Rising Postal Rates? Don?t Cut Down the Direct Mail

The United States Post Office in the past had some trouble with its finances and their solution was to raise the postal rates. Whether or not you agree with this approach to trying to stay in business, like the weather and government in general, it's something you have to live with.

Many companies have used this as a reason to send out fewer or smaller mailings in an attempt to keep their costs down. Here's a quote from an issue of Direct Marketing News:

"Despite a string of healthy annual increases, the growth of direct mail expenditures is expected to slow over the next four years. Direct mail continued to grow in 2001 but slowed because of the anthrax scare", the study said.

The study also said, "Direct mail will continue to expand during the forecast period but at a slower pace than in the past because of the emergence of e-mail marketing and postal rate hikes, which will force marketers to limit mailings."

The question is: should you agree with this and follow the trend, or should you turn it to your advantage? Just think, with fewer mailing pieces arriving in your customers' or prospects' mailboxes, your glossy, full-color postcards are going to stand out even more and have a greater chance of producing the desired response.

When you start looking at what you have to gain by increasing the amount of direct mail marketing you do and what you have to lose by cutting back, there really isn't a question as to which way to go.

Of course you should be smart about your mailings. Make sure they are really well targeted and put a little more thought into the design and content so as to make sure they impinge. That just makes sense.

So while others are cutting their own throats by cutting back on direct mailing, you can benefit by increasing yours and sending your postcards into a less heavily glutted marketplace where they will receive more attention. Win-win.

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she's sharing her marketing secrets with others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at http://www.postcardmania.com

---

Fertilizer For Your Grassroots Marketing

Looking for a great way to drive traffic to your... Read More

Catalogs are Selling Machines

If you've got a mailbox, you're no doubt aware of... Read More

4 Steps to Successful Offline Drawings

There are many different ways to market offline, each important... Read More

Top Five 2004 Required Marketing Tips Needed to Succeed

When marketing your practice, as well as designing yourbrochure, web... Read More

Five Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business

If you're like me, you're always looking for ways to... Read More

Sales Resistance on the Rise

Have you noticed it? More and more marketing campaigns are... Read More

13 Lessons in Marketing, Super Bowl Style

Each year, the Super Bowl provides marketers opportunity to study... Read More

Ready, Fire, Aim!

You probably read my headline and thought, wait a minute,... Read More

The Top Seven Marketing Mistakes

In my view, nearly all government statistics about reasons for... Read More

GoogSpy: Business Counter Intelligence for Everyone

So, you want to know what your competitors are up... Read More

What is a Marketing Plan Anyway?

Building a business that grows steadily in size and profits... Read More

Too Much To Do: Four Keys to Effective Delegating

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what... Read More

Take a Leap! How To Take Your Business To New Heights

Take a moment to reflect on the current reality of... Read More

The Most Important Marketing Principles of All Time

As you have probably experienced there is a lot of... Read More

4 Easy Ways to Get Free Marketing Exposure

Are there really ways you can get valuable marketing exposure... Read More

Creating And Maintaining A Mailing List

Starting to collect proper information to create a... Read More

Walking Talking Advertisements

So you've made a sale. Great!Now what? You're not just... Read More

Up Your Income Next Week: 13 Ways to Have a Sale

Nothing gets people buying products or programs like a special... Read More

Using Direct Mail

The advantages of using direct mail to promote your home-based... Read More

Ditch Coupons Before Customers Ditch You

Everyone wants to feel like they're getting a good deal.... Read More

Stretch Your Marketing Reach

One of the most cost effective marketing strategies you can... Read More

The Biggest Problem With Your Marketing Is...?

What is the biggest problem most marketers have? Who knows.... Read More

Non-Aggressive Marketing Ideas for Enterpreneurs

Do you cringe at the thought of trying to promote... Read More

How To Recognize Your Niche Marketing Agenda

Starting a business, whether it's retail products or services, must... Read More

Tricks of the Trade: Design your Booth for Maximum Impact

The fight for your customer's attention at a tradeshow has... Read More

Direct Mail Response Devices and How to Craft Them

Successful direct mail packages contain three things: an attractive offer,... Read More

Two Methods of Marketing Using Joint Ventures

Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More

How to Start a Big Mail Service

A BIG MAIL SHOULD CONTAIN:At least three to four Mail... Read More

Smart Ways To Rocket Launch Your Profits

If you really want to pull more profits from your... Read More

Put Your Marketing To The So What? Test

Want to get Better at your Marketing today?For many service... Read More

The Marketing Secret Every Child Knows

Little Kids Ask Until They Get What They Want.Mom, Mom,... Read More

Marketing: Are You Focused?

In early 1992, President George H.W. Bush was riding high.... Read More

The Surprise Inside!

Think about all those Cracker Jacks you ate as a... Read More