Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Communicate clearly and effectively with suppliers and colleagues.
2. Review print proofs, data processing, personalization and mailshop sign offs.  Ensure each end-product is an exact match to the agreed upon proof.
3. Track material deliveries to third party destinations.
4. Coordinate billing and postage reconciliations for assigned jobs.
5. Check print and package samples for quality and accuracy.  Prepare samples for clients and for other internal departments.
6. Assist Account Managers and Senior Account Managers as needed in preparing mock ups, client presentations, and gathering information and materials for other internal departments.
7. Provide in-office support to telecommuting Account Managers and Senior Account Managers.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; Degree in Business, Marketing or Communications; minimum 1 year prior client-based experience in direct mail/marketing, client service, customer service or non-profit industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Superior customer/client service skills with focus on tact, diplomacy and rapport building.
• Computer skills including Windows-based applications (MS Office Suite) and supplemental machinery including printers, scanners, fax machines, and copiers.
• Strong attention to detail with superior organizational skills.
• Strong people skills with the ability to work in a team environment and foster positive and collaborative work habits.
• Strong administrative, problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be self-starter with positive attitude and ability to manage multiple tasks.

For immediate consideration, please submit your letter of introduction, resume and salary history to am@psmail.com.  Please list Production Coordinator in the subject line.  No phone calls, please. EOE/AA

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Point of contact for major end-client non-profit organizations producing maximum client satisfaction and retention.
• Manage production efforts and facilitate direct mail campaigns from inception to mailing and delivery in an organized and detail-oriented manner.
• Master core compliance SOP’s and QC procedures; utilize checklists and other company service processes, activities and operational systems.
• Ensure all client requirements are fully understood and translated into measurable and effective communication to all necessary end-users.
• Conduct competitive bidding, procurement, price negotiations and budgeting.
• Interpret and review client’s mailplan and source documents to write data processing specifications, lasering and mailshop instructions, using specified formats. Conduct mailshop checks, dump set-ups, insertions, and lives accurately.
• Manage project schedules and meet deadlines: set, synchronize and drive schedules in cooperation with client, internal team and external suppliers.
• Perform multistage QC procedures, including print proofs, press approvals, data processing, proofreading, editing, and fact checking.
• Manage artwork, work orders, proofs, change orders and obtain sign offs. Accurately and quickly update all documents, departments, vendors, suppliers and client throughout project campaign.
• Monitor mailing progress through proprietary metrics and USPS contacts.
• Systematically analyze print, data and mailing to catalyze efficiency and reduce costs; negotiate lower prices through “commingle, gang or program printing”.
• Liaison with executive leadership, internal departments, and outside vendors/suppliers to troubleshoot problems and provide innovative solutions.
• Conduct multiphase billing; coordinate cost documentation, invoicing, and postage reconciliation for accurate final billing.
• Identify new business opportunities with client for VA (value add).
• Cross-train on other client accounts for team members on leave of absence or vacation.
• Attend weekly account manager meetings to review client deliverables, incident reports and provide client feedback.
• Update and maintain client profiles.
• Setup and manage job jackets (physical and digital), manage print samples, package samples and inventory reconciliations.
• Research industry best practices and trends; update clients with latest industry information.
• Host client at printing facilities for press approvals.
• Attend industry and client events as company representative.
• Participate in workshops, seminars, and/or coursework in Direct Mail/Marketing to ensure highest level of industry knowledge.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline (business, marketing, communications, graphic arts, print management); minimum 1-3 years (Account Manager) or 4-7 years (Senior Account Manager) prior client-based experience in direct mail/marketing industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of direct marketing, printing and mailing industry terminology.
• Working knowledge of printing methods, data processing, personalization, mail shop operations and equipment.
• Basic knowledge in USPS regulations for direct mail products and services.
• Advanced computer skills including Windows-based applications (MS Office Suite) and supplemental machinery including printers, scanners, fax machines, and copiers.
• Working knowledge of Adobe Acrobat, graphics, and data manipulation software used by clients and suppliers, preferred but not required.
• Superior customer/client service skills with focus on tact, diplomacy and rapport building.
• Strong attention to detail with superior organizational skills.
• Strong people skills with the ability to work in a team environment and foster positive and collaborative work habits.
• Excellent project planning and problem solving skills; ability to set milestones and administer action plan.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate technical information to non-technical audiences – either staff or client.
• Ability to conduct client, supplier, and company relationships with high degree of integrity and professionalism in a supportive, respectful manner.
• Self starter with experience excelling within a fast paced, high energy environment.

For immediate consideration, please submit your letter of introduction, resume and salary history to am@psmail.com.  Please list Account Manager or Senior Account Manager in subject line.  No phone calls, please. EOE/AA

Manage and effectively lead a team of direct reports in a deadline-driven, project-oriented, service-intensive environment.  Execute cross-channel activities and project management associated with client fundraising campaigns in a team-based, collaborative environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Manage direct reports’ production efforts to facilitate direct mail campaigns from inception to mailing and delivery.
2. Provide leadership, management, skill training and professional development to Account Managers, Senior Account Managers, and Production Coordinators.
3. Determine what motivates each direct report to perform at their best; provide “morale boosters” and positive, constructive feedback to strengthen employee engagement.
4. Schedule and lead meetings and conference calls with the client and team members to review project initiatives.  Communicate updates on the progress, opportunities, and financial implications of activities (some meetings may require travel to the client site and formal presentations).
5. Develop, set, and monitor the quality control procedures required to ensure accurate production.
6. Interview, hire, evaluate, conduct performance reviews and assist with terminations of direct reports.
7. Monitor team capacity and work with Business Development and Client Services to add additional clients.
8. Work with the VP of Production, Directors, and direct reports to implement and test strategies for improved client satisfaction, staff technical skill development, and improvements in workflow productivity.
9. Act as liaison to Senior Leaders, Directors, clients and vendors from various organizational levels to troubleshoot problems and provide innovative solutions.
10. Assist Business Development and Client Services with new marketing products and services.
11. Assimilate new clients into production.
12. Coordinate client marketing documents (cost savings memos, industry news) with production team and Client Services.

Non-Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Research industry best practices and trends; update clients with latest industry information.
2. Host client at printing facilities for press approvals.
3. Attend industry and client events as company representative.
4. Participate in workshops, seminars, and/or coursework in Direct Mail/Marketing to ensure highest level of industry knowledge.
5. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline (business administration, communications, graphic arts, print management); minimum of 4-7 years prior client-based experience in direct mail/production management; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 2 years prior experience as a team leader, supervisor or manager with direct reports.
• Advanced knowledge in direct marketing, printing methods, data processing, personalization and mail shop operations.
• Advanced knowledge with USPS regulations for direct mail products and services.
• Advanced computer skills including Windows-based applications (MS Office Suite) and supplemental machinery including printers, scanners, fax machines, and copiers.
• Working knowledge of Adobe Acrobat, graphics, and data manipulation software used by clients and suppliers, preferred but not required.
• Superior customer/client service skills with focus on tact, diplomacy and rapport building.
• Strong attention to detail with superior organizational skills.
• Strong people skills, managing direct reports in a team environment while fostering positive and collaborative work habits.
• Excellent project planning and problem solving skills; ability to set milestones and administer action plan.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate technical information to non-technical audiences – either staff or client.
• Ability to conduct client, supplier, and company relationships with high degree of integrity and professionalism in a supportive, respectful manner.
• Entrepreneurial minded with an internal drive to continuously hit goals and succeed.
• Experience excelling within fast paced, high energy environments.

For immediate consideration, please submit your letter of introduction, resume and salary history to pm@psmail.com.  No phone calls, please. EOE/AA

Our industry is not alone.  In the article, “The Global Talent Mismatch – Get ready for a worldwide skills deficit” (shrm.org/0611), statistics show that despite high unemployment, at least 3 million U.S. positions remain unfilled.  Companies within the U.S. and throughout the globe are experiencing a talent shortage, especially as Baby Boomers leave the workforce.  The article also reports that in 10 years, there could be at least 20 million vacant U.S. jobs.  With those stats in mind, we asked a few of our industry colleagues how they are filling these critical positions.

In the responses, we discovered a number of common themes.  Though the themes are not surprising, when compared with one another it is clear that all of our HR departments have their work cut out for them.

So why is it so hard to find qualified account managers?

All of our respondents indicate that there is simply a limited—and shrinking—number of trained account people left in the pool.    Why is this?  Here are some of the reasons our industry colleagues shared with us:

• Experienced DM account managers have left to pursue careers in emerging technologies.  With the influx of digital communications, many of the solid account staff have chosen to become specialists in other channels.
• During the recession many organizations reduced or, in some cases, outright eliminated investment into training programs and ongoing professional development.  As our industry has recovered, that next generation of account managers are simply not there.
• As we have evolved into multichannel marketers, some of the long-tenured account staff were just not comfortable with the new communication channels, making them less competitive and less qualified in the marketplace.
• The “must have” experience level in our industry is much greater than in years past.
• Many of our colleagues reported that some candidates have inflated salary expectations, which immediately disqualifies them.

Because recruiting has changed, so must your recruitment efforts

Recognizing these challenges, the method of recruiting has had to evolve, and recruiting strategies are evolving daily; gone are the days of the newspaper ads to find candidates.  We’ve become “Social Butterflies” on the Internet to find and attract Generation X and Y.  We joined industry-specific groups on LinkedIn to build our network of potential candidates and are hunting daily for recruiting partners.  We added a careers page to our corporate Facebook account and linked our website ads to our LinkedIn and Facebook pages. However, using these sites for recruitment presents a problem; a misleading search word can lead to your job listing appearing on the results page of an unqualified candidate.

A simple cut and paste allows job seekers to submit many resumes with almost no effort on their part.  Learn the ways to screen candidates quickly; don’t waste your time on the ones with no relevant experience.

Training and Professional Development

Some organizations have recognized that to fill the need for account staff they need to train and develop their own pool of internal candidates.  This comes with a price.  Not only do you have to invest in training the new staff, but you are at risk of losing them fairly quickly.  Whether they decide that this career is really not for them, or they don’t see the career advancement opportunities internally, retaining entry level employees is always a challenge.  A CEO of a list company said it well when she shared this with us: “We often grow our Account Managers from folks pretty fresh out of college. As you might guess, about one in five work out, in part because we are a very specific industry and if you are not interested in list services, analysis and fundraising, this is not the spot for you.”

Edward Gordon, author of Winning the Global Talent Showdown: How Businesses and Communities Can Partner to Rebuild the Jobs Pipeline, reports that training and development spending by U.S. businesses declined 10 percent from 1999 to 2008.  One of the partners in a DC based agency shared with us that her company created an intern program.  Each season they hire 3 interns for the account management or production management team.  Some really love the experience and return.  Others decide the direct marketing/direct mail industry is not for them.  The employer can preview the intern’s work ethic and develop a sense of whether or not the intern’s personality is a good fit for the corporate culture.  If so, they can invest in training the intern for a full-time position. Another survey response was that many people were hired and promoted during the boom period prior to the crash, and they were never fully trained or reached their real potential.

Once you have them how do you keep them?

Total Rewards is an HR term you’ll hear when talking about recruitment and retention.  Benefits like flexible work schedules, telecommuting, health club reimbursements, wellness programs, and dry cleaning pickup/delivery are all designed to improve the quality of work/life balance for employees, which hopefully leads to longer employee retention.  We asked the President at a Virginia-based direct marketing firm why firms are having a difficult time with retention.  Her response was that “companies lose good people because they do not see a career path at their current company.  As an owner/manager it is a part of my job (and my senior staff) to show where and how folks can grow within the company.  This helps to keep good people and attract good people.”

Many companies are also adding succession planning into the duties of the HR professional.  Several of our survey respondents mentioned they are providing staff with limited experience to participate in training and leadership courses to move up the internal ladder and grow their pool of talent. As the CEO of one of the agencies said, “in the end, when you find the right person, it always seems worth the time and energy spent.”

To learn more about the services Production Solutions offers email one of our Client Service Managers at psi-clientservices@psmail.com or call (703) 734-5700.

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Taking advantage of this offer is quite simple because:  it’s not a limited promotion; there is no application process, eligibility is not based on having reached a mail volume threshold in a prior year, and you don’t have to wait for your rebate.  The savings are available immediately, at the time of mailing.

How can marketers and fundraisers use the ‘2nd Ounce Free’ offer to increase their ROI?  From 16 years of collaborating with teams of designers, writers and strategists – the ‘open me’ qualities that persuade the recipient to open the direct mail package within the first 15 seconds of reviewing, or at least setting it aside for further inspection, are an unique blend of technique, format and design that appeal to the senses.

Generally speaking, heavy mail gets noticed; adding first class postage enhances the perceived importance. Other successful ‘appeal to the senses’ techniques include enhanced personalization, textured paper, photos, the use of color, bumpy inserts like notepads and oversized inserts, envelope size and personal touches like paper clipping.

And it doesn’t take much to push a first class #10 package over the one-ounce mark.  Adding an addressing label to the outer envelope, a string of stamps or a photo insert can easily push a first class ‘high touch’ package into the dreaded overweight zone – adding $.125 – $.20 more per piece in postage. We’ve all been there – a first class package that tips dangerously into the zone of .90 oz before stamping.  That’s when you considered anything to drop weight – under-sizing, lighter paper, or simply eliminating select components.

Before January 22, 2012, if you mailed a first class package weighing more than one ounce but less than two ounces, you spent at least $1250 in additional postage for every 10,000 pieces mailed.  Now – with the ‘2nd Ounce Free’ – that same package will yield $1250 in postage savings!  What can you do with the additional investment?  Well, you could:

• Broaden the universe and mail more
• Invest in enhanced personalization (automatic pen)
• Upgrade the quality of the membership card to a heavier weight
• Test the addition of a premium insert, like a notepad
• Increase the paper weight of the outer envelope
• Add a paper clip for a personal touch

Another way to evaluate this opportunity is to consider the additional revenue that can be generated by enhancing your first class package with a few more ‘open me’ attributes.

Commercial mailers are all over this opportunity – and are planning to include more personalized content.  Calling it TransPromo Mail – the mail format is part Transactional (monthly statement) and part Promotional – (new products, services, value adds).  TransPromo mail will include more inserts targeted to select customers.  No longer will they have to exclude a marketing insert now that the 2nd ounce is free.  Mailers are also looking at this as an opportunity to learn more about their customers by adding surveys and building awareness through marketing of upgraded products.  Commercial mailers are really ecstatic about the potential of creating additional revenue through selling the extra ‘insert’ space to relevant business partners.

Looking through our 2011 mail library of hi-dollar direct mail formats weighing over one ounce, you’ll note a combination of techniques that pushed these packages into overweight status. It’s more than comforting to know that should you mail any of these same packages in 2012, you’ll have $1250 in additional savings to invest in additional donor cultivation and retention strategies:

• 1.67 ounces – A Petition format with oversized envelope measuring 5” x 11-1/2” and including a lift note, oversized insert, letter, reply, return envelope and stamped OE.
• 1.98 ounces – A 5 Note card format with matching envelopes, a letter, reply and return envelope.
• 1.36 ounces – A 6 x 9 Hi Dollar Renewal format with address label on outer envelope, paper clipped membership card, letter, reply, insert and return envelope.
• 1.41 ounces – A #10 Leadership Circle Special Appeal with letter, heavy brochure, reply and return envelope.
• 1.34 ounces – A 6 x 11 Lead Generation format with brochure, letter, reply and return envelope.
• 1.30 ounces –A 6 x 9 Appeal with Upgrade offer including address labels, letter, reply, benefits brochure and return envelope.

Direct marketers attribute about 20% of the overall success of a winning package to the format.  That may be true, but if you can’t get the package opened, the value of the remaining 80% really doesn’t have a chance.

Consider the outstanding opportunity to dress up and bulk up your first class presorted and automated letter mail segments in 2012 with ‘open me’ techniques – and don’t worry about the extra ounce, at least until you reach the 1.999 ounce threshold

To learn more about how you can take advantage of the First Class – Second Ounce free opportunities email one of our Client Service Managers at psi-clientservices@psmail.com or call (703) 734-5700.

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With the U.S. Postal Service currently in turmoil, our clients are concerned about their message safely reaching their constituents. Marketers and Fundraisers must use the latest tools to monitor their mail delivery and ensure address accuracy.  Just look at what our industry is facing today:

• Impending Post Office facility closures (over 200 facilities this year)
• Donor/Customer relocation without notifying the USPS
• Effects on delivery as election year mail volume increases
• The ongoing struggle with Address Hygiene

Given all of the factors facing the USPS, Production Solutions strongly urges our clients to monitor their mail delivery much closer than ever before.  If you are not tracking your mail — either through the IMB tracking service or a mail monitoring service – you have no way of knowing what is happening to your mail once the job has mailed. You have no way to verify the timing and accuracy of the delivery.  With the soon-to-be-mandatory IMB barcode (January 2013), a mail piece can be tracked as it is scanned entering the USPS mail stream and scanned again as it exits the last processing facility right before delivery. The IMB barcode now even allows you to track your mail delivery down to the individual record mailed, if you so choose.

Postal Tracking is an insurance policy.  We all know that you don’t need insurance until you suffer a loss, at which point it is too late.  You can’t buy a policy to cover your loss after the loss has already occurred.  This same principal is true with Postal Tracking.  If your mail delivered on time and the responses are coming in as expected, the postal tracking reports are not very important.  BUT … if you are not getting your seeds or if response rates are down significantly, what do you do if you have not tracked your mail?

Normally, we would call our mailshop to verify that the pieces mailed.  We would then reach out to others on your seed list to see if they have received their seeds, and we would follow up with the caging firm to verify that trays of responses have been processed and posted.

So many times is this a fruitless effort, and all you can do is wait and worry.

BUT… if you had tracked your mail you would have a much better idea what has or what is happening to your mail.  The USPS scans the IMB at the facility where it enters the mail stream.  When you commingle your mail, it may not reach the mail stream until a few days or even a week after your mail date to be entered into the mail stream.  This is because the commingler’s role is to get your mail pieces as close to their final destination as feasibly as possible.  With commingling, it may take up to a week for some of your mail to enter the USPS mail stream.  Then, as the mail piece leaves the last processing facility, it is scanned again.  This “exit” scan is what we use to determine if the mail piece has reached its destination.

With this “real time” information you can determine where your mail is – whether still in the hands of the postal logistics service or within the USPS mail stream – whenever you need to.  You can avert a disastrous situation by proactively using this information to keep your mail moving.

This could happen to you – Client Postal Nightmares

One mailer we work with had a postal nightmare that even today cannot be explained.  The mailing was a standard nonprofit mailing that was commingled.  A month after the mailing was picked up, not one out of the 10 people on the seed list had received their seeds from the mailing.  We were called to verify that everything had been processed correctly and that we had verified the mailing reports.  Everything checked out.  The strange thing was that responses were starting to come in.  Two months out the returns were only half of what they were projected to be and the seeds still had not delivered.  Then much to our surprise, three months after the drop, everyone on the seed list received their seeds.  In the end, the returns got stronger and the mailing actually beat projections – just two months late.  If we had tracked the mail we would have been able to know where the mail was in the process cycle and alerted the postal logistics company or the USPS where the delay was.

The simple tracking services of the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) give you the ability to locate your mail as it goes through the mailing cycle and give the mailer the ability to generate reports with thorough detail including:

• 3-Digit Zip Code Delivery
• Delivery Curve by Mail Campaign and Mail Package
• Delivery Days by Mail Campaign
• Destination NDC (National Distribution Center)
• Destination SCF (Sectional Center Facility)
• Entry Scan
• Exit Scan
• In-Home Delivery
• Delivery Map of Geographical United States, Areas and Districts

This simple yet powerful tool gives you the confidence that your mail is reaching your donors!

Stop wasting your money on mailing invalid addresses – keep your data clean

When tracking mail using the IMB, we also suggest that for certain mailings you turn on the Address Change Service (ACS) feature and receive transparency of your mail delivery along with on-demand feeds of undeliverable records to sync back into your database.

With the USPS making the IMB mandatory in January 2013, you should take advantage of its “bells and whistles.” Here are some of the on-demand reports you can receive with ACS’ digital feeds:

• ACS and Change of Address (COA) and Nixie Summaries by Mail Package
• ACS Data Summary by Mail Package
• ACS Move Type Summary by Mail Package
• COA and Nixie Details by Mail Campaign and Mail Package

Several years ago, the best way to keep your database up-to-date with the latest addresses was to pay first class postage or print the address correction service disclaimer on the outer envelope.  In choosing either option, you would have to pay staff to sift through all of the return mail, then (accurately) update the database.  You may still be managing your mail this way, which can be expensive and redundant, and leaves a high chance of human error.  Instead, you can simply turn on IMB’s ACS service, receive the updated data files and forward them to your database manager.

Not only will using ACS help you in the short-term with organizational efficiencies and cleaning your database, but in the long-term you will be able to reduce your mailing costs, increase your ROI and maintain a cleaner list on the rental / exchange market.

To learn more about tracking your mail and address correction services email one of our Client Service Managers at psi-clientservices@psmail.com or call (703) 734-5700.

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Session:  Understanding Satisfaction with Donor Experience

Speakers: Alisa Hamilton, Director of Project Management, CMI; Angie Moore, SVP, CRM Officer, Nonprofit Group, Merkle, Craig Wood, CEO, Clarity Group

Results from a groundbreaking study that blends direct constituent research on satisfaction with the giving experience of four health charities.

Session Highlights

• Overall discussion of the unique connection between donor experience and satisfaction and donor behavior and giving.  How much are more satisfied donors worth financially to the organization as compared to those less satisfied?
• The overall satisfaction index is an overlap of three components:  1) experience compared to expectation; 2) overall reputation; 3) overall satisfaction.  The management of the relationship with the donor is the leading indicator of Long Term Value and retention.
• The component that had the highest impact on donor satisfaction but the lowest scores across all organizations was the donor expectation.
• Noted the importance of relationship-building at Year Two, so the individual feels personally connected to the organization.  This typically is the most dissatisfied group of all.
• The key drivers of Satisfaction are different for each organization and donor segment; however, across all donors these key drivers are shared: feeling good about supporting the organization; the appropriateness of the ask; knowledge about programs and services offered; and trustworthiness.
• Charity watchdog ratings are not a leading indicator of donor satisfaction.
• Two Satisfaction Drivers that matter the most:  “I feel personally connected to the work the organization does”, and “I feel good about supporting the organization.”
• Three Drivers scoring the lowest across all donor segments – 1) feeling like I have a relationship with the organization; 2) feeling personally connected to the organization; 3) knowledge about the services offered by the organization.  Low satisfaction scores across all.

Session:  Brave New Multichannel World

Speakers: Chad Luckier, VP of Fundraising, LW Robbins; Steve MacLaughlin, Director Internet Solutions, Blackbaud. Moderator: Olga Woltman, Director of Online Giving, Special Olympics.

Panel discussion on what we know about multichannel giving, what indicators we should pay attention to and the challenges of a multichannel world.

Session Highlights:

• Offline giving continues to dominate, with direct mail accounting for 79% of donation revenue and online accounting for 10%.
• Online acquired donors are a younger median age, make more money, give a higher first donation and give more over time.
• The donor acquired online who gives through multichannels is three times more valuable than those giving through a single channel.

Mutlichannel Giving is Growing

The use of dedicated URLs in Direct Mail Renewals is increasing:

Sept 2011 – 3% of gifts; 4% of revenue

Nov 2011 – 4% of gifts; 6% of revenue

Jan 2012 – 4.5% of gifts; 7% of revenue

*The Nov/Jan results may be skewed by year end giving motivations

A Three Cell Multichannel Test With Results

Cell 1 – DM only

Cell 2 – DM + companion emails + other supporting online copy

Cell 3 – DM + companion emails + supporting online copy & calls to action in the DM

Direct Mail Results

Cell 1 – Highest Response Rate and 2nd highest Rev/M

Cell 2 – 2nd highest Response Rate and lowest Rev/M

Cell 3 – Lowest Response Rate and highest Rev/M

Overall Results - (overall giving during the entire campaign)

Cell 3 – Recorded the largest overall Rev/Donor;

Cell 2 – Gave the 2nd highest Rev/Donor;

Cell 1 – Contributed the lowest overall Rev/Donor.

One thing to note:  Sometimes when you provide too many channels, the donor is confused about which channel to utilize.

Organic vs. Appended Emails

Appended emails don’t work nearly as well as donor supplied emails.  This is expected as appended email donors have not opted in to be communicated with through the email channel.

Currently, December accounts for 20% of all online giving.  This year-end focus on online asks is causing a ‘train wreck’ for organizations, as they should be building their online giving program to be a year-round effort.  Health organizations do a good job of keeping their online focus in the summer and spring months as well.  Education NGOs see a spike in online giving in June because that is the end of their fiscal year. So, with a little bit of planning, you can “move the cheese” – the biggest giving month doesn’t have to be the end of the year!!!

Organizational Trends

• Because so many organizations are silo-ed in their multichannel approach, many are opting for a Director of all channels so information is shared and campaigns are coordinated.
• Companies/organizations are moving away from using micro sites because they ‘dilute’ the brand.
• Importance of placing information about a particular campaign on the main page of the web for those people who will not type in a dedicated URL/PURL.

Session: Creative 101

Speaker: Tom Gaffny, Principal, Gaffny Consulting

Examples of interesting techniques and messaging in direct mail. A slide presentation of package samples that Tom has seen in the mail (2011)

Challenges you must overcome in direct mail is getting in the right pile – that is the open pile or even the ‘I might’ pile.  Consider ways to accomplish:

• Force the recipient inside the package – examples of blind envelopes (no org name) w/ first class stamp or meter; Tom noted 30-40% of packages he opens are blind addressed.
• Make it Real – examples of techniques are closed face, handwriting, the use of glyphs (smiley faces), intentional ink smudges on OE, faux cancellation of stamp.
• Make it Irresistible – Classic example of paper clipped stamp showing through window (handwork); series of stamps on OE and RAE; paper clipped dollar bill and coins; warning label.
• If you are giving away a premium – tell them on the OE and reinforce again on the inside.
• Be Someone Else- endorsed mail “Special message from Susan Sarandon.”
• Scare People – Food for the Poor – Message in a Bottle format (an actual bottle).

Sure-fire ways to get results:

• Reel them in with a compelling case: Penny Format “If your child’s life depends on the flip of a coin.”
• Lift Here – interactive – lift the membership card to see the face of someone you’ve helped.
• Texture Package – Piece of actual tarp showing through an open slot window.
• Attention-getting art – blue diamonds, labels, priority delivery teaser, handwriting, deadlines.
• Font selection example – typewriter font quote in lower left of OE.
• Don’t Bury the Lead Story – start your letter with the most compelling case study – don’t have the donor search for it.
• Compelling teasers example – “3 digits you need to know”.
• Indicias with personalized messages.
• Slip packages – don’t always need a long letter.
• Act Like a Human Being – handwritten teasers on yellow lined paper.
• Tell Them a Story – Incorporate real “first person” dialogue into the story.
• Focus on their all time favorite topic – what the donor did to make a difference for the organization – more about the donor, and how they think.
• Invite them to “live the experience” – again, with a story or real dialogue.
• Share the crises that would happen if the donations dry up.

Four important questions to answer for every appeal:

• Do you emphasize ‘you’ and not ‘I’?
• Have you told them what they want to hear, not what you want to say?
• Have you demonstrated how their support will help solve a problem (the negative package wins more often than the positive)?
• Is the focus small – you can’t save everyone but you can save this child?

Why is there so much focus on the envelope and the first page of the letter?  Tom estimates the carrier gets 25% of the impact; and 10% of the words make up 90% of the impact.

To hear more about what we learned at the DMANF conference, contact one of our Client Service Managers at psi-clientservices@psmail.com or call (703) 734-5700.

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As I wrote to you in my first installment, there are 7 ‘take it to the bank’ rules to remember which will help you find that next control package.

In that first missive, I concentrated on your target audience – and the paramount importance of understanding who they are, what they want, and how you might connect with them in a memorable way:

Rule #1: Always Remember … It’s Not About You.

Rule #2: It’s all about ‘them’ … and meeting their needs.

Today, we get to talk about someone who’s probably a little more near and dear to your heart – you.  And the 5 Rules you can start implementing now to ensure your blockbuster success in 2012.  You ready?  Let’s do it….

Rule #3:  Fix your current winner.  Then fix it again.

Want to know where you’re most likely to find your next great acquisition winner? The first place to look is your current control.

After you’re done reading this article, try something you probably haven’t done in a while.  Grab three people from your office (preferably people who look and act like your target prospect), usher them into a room … and then ask them to open your control. Then watch.  Do they even read your envelope teaser?  Do they look at the reply slip first before anything else?  How do they react to the letter?  Do they read the first few words and put it down? Do the older people in your audience excuse themselves so they can find their glasses (a sure sign your stuff is too hard to read).  How does your audience  react?  A sigh … a smile … a yawn?

Once you’re done collecting this information, then take another look at your control, and ask yourself – is this package clear?  Does the opening line grab them enough, or am I hoping the recipient will read the whole letter to get my point (oh-oh).  Is my photo grabbing the recipient, or just taking up space … and what could I replace it with.  Does my reply slip headline scream ‘return me now!’   In other words, could I dramatically improve what I have so far by making it bigger … shorter … more visual … less crowded.  Chances are your next control is already sitting right in your hands.

Rule #4:  Stop the Insanity … do something truly different.

You know the definition of insanity, right?  Doing the same thing again, and again, but expecting a different result.   More often than not, charities whose control is a window envelope/4-page letter package choose to test the exact same format again and again, hoping for a breakthrough.

Recently I worked with a great overseas relief agency whose control package (a #10 window envelope with a 4-page letter inside) had run out of steam.  They asked me to ‘write a letter to beat it,’ but I instead gave them a totally different approach – a personalized greeting card with a short message inside, supplemented by 4 Polaroid photos that told the mission’s story on the back of each one.  This new approach covered the same ground as the 4-page letter, but broke up ‘the story’ into easy-to-digest, bite size pieces – and was a clear winner.  An aberration?  Hardly.

Last fall, the good folks at the Pine Street Inn (a homeless shelter) in Boston asked me if I could ‘write a letter’ to beat their 10-year control (which featured a long letter).  My suggestion – a personalized greeting card that told the Pine Street Inn story in easy to read, bite size pieces.  The results skyrocketed almost 50%.

The moral?  After you’re done following through on Rule #3, and tweaking/improving/messaging your control to death, make it a point to ‘test big.’ Turn your program on its head.  Think differently.  If you’re always testing long letters, test a slip with a strong headline and a compelling photo instead.  Or an index card with multiple photos alongside.  Or a one-page letter, with a long personalized handwritten message that spills over to the other side.

Rule #5:  You’ve got 3 seconds before you die (direct mail-wise, at least).  Make every second count.

Here’s the hard truth in a nutshell: even though you will probably spend 10, 20, 30, or even 100 plus hours developing your next acquisition package, the typical prospect is going to give you 3 seconds to decide if she likes it … maybe.  Unless your package does something to provoke/incite/inspire/attract your prospect, all your hard work is going to end up in the wastebasket faster than you can say ‘I-can’t-believe-she-just-threw-my-package-away.’

What to do?  Begin each new package assignment with the assumption you’ve got three seconds to make your case, and make it as strongly as you can.  That means, if you have a fantastic offer – scream it on the outside envelope. If you have important news that will really provoke your prospect’s emotion?  Show it on the outer envelope, or the first line of your letter.   Got a photo that will make someone’s blood boil … a story that will leave a prospect shaking her head … a real opportunity to make a once-in-a-lifetime difference?  Make sure you whack your prospect over the head with it right away.

Remember – prospects don’t have the time, or the inclination, to patiently wade through our packages, searching for something to excite them.  Don’t hide your good stuff!  Unless you hit them with it quickly, they’ll hit the road.  And you’ll lose an opportunity to find a new friend.

Rule #6: If you want the prospect to treat you special, then treat them special.

The process of acquisition is pretty incredible when you stop to think about it.  Every time you send out that package you’re asking someone to stop what she’s doing … listen to what you’re saying … and then thank you for intruding on her life by reaching back out to you with a check.    So it’s fair to ask – are you doing enough on your end to make the experience as special as it can be?

As direct marketers, we sometimes become jaded about personalization, because we’ve seen it so often.  But guess what – leveraging its power is still one of the most powerful ways to find a new friend.   Examples?

• When was the last time you tested a closed face envelope in acquisition?  Simply using this kind of envelope, which makes your outer envelope look truly personal, often lifts response in acquisition 25% and more.
• What about using a cornercard namesticker on your outer envelope, or a commemorative stamp created for your mission?  One of my longest running control packages saw results jump over 10% when I introduced those simple concepts.
• I’ve seen instances when real-looking, handwritten imaging on an outer envelope increases response 25%.  And if you image that type in 18 point type (so it’s the same size normal people write their address blocks), it can increase response another 10%.
• A handwritten teaser on the back of the envelope?  A personalized post-it note on the reply slip?  A long, handwritten P.S. which starts at the bottom of the page, and runs vertically up to the top?  I’ve seen these simple, highly personalized approaches increase results in acquisition 20% and more.

And you know those name labels you’re going to include in your next acquisition package?  If you simply indent and bold the name … make the type bigger (just mail to prospects with three line addresses!) … and add gold foil … you could easily lift results 20% or more.  ‘Making it special’ can make a truly special difference in getting results.

Rule #7: Focus on the right side of the brain first, second, always.

More often than not, there’s a direct correlation between how much emotion a package creates, and how much response it generates.

Next time you’re ready to drop a new test into the mail, stop for a moment and ask yourself this simple question – does my package touch a nerve?   Is this likely to make the recipient feel (and that’s the operative word) anger?  Guilt?  Compassion?  Hope?

Our donor public is filled with good and caring people who feel even better about themselves when they can help a fellow human being in need.   So the more you can touch a prospect’s heart, and let that prospect share in the miracle of making a difference for someone touched by your mission, the more successful you’ll be. Always remember – people don’t give to you because you have needs.  They give to you because you meet needs, most of all the human need we all have to make a difference in the world.  Is your prospecting mail doing that today?

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Formats in the ‘News’: Part 2

In this month’s comparative review of newsletter formats you’ll find a quick checklist of the newsletter assets that are working for many organizations. Newsletters inserted within special appeals, year end campaigns and to support invitations to special levels of giving – monthly sustainer and planned giving – are just a few examples of how the newsletter insert is evolving as a very strategic cultivation and revenue generating fundraising vehicle. Consider these essential elements as you plan your next newsletter communiqué….

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While the implementation process can be mysterious and meticulous, there are several misconceptions that are important to recognize in order to have a thorough understanding of today’s direct mail production process.

1) All Commingling is Equal – Not!

The purpose of commingling is to provide mailers postage cost savings and faster in-home delivery.  The financial savings and in-home delivery depend on volume.  In order to be cost effective, the commingler must build up enough volume to fill the trucks to deliver to NDCs (National Distribution Centers) and SCFs (Sectional Center Facilities) around the country.

Important factors to consider with commingling are how many days per week will mail drop and to what type of facility will the majority of mail deliver.  Larger commingle facilities tend to drop three days per week, with most of their volume delivering to SCFs.  Smaller comminglers, including mail shops that commingle in-house, may only mail once or twice per week in order to accumulate enough volume to fill the appropriate trucks and to deliver to the SCF or NDC levels.

If smaller comminglers mail more frequently, the volume may be too low to where the mail may not qualify as deep into the postal system and in-home delivery could be negatively impacted.

2) Print Overs / Spoilage – A Must

Highlighted in our newsletter article several months ago (http://www.productionsolutions.com/i-don%e2%80%99t-pay-for-overs-really/), print spoilage causes industry confusion.  How much quantity is being added?  Is any quantity  being added at all?  The truth is that spoilage is always being factored into print quantities whether it is “rolled into” the price per thousand, listed as a separate line item or simply added onto the mail quantity.

The spoilage amount should vary on factors like quantity, how many names are printed on one sheet (for personalized components), how expensive the job is to reprint and how many mail shop processes the component will run through.

For example, a generic letter of 250,000 pieces may only receive 2% spoilage, as it only runs on the mail shop’s inserters.  But an affixed and personalized membership card and reply form may receive 8% – 10% spoilage due to the multiple names on a sheet and the processes of affixing the card, personalizing, trimming, folding and inserting.  Each of those steps will have jams and errors where sheets will need to be re-run.

3) Overseas Premium Schedules – Does it Always Have to Take 3 Months?

With premiums, the concern is always the schedule.  The assumption is that production will take three or more months to complete.  But there are ways to shorten that schedule.

Option # 1 – You can produce the premium in the United States.  There will more than likely be a cost increase, but if delivery is the driving decision, this move can turn completion time from months into weeks.

Option # 2 – The majority of the overseas production schedule is the boat freight across the ocean.  Air freight is an option to speed up delivery.  Like producing the premiums domestically, air freight will certainly add cost to the bottom line, but it will shave weeks off delivery.

Option # 3 – Almost always, a significant amount of time is built in to create the premium prototype.  Once the prototype is approved and one successful production has been completed, any reproduction using that same prototype will have that time removed, which will expedite the implementation process by one or two (or possibly more) weeks.

4) Seed Names – Are They a True Representation of the Mail File?

Seed names are added to a mail file to verify the in-home delivery to a specific location and to verify that the mailing was produced as requested.  The expectation is that the seed names represent the entire mailing.  But if the seed names are sent as a separate file, mail shops may produce them separate from the live data.  This practice is obviously discouraged, as it can lead to mistakes on seed names  not present in the main mail file.

For example, if the seed names do not receive an ID number or source code in the original file, the mailing may still be produced perfectly, but panic may set in when seeds are received because the two codes happen to be missing from those specific packages.

5) Production Schedules – Why Have Schedules Gotten Longer, Not Shorter?

One misconception that consistently arises is the length of the production schedule.  In the “old days,” the basic production schedule was one week to print and one week to process data, personalize, insert and mail.  Nowadays, that “basic” schedule seems to have lengthened to three to four weeks.

The production schedule has a lot to do with quantity, complexity, time of year and ability to problem-solve.  Yes, with the right type of mailing, production can be done in two weeks.  The package should be basic, i.e. no labels (with dies), affixed plastic membership cards, hand-work or premiums.  The quantity should be a reasonable amount confirmed with vendors.  And most importantly, everything must be delivered on time.

With a two week production schedule, there is little margin for delays, incorrect instructions, misprints, machine breakdowns, etc.  In addition, with the increased production speed, you may be assessed a surcharge for logistics like overtime, rush freight, etc.

The three- to four-week schedule may seem unreasonable but, if planned appropriately, it allows for a cost-effective mailing with time to make adjustments for changes, unforeseen delays and errors.

6) Digital Art Changes – Has Digital Art Really Changed the Game?

Technological advances have increased efficiency in many stages of the production process, including  the move to digital art files.  However, there is an assumption that, because the art file is digital and the proof is produced as a PDF,  changes can be made at the last minute with no consequence to cost or schedule.

Changes during the proof stage will certainly add time and cost because the situation involves pre-press going into the existing file and making the corrections needed.  Anytime changes are made, there is an opportunity for error and the file must still be re-manipulated and calibrated for their presses.

7) Quick Estimating – Awarding Work on Fast Price Turnaround

When quoting work, patience is important.  Mailers that demand pricing in a few hours can leave money on the table.  If a buyer can allow time for multiple bids, companies who may take a little longer to quote could provide an excellent price.

There is no correlation between the speed of a quote returned and the price.  And there is little correlation between the speed of the quote and the speed of service when the job is in production (as you will probably deal with different departments).  Allowing some time in the bidding schedule could represent savings to the mailings’ bottom line.

For more information about the common misperceptions of direct mail production, email one of our client service managers at psi-clientservices@psmail.com or call (703) 734-5700.

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