Direct mail plays a critical role in fundraising for many organizations, but decision-makers are not always knowledgeable about its intricacies. The process from conception to delivery is complicated, and without proper planning you can pay too much or miss crucial deadlines. Fortunately, by effectively utilizing production management and postal logistics strategies, you can save[...]
In the direct mail world, effective production management can be defined as “managing all elements of a mailing from design through production and entry into the mail stream in order to meet quality and mail date objectives while minimizing costs.” Production management concerns itself with these questions: Has each piece been designed in a[...]
2016 was exciting and successful for our Community Outreach Program! Throughout the year we had the honor of raising over $6,800 for a variety of charities, all while having a great time doing so. Some of our favorite events and activities from the past year, all which benefited our 2016 organizations, include: Hosting an ice cream[...]
One of the secrets of effective production management is to conduct a thorough prepress preflight review to ensure you catch problems while they are still inexpensive to fix. You will never regret taking the time to check each of the following elements before sending final art to the printer: Fonts: Are all fonts available[...]
When you’re planning a direct mail campaign, it is important to choose the right printer for the job. Print shops differ widely in their capabilities. Some shops focus on small jobs and walk-in traffic; others have invested heavily in equipment that allows them to produce 600,000 personalized letters quickly and cost-effectively. And while every[...]
Most companies with significant direct mail campaigns work hard to minimize their direct mail costs. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of different secrets to producing high-quality direct mail cost-effectively. One of the most effective ways to cut your direct mail production costs is to do your planning on an annual basis rather than bidding[...]
The first step in improving the ROI of your mailings is to design a mail piece that can be inexpensively produced and mailed. As you finalize the design, the most important elements to consider are size, shape and stock. To reduce your production costs as much as possible, avoid the following problems: Odd sizes[...]
After managing thousands of projects over two decades, one thing we’ve learned for sure is that saving money on direct mail production is a top priority for almost every organization. But while this goal is universally shared, many marketers are unsure about exactly how to achieve it. There are five major areas that can[...]
Download and print this handy Nonprofit Postage Rate Chart to keep at your desk, hang on your bulletin board or place one in every job folder. Please let us know if we can answer any questions or help you explore how to get the best postal rates possible.