Velocity Direct, LLC

Non-profits, religious and charity organizations depend on donors for survival. Direct mail and printing in general have been a mainstay of these organizations fundraising plans. The challenge is to reach many different levels of givers based on their amounts. These organizations must be careful in the types of printing they do. If they send something out perceived to be to costly they can turn away the lower end of their givers but if someone donates a great deal of money and receives a mass mailing they can also be offended.

One solution to this has been digital printing where you can do short runs that are more tailored to a smaller segment. You can also print variable data to thank or target high end donors. By doing this, these non profit organizations can still do their mass mailings but then target their smaller circle of larger donors or prospects with a personal touch.

Velocity Direct can help maximize your savings, and we are very used to printing and mailing  for non-profits.   Please contact us at 440.835.5552 or drop us a note at: info@vcitydirect.com.  We would love to help you with your next fund raising initiative.   Velocity Direct LLC

Direct mail is more than just a three-legged stool: list, offer and copy. To make it really stable, you need the fourth leg called production.

Direct Mail  production which encompasses both printing and mailing services is generally given little attention – sometimes with disastrous results.  Most of the focus is on pre-production efforts; so therefore the last steps are rushed and it is wrongly assumed that the final production will go through quickly and efficiently. Too little attention is paid to the smaller, lesser-known details of production.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, almost one-third of the in-home cost of a direct mail campaign is the actual production. And, depending on the format of your package, up to 80% of the production cost can be PRINT production.

While design, strategy, copy, artwork and lists are all no doubt important, it would be foolish to consider the actual physical production as a foregone conclusion. In fact, during my many years in dm production, one maxim stood out — the simplest direct mail campaign requires the greatest care!

Here are 10 important strategies you must follow in order to achieve success with direct mail:

Strategy #1: Use a direct mail designer who is experienced with direct mail production techniques. He or she will save you time and money. It will be the cheapest money you’ll ever spend.

Strategy #2: Use a printer who is experienced with direct mail production techniques. He will be a valuable partner by preventing minor issues from becoming major mistakes.

Strategy #3:  It is always advisable to provide artwork in its original design format to the printer. PDF-formatted art allows the printer to make only minimal design changes at his end. Adobe InDesign and Quark Xpress are the two most common design programs.

Strategy #4: An excellent way to avoid costly delays is to take advantage of the expertise of your production vendors prior to the actual production by having them sit in on design sessions.

Strategy #5:  Schedule the proper amount of time in your timetable for production. This will allow for the necessary quality control and buffer time to accommodate unexpected delays.

Strategy #6:  Select the most appropriate vendor for your job based on your needs and not just your budget. Building a solid relationship with the ideal vendor will ensure that your jobs will not turn into nightmares.

Strategy#7:  Be careful what paper stocks you plan to use for your direct mail campaign. They must be compatible for both the imaging equipment as well as the downstream insertion machines. The wrong stock can cause expensive delays and reprints.

Strategy #8:  Calculate ‘overs’ into your print order up front. It is a cheap insurance policy to allow for lettershop (mailshop) setup and spoilage as well as the occasional printer under-runs. Above all, refuse to work with any printers who specify an ‘industry policy of 5% over or under.’

Strategy #9:  Keep the number of versions of offset-printed stock or laser ’shells’ to a minimum. Increasing the number of versions raises the risk for error during production. Whenever possible, use variable data printing (VDP) or personalization to minimize the number of printed versions.

Strategy #10:  You can keep your imaging costs down by pre-printing (offset print) non-personalized areas of your letter. These areas include multiple pages and special techniques such as colored text, underlining, signatures and handwritten notes.

Conclusion:

Success in direct mail is not only dependent on the proper list, copy and offer but also on sound print production strategies. Since a significant part of a direct mail program cost can be print production, it is important that care be taken with even the simplest campaign.

Incorporate as many of these strategies as you can into your direct mail campaigns. The more you incorporate, the less problems you will encounter in getting your mailings successfully into the hands of your target audience.  We here at Velocity Direct would love the opportunity to earn your business.  Call us or drop us an e-mail and we would be happy to start working on a marketing project tailored to your business!  Velocity Direct LLC

We here at Velocity Direct know that our economy is tough right now.  We came across this article and thought you may find it helpful.  Ask us how you can economize on your next print or direct mail project.  That is what we do best.  Velocity Direct LLC

1. Wash and reuse foil wrap.

2. Save ‘junk mail’ reply envelopes for filing recipes, receipts, etc. (we do not like to use the word “junk” but we wanted to maintain the article as it was originally intended).

3. Trade things you don’t want with friends, neighbors, relatives.

4. Restrict family between-meal snacks to inexpensive and healthful in-season fruit and vegetables, home-popped corn, raisins, etc.

5. Become a ‘brown bagger’. Take your lunch to work.

6. Save and reuse plastic sandwich bags and paper lunch bags.

7. Tie soap remnants in a piece of nylon net and use as a body sponge.

8. Crumpled up used aluminum foil is ideal for scouring pots and pans.

9. Paper towels are expensive. Use washable cloth dish towels instead.

10. Wash and reuse transparent plastic wrap.

11. Save empty plastic food containers for storing leftovers & freezer use.

12. Don’t throw away anything. Save everything for a future garage sale.

12. Attend movies early when prices are generally lower.

13. Don’t buy expensive gifts. Give exotic home grown plants or bake a cake.

15. Give yourself a home permanent instead of paying top prices at a salon.

16. Consider cutting your family’s hair yourself.

17. Use plastic bread wrappers and produce bags for freezer use.

18. Use washable cloth handkerchiefs instead of expensive facial tissues.

19. Organize a baby-sitting club with friends & neighbors. Take turns.

20. Think in terms of doing it yourself rather than hiring someone to do it, such as home repairs, painting, garden work, cutting the lawn, etc.

21. Swap services with friends and neighbors who can do things you can’t.

22. Take advantage of free recreation, such as picnic areas, libraries, public tennis courts, swimming areas, parks, zoos, etc.

23. If you’re not going out to shop, leave your credit cards at home.

24. Learn about the many bargains at ‘no frills’ discount stores.

Our purpose is to express our industry experience, dedication to excellent customer service and the desire to build lasting relationships by helping our clients obtain superior service, quality, and pricing on all of their printing and direct mail needs. We will do this by providing outstanding customer service, setting ourselves apart from the competition and communicating back to our clients during all phases of their project.  Velocity Direct LLC