direct mail printing

Day after day consumers come home and check their mailboxes and somewhere between bills and supermarket flyers sits the ever-so-present barrage of direct mail.

Some are in the form of oversized cards on nice paper stock, brochure-looking things, real estate flyers, and even envelopes that look like letters from the IRS or a check in your name.

The fact of the matter is, if the overall marketing strategy of a direct mail campaign is spot on, and the piece is well designed, it gets opened. It gets read. It gets attention. It gets a response. 

what is direct mail marketing

Direct mail marketing is a strategy that marketers use to connect with their target audience by sending printed pieces in the mail.

The pieces can be flyers, postcards, brochures, catalogs, or packages. Direct mail doesn't always have to look like a bill, an envelope or a letter. Simply put, direct mail puts something in their hand. It’s tangible. It lasts longer. 

This is where Bigger Dot comes in. We have the capability to produce all types of printed mailers that will land in the hands of your clients. 

direct mail printing services

With Bigger Dot as your trusted partner for direct mail printing, you will get a team of litho and digital printing experts who genuinely care about your projects. From project consulting to press checks and mailings, we are committed to ensuring your direct mail project exceeds your expectations.

  • There are a lot of details to consider during the initial stages of a project. When you invite Bigger Dot to join your team you can trust that the intricacies of your print project will be handled with care. We'll collaborate with you from the beginning as you decide on paper selection, inks, efficiency of size, finishing options, and everything in between.

  • Bigger Dot dives into every print project ears first. Once we understand the details of your vision, we will tap into our decades of experience to make it happen. Our team will manage file preparations, assist in press checks and keep you updated on vital project details and timelines. Your Project Manager will ensure that your final piece gets completed on time, just as you had envisioned. Our Los Angeles-based litho printing experts will also work with you to set the timeline, budget, and delivery details that best meet your needs.

  • Ensuring that the details of your file meet the pre-press requirements is a vital step in the printing process. From color accuracy and image resolution to bleeds and size, our set of preflight measures will ensure that your print file gets to the press exactly how you imagined. If we determine that your file needs some adjusting, we'll get in touch with you to discuss what is needed to get your project where it needs to be. Once the necessary modifications have been made, we'll provide you with a proof to ensure your work is ready for press.

  • Can't leave your desk to attend a press check at the printer? Or maybe you lack the necessary experience to do a press check? Not to worry - we'll attend them for you. Press checks are the last stop before the production run of your project, your investment. While many people see them as a daunting task, it's our forte here at Bigger Dot. It's something we love doing. We'll avail ourselves on your behalf. We know exactly what to look for, the questions to ask, and we have an eye for detail.

  • While lithographic print lies at the heart of Bigger Dot print management, our decades of print expertise extend to fulfillment and distribution as well. When you partner with us you will have the advantage of working with a team that has already worked through the kinks and refined the process. We quickly evaluate all critical aspects of a pack out and recommend solutions for efficient, accurate, and timely distribution.

why direct mail marketing works

While some consider direct mail old school or dated, we consider it a “classic”. In fact, there’s a direct mail renaissance that seems to be exploding as consumers are being bombarded by emails and stepping away from screen time. 

Direct mail winds up in their mailbox, not their inbox or spam folder. It avoids the digital clutter that we have grown numb to.

IT GETS A RESPONSE

Direct mail marketing boasts a response rate 30 times higher than the most powerful digital channel, email.

IT’S CREATIVE

Direct mail has the potential for being more creative and can meet the consumer face to face, much more than its digital counterpart. It's personal.

IT STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD

When it’s part of your arsenal and used in tandem with digital strategy, you will surely have a higher rate of response.

the direct facts of direct mail marketing

Speaking of data, here are a few facts that should get your direct mail engines revving:

  • 70% of consumers say direct mail is more personal than online interactions.

  • 54% of consumers say they want direct mail from brands that interest them.

  • Direct mail open rates can reach up to 90%.

  • 42% of recipients read or scan the direct mail they receive.

  • Direct mail response rates are five to nine times higher than any other advertising channel.

  • Adding a name to your direct mail piece can increase response rates by 135%.

  • 62% of consumers who responded to direct mail in the past three months made a purchase.

  • 39% of consumers try a business for the first time because of direct mail.

According to surveys by the Data and Marketing Association (DMA), direct mail campaigns that use personalization achieve response rates of 6%, a big improvement over an average of 2% for non-personalized direct mail.

variable data printing is the future

variable-data-printing

Variable data printing (VDP) is the greatest way to personalize the direct mail marketing experience. Customized direct mail pieces have a much higher rate of return because it’s not generic. By tailoring the piece and its message uniquely to the reader, your reader has a pure, customized direct mail journey. The end result? A higher chance of response, engagement, or purchase.

HOW VARIABLE DATA PRINTING WORKS

Although it involves customized messaging, variable data printing is fully automated.

VDP software enables you to reach your customers in a personal way through a database. Dynamically printed names, offers, graphics, etc. are pulled from an existing file and inserted onto a design template based on the variable data that they are matched to.

The VDP software then takes over by filling in the variables for the unique customer. This may seem a tad complicated, but Bigger Dot can help.

Here are a few sample variables:

  • Gender

  • Age

  • Location

  • Demographics

  • Interests

  • Marital status

  • Purchase history

  • Income 

Variable data printing is an effective, data-driven, marketing strategy that makes a direct mail campaign more relevant and memorable to the customer. 

When the planets align, direct mail can be cost-effective, and the metrics and ROI are measurable. And the results delightful.

bigger dot can help

Direct mail marketing can seem like a big project, but with Bigger Dot as your direct mail printing partner, it certainly doesn't have to be.

We know what it takes to put a beautiful piece of mail into the hands of your customers. A concept, design, list acquisition, database management, printing, mailing, tracking, and postage. We will be there for you through it all. But we don't lick stamps. We have to draw the line somewhere.