This article was written by Kathy Maffei, senior vice president at Citi.

At Citi Cards, the power of our brand starts with our focus on the customer. We begin by listening to them and then develop our products around their wants and needs.

Direct mail is a critical component in our outreach to customers — both current and potential. We mail some 50 million pieces a month and nearly a billion or more annually. With each piece of mail, we strive to ensure that the Citi brand is the main component. Unique messages like “The best table in the city is the one with your family around it” and “Healthy credit is good, but keep an eye on your cholesterol, too” are great examples of the Citi brand and our commitment to our customers, which is integrated throughout our direct mail, billboard advertising and free-standing inserts.

Today, mail won’t close the deal, but it remains a key component of our strategy to reach and acquire new customers. More and more, it is about directing the recipient to the Internet. All of our direct mail pieces now prominently feature our Web site in addition to our 800 number. People can still use the paper application, they can call us or they can apply online. With so many channels available, we are confident that we can continue to reach a wide variety of customers.

Is there a typical Citi Cards customer? Not really. Citi Cards is proud to be in a position to offer a wide variety of products and solutions to a broad spectrum of customers.

In order to provide that level of access and convenience for our customers, it’s crucial that we maintain and continue to evolve our approach across multiple channels in direct marketing. Our success depends on building and maintaining strong relationships with our customers.