Success Stories

Every marketer could use a little inspiration now and then. Get yours in our Brag Room, a gallery of some of today's most creative mailers, and our Talking Heads section, a collection of smart solutions from small business marketers.

Brag Room

No More Buzz direct mail sample

No More Buzz

Polycom

Polycom invented technology that stifled the “buzz” that results from radio waves interfering with speakers in its conference phones. Polycom needed to generate awareness of this technology and encourage prospects to upgrade. We embedded a light-sensitive sound chip in a box. When prospects opened it, the buzz blasted them. A second-tier audience received a version of the DM without the chip. We drove them to a microsite featuring the buzz, a video and content about anti-buzz technology.

Accept the Invitation direct mail sample

Accept the Invitation

VLG

We invited people to experience exactly what we do … literally. Our recipients received a hotel key card and a napkin from our faux hotel, Crescent Bluffs. On the napkin we scrawled “Let’s meet.
www.AcceptTheInvitation.com/FirstName”. Lots of people did, resulting in double-digit response rates and loads of interest. Visit www.AcceptTheInvitation.com/Deliver to experience it firsthand.

Need a Lift direct mail sample

“Need a Lift?”

MLT Creative

MLT Creative launched a campaign to attract, engage and convert new clients. Eight interactive mailers were sent to marketing directors to demonstrate our capabilities. The “Need a Lift?” theme alluded to our belief that, in this economy, marketers need optimism, perseverance and a plan more than ever. From paper airplanes to seltzer rockets, each mailing included something fun and engaging. We also invited recipients to view our response rates at a microsite called “The Idea Launch Lab.”

Getting Personal with Brides direct mail sample

Getting Personal with Brides

Savvi Formalwear

Savvi Formalwear, a marketing cooperative of 35 independent formal wear retailers, wanted to connect with bridal prospects while maintaining the members’ branding and regional flair. The solution: SavviOne, which delivers uniquely branded direct mail, e-mail and personalized landing pages. Among the key elements are image personalization, variable coupon offers and store locator maps. A keepsake-grade mailer builds brand affinity — and drives brides to a Savvi Formalwear store or Web site.

Talking Heads

Scott Cohen

Scott Cohen

President, FootPrints Shoes & Accessories, Newington, Conn.

For 32 years, FootPrints has used mail as a staple of its marketing. “We do mostly postcards and letter-size direct mailers,” says Cohen. This summer, the company sent 10,000 pieces promoting an offer on an athletic shoe brand. FootPrints enjoyed a 3-percent return. “Mail is our most effective form of advertising, with measurable results from a unique hook on each campaign.”

Imelda Hunt

Imelda Hunt

Founder/Artistic Director, New Works Writers Series, Toledo, Ohio

Honoring its 10th year of presenting multicultural theatre programs in collaboration with the Toledo Public Library, New Works departed from its usual marketing through fliers and news releases. Instead, the company mailed 500 bookmarks celebrating black literature and promoting a forthcoming play. “The response was excellent,” Hunt says. “There was an almost 100-percent spike in attendance.”

Win Trainor

Win Trainor

Director of Conservation Patrons, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York City, New York

The Society wanted to appeal for help creating a national park to protect gorillas and needed something eye-catching. To help, its mail-marketing company used two one-cent Tiffany lamps next to its standard presorted mail stamp, and added a delivery mark graphic that made the letter look more personalized. The response rate and average gift amount both jumped 20 percent.

Steven Shupperd

Stephen Shupperd

Vice President, Shearer Printing, Kokomo, Ind.

Shupperd led a mailing campaign that netted Shearer Printing $125,000 in nine months. The campaign starts with Shearer sending three tubes containing postcards to each target, with each card urging recipients to consider ways to improve marketing. Shearer mailed tubes three times a week leading up to January, followed by sales calls revealing itself as the sender. Says Shupperd, “You should see how quickly that cold call turns into a hot call.”

Share Your Story

Brag Room

About to break your arm patting yourself on the back for that great mail marketing campaign? Let us help! (Pat your back, that is.) Submit your top direct mail pieces to our “Brag Room,” a gallery of some of the smartest and most creative recent mail communications.

  1. Step 1: Create one or two .jpg images of your piece (800 pixels or less in width) and resize them so the file size does not exceed 220k for each.
  2. Step 2: Download and electronically sign the PDF release form(s).
  3. Step 3: Attach the .jpg image(s) and signed PDF release form(s) to an e-mail, and provide a brief explanation (up to 100 words) of the images and related campaign in the text field. Put “Brag Room” in the subject line and send it to submit@delivermagazine.com.

Talking Heads

Some of the best marketing ideas are “so crazy, they just might work.” We want to know what jaw-dropping ingenuity your small business is bringing to the table. Share your most effective small business marketing solutions involving direct mail.

  1. Step 1: Find or take a headshot of yourself that does not exceed 800 pixels in width and save it as a .jpg file.
  2. Step 2: Download and electronically sign the PDF release form(s).
  3. Step 3: Attach the .jpg image and signed PDF release form(s) to an e-mail, and provide a brief explanation (less than 100 words) of your small business success story in the text field. Put “Talking Heads” in the subject line and send it to submit@delivermagazine.com.
 
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