I often hear myself saying, “That’s a great idea! But just because it is, doesn’t mean we should do it.” Everything we do has to be right for the Allstate brand.

Allstate’s core mission has always been to put our customers in Good Hands®. Last year, we created 645 separate pieces of communication. My job is to integrate every single one, so they all work together.

But what if the most effective direct mail piece has nothing in common with the look and feel of our advertising, collateral, point-of-sale and public relations efforts? How do we still maintain our brand footprint, while using direct to its best advantage?

I have three rules:

First, always use what works. We consistently measure response, so we know what’s most effective.

Second, be clear about who’s talking. Every piece of communication has to carry Allstate’s You’re in Good Hands® tagline and our logo. But every piece also needs to make the reader feel our brand message of confident reassurance.

Third, use direct for all of the things it does best – not just prospecting and cross-selling. For example, we send new Allstate customers a Welcome Kit to let them know we care about them and the experience they’re going to have with us.

I think people might be surprised at the investment we’re putting into direct mail that just helps people “use” Allstate – this makes sure they really feel like they’re in Good Hands® from day one.