A few suggestions, ideas and fun facts to enhance the performance of your direct marketing program.

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Tips / Techniques

Color can make a printed piece pop—or flop. The key is in the planning.

Have you ever been disappointed with the color reproduction of one of your pieces? It may be caused by artwork. When designing a piece, it is critical to keep your colors uniform throughout. This is true with both offset printing and even more so with variable data printing (VDP).

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by Ken Davis
Digital Pre-Press Specialist, Perrone Group

Postnet Barcodes are retiring on January 28, 2013 Intelligent Mail Barcodes are the FUTURE!

The Postal Service has announced the retirement of the POSTNET barcode for automation price eligibility effective January 28, 2013.

Perrone Group is currently transitioning our clients mail pieces to IMB so they will continue to be eligible for automation prices, mailings of postcards, letter- and flat-size mailpieces will need to have an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb). In addition, Permit Reply Mail and Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) will be required to have an Intelligent Mail barcode.

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by Joan Reardon
Business Operations Manager, Perrone Group

The Power of One

When you sit down to write direct marketing copy, what are you trying to accomplish?

It’s a very basic, but very important, question. In persuasive writing, we call this “beginning with the end in mind.”

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by Maura King Scully
Principal, MKS Communication

Writing for Direct Marketing? Make me care.

When it comes to persuasive writing — the kind you’re doing if you’re writing an annual fund letter or appealing to prospective students — your job is to make me, the reader, care: care enough that I open the envelope, and care enough that I read beyond your first sentence.

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by Maura King Scully
Principal, MKS Communication

What is a QR Code?

QR is short for Quick Response. When you scan or read a QR code with your iPhone, Android or other camera-enabled Smartphone, you can link to digital content on the web; activate a number of phone functions including email, IM and SMS; and connect the mobile device to a web browser.

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by Hilary Caccamo
Digital Creative Specialist, Perrone Group

Recruiting Prospective College Students?

“Searching” new students has become more complex even with new technologies. The student recruitment season has become longer, thus the planning for direct communication must be more efficiently mapped out and implemented. Direct Marketing “best practices” are essential for a strategic, comprehensive and successful campaign.

Tags: multi-channel marketing, recruiting prospective students

by Caroline Dana
Director, Enrollment Marketing, Perrone Group

Getting Them To Open The Envelope

There are only so many ways you can differentiate your piece from the stack in a recipient’s mailbox. You’ve probably tried many of them - odd sizes, paper stocks, graphic designs, teaser copy – all, with varying degrees of success. So what do you try next?

Tags: annual fund, freemium, roi, strategies

by Paul Barry
President, Perrone Group

Acquisition Problems? Try A Cross-Over

If increasing response from your future donor pool is a goal this year, this wonderfully simple piece might be your answer. This cost-effective package is a great alternative to a conventional letter appeal and is visually stimulating.

Tags: acquisition, annual fund

by Paul Barry
President, Perrone Group

Where do you start when you create a fund-raising appeal?

One school of thought says you should begin with the letter. The letter is the largest part of your conversation with the reader. Other parts of the package should echo its phrases or salient points.

Tags: annual fund, fund raising

by Paul Barry
President, Perrone Group