing and a 30% reduction in management facilities.
• Solvency Authority: Creates an Authority modeled on and named after the DC Control Board with a mandate to cut costs, protect universal service, and return USPS to financial solvency. The Authority is triggered into existence when USPS goes into default on any obligation to the federal government for more than 30 days. It has the authority to require renegotiation of existing collective bargaining agreements and the power to unilaterally modify those agreements if renegotiation fails. To accomplish its mission, the Authority may use a supplemental borrowing authority of $10 billion, backed by USPS property as collateral.
• 5-Day Delivery: Allows USPS to move to 5-day delivery of mail.
• Pay Comparability: Clarifies existing law to include wages and benefits in determining total compensation comparability with the entire private sector.
• Health and Life Insurance: Requires USPS employees to pay the same health and life insurance premium percentage as other federal workers. This provision is phased in to apply to union employees after their current bargaining agreements expire.
• Mediation Arbitration: Modifies the collective bargaining process to the 2003 Presidential Commission recommended mediation-arbitration process. Also requires arbitrators to take into account total compensation comparability and the financial situation of the Postal Service in any decision.
• Cost Coverage: Requires all market-dominant products to cover costs, while maintaining the CPI price cap.
• Underwater Products: For classes below 90% cost coverage, rates are increased by 5% annually above the price cap.
• Non-Profit Discount: The non-profit advertising discount is reduced by 5% a year from 40% to 10% of the most closely corresponding class.
• Political Committees: Ends the rate preferences for national and state political committees.
• Advertising: Authorizes USPS to sell advertising space on USPS facilities and vehicles. All advertising must maintain at least 200% cost coverage and be consistent with USPS’s integrity.
• State Government Services: Authorizes USPS to provide services for state governments that enhances USPS’s value to the public. Such services must not interfere with or detract from the value of postal services.
• Contracting accountability and transparency: Reaffirms accountability for delegations of contracting authority and requires their disclosure when outside the functional contracting unit. Requires disclosure of most non-competitive purchase requests above $250,000.
• Contracting ethics: Requires USPS to establish regulations to prevent conflicts of interest in the contracting area, with ethics officials reviewing any ethics issues that arise.

If you would like to read the bill click here.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Starting with Digital Media we find:

• Intense Infrastructure Energy Usage
• Manufacturing of infrastructure materials such as computers, routers and so on.
• Disposal of infrastructure materials with heavy metals and chemicals
• CO2 emissions from data centers

Now for Print Media:

• Energy Usage
• Disposal of Chemicals
• Manufacturing of equipment
• Disposal of materials used to create equipment

The goal in being environmentally friendly is to take into account every aspect of what you are doing and to be most efficient at it. The choice between digital and print media today needs to be based on reaching your customers most efficiently. The best way is the multi-channel approach. Using both digital and print to reach your customers in a way they will most respond to.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email us info@eyecomm.org. We are happy to help.

You need more customer engagement and interactivity with your brand. In order to do that, you need multi-channel marketing. What is multi-channel marketing? Well, it is the integration of multiple marketing channels for a single campaign. In other words, your marketing campaign includes, print ads, direct mail, TV/Radio, and social media. The reward for multi-channel marketing is a higher level of customer interaction with your brand. This builds trust and translates into an increase in your results.

Most multi-channel campaigns include an offer and a deadline. They will also include triggered actions based on the customers interactions with you. There are important things to remember in your multi-channel campaign:

1. One clear focused concept
2. Consistent look across all channels
3. A single voice across all channels
4. All channels must work together as a team, building up the entire campaign
5. Use each channel within its strengths 

Personal messaging is a powerful motivator for your customers. The more you know about them, the better your offer will be. Engaging customers can help you create a powerful database with unique customer preferences. This can enhance all future campaigns to each individual by allowing you to get more personal. The better you are able to tailor your offer to each individual person, the larger you increase your ROI.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org, we are glad to help.

QR Codes and direct mail are a great fit! Now that the USPS has a summer sale on direct mail with QR codes, you can test this out and save 3% on your postage! Click here, to check out our post for details of the sale. You can use the QR code to link to whatever is currently relevant to your offer and then continue to update it. The ongoing updates allow you to keep your content fresh as people continue to scan and engage with your company online.

By linking your QR code to a video you can visually and audibly explain your promotion. They are great on a postcard since you have very limited room for copy. By linking your QR code to more detailed information on your website you can enhance the effectiveness of your postcard.

A QR code will allow you to have more creative on your piece, you need less room for copy. You can also personalize the QR codes so that each person gets a different offer based on what they are most likely to respond to. The best part about QR codes is that they are easily trackable. You can see who scanned the code, how often and so much more.

Call us today to start your next direct mail campaign with QR Codes! 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org

Your list is very important, if you mail to the wrong people you wasted your money. The best lists are prospects who are exactly like your current customers. They are most likely going to buy your product or service.
 
How do you find out who and where your best prospects are? Start by knowing who your current customers are. Eye/Comm can profile your customer list to find out what your best customers have in common.  Then, using demographic data, survey results, and US census data, we help you identify and reach your brand’s most promising prospects. List profiling and analysis enables you to improve relationships with your customers that will drive profit.

• Identify your most valuable customers
• Optimize your marketing mix and prioritize your spending – limiting waste and increasing efficiency
• Target your selling messages to the right audience at the right time
• Build loyalty programs that increase lifetime value

Power Targeting finds your best prospects

• Identify and target new prospects most like your best customers
• Reach out to customers and prospects using the methods they prefer
• Boost response through more specific, personalized offers (as opposed to generic, one-size-fits-all promotions)
• Dramatically improve your advertising ROI

If you have any questions please call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Now here are some things to stay away from that can cost you more money on your direct mail marketing! Designers love to get crazy and mail something that will really stand out without thinking about the post office requirements. So here is a list of some common design problems we see that will cost you extra postage:

1. Your shape must be rectangular and maintain an aspect ratio between 1.3 and 2.5.
2. Don’t print your return address in the OCR read area which is from the bottom of the mail panel up 3.5 inches.
3. Do not have round corners.
4. Do not use a dark color on the mail panel, the postal machines will not be able to read the address.
5. Leave enough room on the mail panel for the address and barcode, we recommend  a 2 x 4 space.
6. In order to mail at Nonprofit rates, you must have been authorized by the USPS with an authorization number.
7. If you want the barcode in the bottom right corner instead of the address block, you need to leave the bottom 5/8 of the mail panel blank.
8. If you want only 1 tab, you need the final fold below the mail panel.
9. If you have stitching on your mailer, you are required to have three 1.5 inch tabs.
10. The mail piece must be uniform in thickness to mail at automation rates.

If you have a pdf file we are more than happy to take a look at it for you and let you know if there are any problems. Call us at 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org.

Have you heard the news? The PRC has approved the 3% postage discount known as the summer sale.  Click here for the ruling. 

Well, in a nut shell, here is what they are going to do:

A special 3% discount July 1st thru August 31st for letters or flats if they include QR Codes that can be read by consumer smartphones.

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.

 Click here for Frequently asked questions.

If you have questions calls us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

In our current economy fundraising is extremely tough. So we put together some key ideas to make you more successful.

1. Your current donors are your bread and butter, keep them engaged and active.
2. When trying to acquire new donors, use list profiling to find more donors like your current ones.
3. Use both email and direct mail to reach donors with information as well as solicitations.
4. Make sure to keep your donor list up to date, there are many ways to do that now.
5. When writing your letter copy, be conversational one friend telling another a story.
6. Personalize your reply piece, make it as easy as possible for them to respond.
7. Mail often, tests have shown that a second mailing of the same piece to the same list usually generates 50% of the response of the first mailing.
8. Make sure to test on alternate mailings the offers, lists, and creative. Only test one at a time in order to get accurate results.
9. Track, track, track. Know your results. Code your reply devices, this will help with tracking.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Direct mail is not the new kid on the block. However, it is very effective. Direct mail is seen as a non-intrusive form of marketing. When the piece arrives in the mail box, the consumer gets to decide when they want to read it. Mail is engaging. Consumers spend on average 10 minutes reading direct mail.

Of the 1000+ B2B marketing professionals surveyed by Marketing Sherpa, 79% found direct mail to be either effective or very effective. 72% of adults said they have replied to direct mail pieces that contained a “buy one, get one free” offer. This indicates that direct mail pieces with an irresistible offer will get results. It also indicates that the word “free” is more appealing to people than a discount.

Direct mail is a tangible form of advertising. It gives you a physical presence in your customer’s home or office, and can literally put your product in their hands. Mail can be targeted to reach very specific audiences – almost every individual, household and business can be reached by mail. Including direct mail in your marketing mix will yield a larger ROI.

The Green aspect of mail:

• Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we’d reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
• Mail represents only 2.4% of America’s municipal waste stream.
• The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
• Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
• Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.

So, as you can see, Direct Mail is an excellent marketing channel as well as a green process.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Marketing in these challenging times is hard. We need to get better results with less money. We need to reach out to people on many different channels and get their attention. The average American is exposed to 5000 messages per day. They notice about 52 of them and only remember 4. So our challenge is to be 1 of the 4.

The most common marketing mistake is we forget that only 15% of our short term results are from today’s marketing initiatives. Today’s marketing will be responsible for 85% of our long term results. So, knowing that, we need to plan accordingly. To start on the path to better future results we need to analyze what we are currently doing. Rather than focusing on doing something different, first try to tweak what you do currently.

• Start by changing your messaging. To do this effectively you need a good understanding of your customers motivations. Once you understand them better, your messaging will be remembered and drive a greater response.
• You should also integrate your marketing across multiple channels to improve your results. You want to make the competition be forgotten and irrelevant.

The single most important concept to remember is to continually evaluate your marketing and change things as you need to. Marketing must be continuous and grow with you.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

UPDATE PRC HAS APPROVED! See lastest post, click here!

Have you heard the new proposal from the post office? Well, in a nut shell, here is what they are asking the PRC to approve:

A special 3% discount in July and August for letters or flats if they include QR Codes that can be read by consumer smartphones. The 3% discount will apply to both First Class Mail and Standard Class Mail, sent using a permit imprint payment methods. Nonprofit mail is excluded from this promotion. To qualify for the lower postage rate, mailers must display the QR Codes either outside or within all mail pieces in a mailing, using the barcodes to “market, promote or educate” mail recipients – rather than for internal tracking purposes.

Already in use with other forms of print advertising, the barcodes allow a person to scan items with their smart phones in order to get more information, coupons,videos or special offers. The USPS hopes its summer sale will help to highlight the potential of combining online and offline marketing to offer better response rates for direct marketing campaigns.

Thomas Foti, the Postal Service manager of marketing mail, told Post&Parcel yesterday: “We firmly believe that mobile barcodes add significant value to mail – they help increase response rates and they help establish relationships with those that don’t have necessarily already have a relationship with mail – for instance those in younger generations.”

The USPS filed for Postal Regulatory Commission approval for the Mobile Barcode Promotion on April 12, with plans for the discount to run from July 1 through to August 31. The Commission is now seeking comments from interested parties on the program until May 2.

If you have questions calls us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Why does it matter what your customers think of you? If you are like most marketers, you know why it matters, especially now. Your customers can make or break your brand. Their voices are louder now than ever before. So before you have the next bad viral branding incident, lets take time to prepare.

1. Use surveys, they are an excellent source of information. (You may need to use incentives to increase response).
2. Include questions on your facebook posts.
3. Tweet relevant information, fun stuff and questions.
4. Listen to the answers and continue the conversation.
5. Monitor what is being said about your brand.
6. Respond to posts and questions.
7. Build campaigns that address the weaknesses your customers have identified and transform them into strengths. 

When you are aware of what your customers like and dislike about your brand, you can be prepared for responding to both the positive and negative remarks that get posted. Always stop and consider how your responses will appear to your customers. Put yourself in their shoes and respond in a way that addresses their needs. Happy customers generate more business for you!

If you have any questions, call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help!

Now more than ever, it is extremely important to realize that your customers have power over your brand. There are many platforms for them to post comments about your company. Are you listening to what they are saying about your company? Not only is it important to listen to what they are saying, you must also be measuring your online sources, from your website to all the social media outlets.

The benefit of social media is it allows companies a greater insight into customers. Your customers themselves will tell you what they like and don’t like. You must keep track of this valuable information to use in your marketing later. You must also make sure to respond to both the good and the bad comments or else the bad will turn into the ugly. The good old-fashioned I’m sorry goes a long way. Oh, and did we mention, that the speed at which you respond must be quick. Customers demand instant information and quick responses.

Happy customers tell others and gather more customers for your company. You want the good information about you passed on to others. You have to be responsible for what is out there as well as responsive to it. Have conversations on the social platforms with your customers. Engage them in conversations not just about your company but with information they would find interesting. Remember to say thank you when people say good or bad comments.

The rules are:

1. Listen
2. Engage
3. Respond as quickly as you can
4. Record the information provided for future use

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email us info@eyecomm.org. We are always glad to help.

Target your list!

How would you like to find out who and where your best prospects are? Start by knowing who your current customers are. Eye/Comm can profile your customer list to find out what your best customers have in common. Then, using demographic data, survey results, and US census data, we help you identify and reach your brand’s most promising prospects. The better the prospects the better your results.

List profiling and analysis enables you to improve relationships with your customers that will drive profit.

• Identify your most valuable consumers
• Optimize your marketing mix and prioritize your spending – limiting waste and increasing efficiency
• Target your selling messages to the right audience at the right time
• Build loyalty programs that increase lifetime value

Power Targeting finds your best prospects.

• Identify and target new prospects most like your best customers
• Reach out to customers and prospects using the methods they prefer
• Boost response through more specific, personalized offers (as opposed to generic, one-size-fits-all promotions)
• Dramatically improve your advertising ROI

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

QR codes, or quick response codes were created by the Japanese in 1994. We are now seeing increased use of QR Codes. In order to read QR codes you will need to download a barcode reader application, then point your smart phone camera at the code, snap a picture, the QR code will instantly decode and take you to a website. They can be scanned upside down or side ways and still work. Scan the code above and see our website. Codes can be many sizes from a billboard to a 1.5 inch square so you can place them anywhere. Why do people scan QR codes? Well, they are curious, to get discounts or other offers, and to learn and more.

How do you get started with QR codes? Well there are many free sites available to generate your code. You will need to design your landing page with what ever information you want to provide. It is also recommend to include a way for people to sign up for your emails, twitter and any other information your company provides.

QR codes help make direct mail interactive by connecting to websites videos and more. Your direct mail becomes an integrated campaign. The best thing about adding QR codes to your direct mail is that it gives you online tractability for visits to your landing page. You can offer more information on the page as well as extras for the people who were interested and scanned the code.

It is possible to have unique QR codes so that each person is directed to their own personalized site. This can help you tailor your message directly to them and increase your response rate. Another benefit is that you can have the recipient keep the mail piece to use multiple times. You have the ability to change the landing page offers as often as you want. This can be coupons, discounts or specials once a month or in what ever increment you desire. That turns your direct mail piece into a useful item for the long-term. It also keeps the recipient engaged with your company.

If you have any questions please call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We will be glad to help you.

To begin in social media, you need to keep in mind that you will have to seek out friends and fans, get them engaged with you and pass you on to their other friends. You cannot sit idle and wait for people to come to you. It won’t work. Be sure to share information that is related to your brand but is also interesting to your followers. Do not keep saying the same things over and over. Mix up your branding with some fun tips or pictures and links that are helpful.

Most important and really the KEY to social media is listening. Pay attention to what others are saying about you and respond to that. Engage everyone not just the people saying good things about you. The quickest way to change a negative into a positive is to respond. Do what you can to fix the issue, the effort you make to correct a situation goes a long way with everyone following you.

In social media you must humanize your brand. People want to see interactions with your company as human interactions. They will connect better with you and respond more when you do. You build relationships with people and they will continue to engage with you and spread your message to others. Ask questions, keep conversations going, don’t be a heavy and only push out information, be the company that others want to follow for good information and some fun facts.

If you have questions or need help, call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are happy to help.

Every business is a bathtub that has cracks and leaks. Your acquisition programs are the faucets that fill the tub with water (new customers). Some stay put and refuse to leak out, some just don’t need you very often, and then some leak out and move on. Now here are the interesting ones, they like other tubs better or feel like they were mistreated or they could not afford to stay in your tub anymore. The trick is to keep the bathtub filled by spending your marketing money in the most efficient way. When you can plug the leaks that CAN be fixed (you can’t plug them all, remember that!) then you are succeeding.

Direct mail is very efficient at all points of the selling cycle. From prospecting thru follow-up after a purchase. That constant flow of information keeps helping to fill your tub. Whether you are a B2B company or a B2C company you need to continue to market yourselves effectively. The tactile nature of direct mail helps to increase awareness within the recipient’s brain about your product or service. Even when they set it aside now, it will still be there later for reference.

Now you can’t fill your tub with just anyone. You need to find the right people who need your business to help them. The right people are the ones who need what you offer, can afford what you offer and have a history of using businesses such as yours. Direct mail lists are targetable. You can direct your message to the right people. The more right people you have the less leak out.

If you need help filling your tub, call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org.

Here are direct mail tactics for success:

1. Generate Traffic – to a location, a website or event
2. Generate sales leads
3. Counter a competitive offer – without them knowing about it right away
4. Customer loyalty
5. Customer acquisition or referrals
6. Improve customer service – send a thank you note
7. Cross sell or upsell
8. Announcements
9. Augmenting other media efforts – email, web, social media, print ads…
10. Improving sales efficiency
11. Catalog, custom publications or newsletters
12. Combining mailings with other companies – value added or coupons
13. Building brand awareness

The tactics above are not all the options but the most common. If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org.

Design is the 3rd  key to successful direct mail. You have many options, but I will list a few for you to consider.

There are 7 common package choices:

1. Traditional: letter, lift note, brochure, reply device in #10 envelope
2. Self-mailers folded in various ways with a tear off reply.
3. Snap-Paks: computer generated with 3 tear off perfed edges (only cost effective in large volume)
4. Closed-Faced Kits: generally a 9 x 12 envelope with personalized feel and all inserts personalized.
5. Postcards
6. Double postcards: this is a folded over card with a tear off reply device
7. Emerging creative tactics: CD’s, shapes, fold outs, pop outs, stand ups, repositional notes

Here are the most popular choices:

1. Letter in envelope
2. Flyer or self-mailer
3. Catalogs
4. Large Envelopes
5. Snap packs
6. Postcards

Which ever format you choose there are some common elements to keep in mind:

• Keep it visually appealing
• Keep with your branding
• Integrate the call to action into the design
• Be unique
• Keep your audience in mind, what would they like to see
• Make sure the design plays into the “whats in it for me” demand that the recipient has
• What will work best with your budget

If you have any questions about a design you are considering please give us a call 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org. We are glad to help.

Here is a list of a few of them:

• Free
• Samples
• Discount
• Guarantee
• Special
• Buy one get one
• Volume discount
• Exclusive
• Upgrade

Make sure as part of the clear offer you provide multiple ways for the recipient to respond, such as by phone, email, website, or in person. A good clear offer will increase your ROI.

The 3rd key is design. We will talk about that in the next post.

If you have any questions call us 619-448-6111 or email info@eyecomm.org.

Ok lets look at the first key to direct mail success. That is the list of people you are sending to. The list makes up about 50% of the requirement in direct mail success. You must send to the right people in order to get a response.

So, with that being the case lets take a look at the types of lists:

1. House Lists (your clients)
2. Responder Lists (people who have responded to like offers before)
3. Compiled Lists (purchased list based on whatever specs you choose)

Your most valuable list is your house list. It is important to keep it clean and up to date. There are many methods to do this. You can remove duplicates and bad addresses to clean it up and then run NCOA to make sure the addresses are current. If you need any help in these areas let us know. Along with names and addresses in your house list you should be capturing other client information such as what they purchase or donate and any other information that can help you target an offer to them.

The 2nd most valuable list is responders. These are people who have made inquiries with you in the past, but have not become clients yet. It is important to keep track of who these people are and what they have responded to in the past. You can help tailor your message to them if you track this information.

Lastly, we have the compiled list. There are way to many list options out there for me to come even close to being able to list them all. So lets just say you can  buy pretty much any type of list you are looking for. If you have specific questions please give us a call and we can help. One very valuable option is to try to get a list of people who are like your current customers. This is done based on running an analysis of your current customer database, coding people into groups and then gathering a list of people who are just like them.

The next key is offer. We will discuss this in the next blog post.

Call us 619-448-6111 or email us info@eyecomm.org with any questions, we are glad to help.