Personalization, Omnichannel Drive 2020 Direct Mail

Direct mail marketers embrace a channel that, despite perennial death notices, continues to outperform in terms of response, but mailers need to rely on evolving strategies for success in 2020. Research consistently shows that personalization bumps up response. Most recently, in a 2019 NAPCO Research report on direct mail personalization, 44% of respondents saw personalized print marketing campaigns increase response by 16% on average, while Canon Solutions research found that adding a person’s name and other personalized database information can increase the response rate of direct mail campaigns by up to 500%! So it's no wonder that the recent Printing Impressions article by senior editor Toni McQuilken finds a number of leading marketing and print industry leaders stressing that data-driven personalization is the route to 2020 direct mail success. For example, Maureen Powers, president, Direct Marketing Group at RR Donnelley, asserts, "Personalization is more important than ever before, including with direct mail...We are using the direct mail channel to drive the customer experience through communications such as coupons and personalized offers. We’re also changing how we help our clients message their clients based on individual customer preferences and their point in the customer journey." Likewise, Jim Andersen, executive chairman of IWCO Direct, stresses the shift toward variable data printing of smaller runs of targeted, personalized direct mail with digital tie-ins: “Today’s direct mail is more effective, relevant, and timely thanks to more sophisticated audience selection and segmentation. This technology uses digital print to personalize every component of a mail piece, including letters, inserts, cards, and call-to-action reply devices that connect the physical mail to an online, digital marketing experience." For Andersen, mail personalization must be part of the omnichannel approach that customers demand today: "One of the biggest opportunities in the direct mail space is providing effective and efficient solutions to consumer demand for personalized, relevant messaging integrated across all channels. Insightful use of data, combined with the flexibility of digital print production, allows marketers to seamlessly integrate tactile marketing in their omnichannel campaigns." Summer Gould, of Target Marketing magazine, has cited three already-proven ways to combine mail and digital: 1) online display ads that match direct mail data files to an IP address to target specific people by displaying cookie-free banner ads on web pages; 2) Facebook ads that match direct mail data with Facebook data to send targeted ads; and 3) e-mail matched with direct mail audience targeting to keep offers fresh, deliver response reminders and make added special offers. These trends to more personalization and omnichannel integration rely on quality marketing data for segmentation and targeting, of course. For links to AccuList Digital2Direct programs combining mail with e-mail and Facebook, as well as data-quality strategy advice, see https://www.acculist.com/personalization-omnichannel-strategies-drive-2020-direct-mail/

Election Is Double-Edged Sword for Fundraisers

Nonprofit fundraisers are entering a presidential election year, arguably one that is more contentious and partisan than usual. Will that be good or bad for fundraising? What strategies will help navigate the political crosscurrents to reap donations? Research by online fundraising platform Classy has found that an "election effect"can drive an "unprecedented increase" in recurring donations for some nonprofits aligned with politically charged issues. Per 2019 Classy research, 46% of respondents said their political beliefs dictate the organizations or causes that will receive their donations. Classy suggests some basic strategies to use political winds to propel efforts to bump up new donors and recurring donations: 1) go back through donor data from the 2016 election to see how donations were affected before and after election day, taking into account political party as well as demographics and the timing of spikes; 2) pay attention to news about political issues that my relate to your cause for timely and targeted positioning of appeals; 3) reach out to existing donors and ask how the 2020 election is impacting plans to donate in order to decide how and when it's best to ask for a donation; and 4) embrace flexibility in strategy so that you can adjust efforts to shifts in the national conversation. But not all nonprofit causes can be linked to political issues. In a Forbes magazine post, Gloria Horsley, founder of Open to Hope Foundation, acknowledges the positive "election effect" for fundraisers that align with political agendas but notes a potentially negative impact on other nonprofits when more politically charged sectors noisily take center stage and siphon donor attention. One approach for nonprofits that can't leverage political issues is to illustrate how helping the nonprofit can produce tangible results, in contrast to the less certain outcomes of political efforts. Donors with an emotional connection to an organization will dig deeper and stay longer—even in an election year. That's where storytelling content makes a difference. In a post for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), fundraising consultant Linda Wise McNay cites storytelling as one of the top eight 2020 trends that nonprofits should embrace. She urges fundraisers to collect intimate, personal stories about beneficiaries of the nonprofit's work, and then share those stories in print, online, on the phone and in person. McNay of AFP also sounds a note of caution about politicizing efforts: "Be wary of saying anything too controversial to your constituents that may be considered taking a position on one side or the other....Your goal is to be still operating after the election, no matter which side wins the election in November." See our website post at https://www.acculist.com/election-year-is-double-edged-sword-for-nonprofit-fundraisers/

Personalization, Privacy Drive 2020 Data Strategies

Multiple data issues face direct marketers in 2020, starting with data privacy. While many of our U.S. clients are not affected directly by the European Union's General Data Protection Act (GDPR), U.S.-based consumer-data privacy efforts have now resulted in the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), with more legislation on the horizon. Meanwhile, omnichannel data personalization has become essential for targeted response and ROI. Companies face complicated decisions when combining first-party data collection, user-level data from the big digital platforms (Google, Facebook and Amazon) as well as second- and third-party data in ways that balance consumer privacy with smart (and customer-demanded) personalization. A post in AdExchanger by Briggs Davidson, a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting, outlined some key steps for coping. He advises starting with a focus on the customer in collecting, organizing, storing, and activating data across all silos that may need to meet data-privacy compliance. When it comes to first-party data, prepare to shift marketing strategies to ensure consumers have a reason to share their data, delivering value to build trust. Davidson predicts creation of data clean rooms, or a separate analysis space for combining first-party data with platform-level customer data under strict privacy controls. Regardless, marketers will need multidisciplinary teams as well as partner collaboration. Meanwhile, prepare for hyper-personalizaton to drive marketing, according to European digital platform firm Qualifio, which found that 83% of marketers say creating personalized content is one of their biggest challenges. Why? Because personalization now requires: 1) new tools to collect and analyze first-party data for compliance with data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA; 2) an omnichannel purchasing journey and analytics for a single customer view; 3) incorporation of new technologies such as voice search (50% of Google searches are expected to be voice searches in 2020); and 4) meeting rising customer standards for personalized promotion and service. In fact, 70% of the customers surveyed want an immediate response to their questions or complaints, which is fueling artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) initiatives. This means data quality will be even more key. A Forrester Consulting July 2019 report revealed that while 82% of companies place a high priority on refining data quality, more than a quarter of all marketing campaigns were hurt by substandard data in the last 12 months. Plus, a majority of marketers launching artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) initiatives (78%) say these projects have stalled—with data quality as one of the culprits for 96%—according to a new study from Dimensional Research. CMO Kristin Hambelton, of Marketing Evolution, urges marketers in a recent Forbes magazine post to take these basic steps for improved data quality: 1) prioritize data quality and create a comprehensive initiative on data verification, collection and cleansing policies; 2) define and verify high-quality data in terms timeliness, completeness, consistency, relevance, transparency, accuracy, and representativeness; 3) organize disparate data sources with unified marketing measurement for a holistic customer view. For more, see https://www.acculist.com/personalization-and-privacy-trends-highlight-need-for-data-strategy/

Facebook Aids and Challenges Fundraisers

Online giving has seen tremendous growth, but the latest M+R Benchmarks report shows a distinct slowdown, with online fundraisers reporting just 1% growth in 2018. M+R cites multiple trends underlying the lower growth—from declining e-mail response, to more low-dollar mobile traffic, to falling online donor retention. But the report starts by noting how rising Facebook usage has both undercut revenue measures and signaled potential for future growth. While changes to the Facebook algorithm resulted in, on average, only 7% of followers seeing any given post, use of Facebook Fundraisers' peer-to-peer giving really took hold for the first time in 2018. However, because of the way the donations are processed, the Facebook Fundraiser dollars were not included in M+R online revenue calculations. It's an important missing piece: The Facebook Fundraiser tool for hosted fundraising now accounts for about 99% of all nonprofit revenue processed on Facebook, with nonprofits raising $1.77 through Facebook for every $100 raised through other online channels, per M+R. The impact is big for some sectors. For example, health nonprofits received $29.88 from Facebook for every $100 in direct online revenue in 2018, accounting for about 30% as much revenue as every other source of online revenue, including e-mail, web giving, monthly donors, digital ads, and search. To turn the new Facebook Fundraiser use into a bigger boon, notes the M+R report, nonprofits need to get more individuals (the average now is 56) involved in hosting fundraisers and in attracting both more donors and higher-dollar donors (now the average per hosted fundraiser is seven donors and a modest $31 gift per donor). Another recent study pointed to a deeper issue with nonprofit Facebook efforts. The 2019 Digital Outlook Report—from care2, hjc and nten—found that nonprofits surveyed reported spending anywhere from $0 to $100,000 on Facebook and Instagram campaigns. But the majority (over 75%) answered "don't know" when asked about any resulting revenue! Clearly, the report urges, staff need training in tracking analytics and calculating not only resulting donations but the value of lead generation, e-mail signups, event attendance, etc. CauseMic recently offered some helpful tips for Facebook fundraising. In using Facebook Fundraiser, in order to benefit from site traffic and donor information as well as dollars, start by disabling the “donate” button and direct supporters to donate on your website rather than through Facebook. Donors will learn more about the mission and fundraisers can stay connected with them for better retention. Second, nonprofits shouldn't focus only on hosted fundraisers; they can use promoted posts and ads to grow the support base, interact with supporters, promote events, etc. When a breaking news story or emergency occurs that impacts giving, social media outreach can spread the word and raise money more quickly. Just make sure to use tracking analytics to avoid ROI ignorance! Remember that Facebook offers a proven response driver: video. Post videos about donation impact, host live videos or publicize upcoming events. Finally, pay attention to timing; M+R found that nearly a quarter of all Facebook revenue is raised in November. For a link to more M+R data, go to https://www.acculist.com/facebook-both-boosts-and-challenges-fundraising-efforts/

AI, Data, Culture Impact Incentive Products Trends

Incentive and recognition products marketers should take a look at The Incentive Research Foundation’s “IRF 2019 Trends Study” for tips on where the market is headed this year. With economic growth and optimism strong, companies are continuing investment in incentive and recognition rewards, with considerable room for market expansion for product suppliers: 84% of businesses are now using non-cash rewards, but past studies show close to 60% of merchandise and gift card rewards are still sourced through retail versus specialized agencies or providers. One factor pushing the recognition market is the trend to “talent culture” creation by C-suite executives, with “The Incentive Marketplace Estimate Research Study” finding more employers than ever offering non-cash rewards aimed directly at building relationships, encouraging inclusion and knowledge-sharing, and promoting engagement. Why? IRF’s studies as well as academic research are finding that when executives combine economic incentives with recognition and well-designed non-cash rewards, they promote “corporate citizenship” behaviors and work environments that attract and retain top talent. So overall use of merchandise rewards is expected to increase, per IRF, particularly among corporate audiences, with a net increase of 33% compared to a net 20% of suppliers and third-party providers. The use of logo’d brand-name merchandise dominates, with 75% of corporate programs using these items as rewards. Other popular rewards are electronics (63%) and clothing/apparel (59%). Meanwhile, gift cards continue to be a popular option within reward and recognition programs, with open loop cards (that can be used anywhere) and brand-specific cards both enjoying high utilization, and e-gift cards gaining momentum. Of particular note, IRF's most recent study urges reward program designers and suppliers to understand how predictive analytics and AI are changing the market: "In the incentives field, predictive analytics and machine learning are helping program designers understand who is drawn to which types of rewards, and how those rewards should be shaped and presented to produce the best outcomes on an individual basis." For more, see https://www.acculistusa.com/ai-data-talent-culture-boost-incentive-recognition-impacts/

Promo Products Trends: USA-Made, Retail Quality

The “2019 Ad Impressions Study” by the Advertising Specialty Institute has many nuggets to help AccuList’s promotional products marketing clients woo targeted buyers. For example, promo products purveyors can point out how their items beat other ad media not only with high ROI, thanks to a cost per impression as low as a tenth of a cent, but also high impact, with consumers under age 55 preferring promo products over all other mediums for advertising, including newspapers, radio, magazines, television, internet and mobile. In fact, consumers are nearly 2.5 times more likely to have a positive opinion of promotional products compared with online advertising, per ASI. When it comes to consumers’ favored promotional products, ASI’s study shows the highest ownership for writing instruments (89%), drink ware (88%) and T shirts (80%). But winning even with a popular category means keeping up with trends. Among the latest spotted by Promo Marketing Magazine at the 2019 Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo is the boost in re-usable, environmentally friendly products now that cities and states are banning single-use plastic bags and straws. A return to natural and vintage is not surprising in this anti-plastic mode, with a rise in the popularity of wooden pieces, from cutting boards to awards. Plus, multi-function items continue to grow in popularity, with suppliers adding tech functions to classic promotional items, so that water bottles double as Bluetooth speakers and business card holders can be used to prop phones.The marketers at Delta Marketing Group (DMG) get even more specific about trends in design. As more retail brands become available as customizable promotional products, even non-brand items are starting to emulate the retail look and feel, the agency points out. Quality over brand-logo-blasting also is taking hold, for example with branded apparel using small embroidered patches, subtle custom tags, and understated tone-on-tone colors instead of large logo imprints. Creative materials and refined finishes are forecast to come to the fore in 2019, with bright colors, matte and soft-touch finishes, and heathered and burlap fabrics. Plus, the made-in-the-USA trend stays strong, per ASI’s study. About 53% of consumers have a more favorable opinion of an advertiser if the promotional product is made in the U.S. versus elsewhere, and that sentiment is especially strong in New England, where 73% of consumers prefer buying made-in-the-USA items. For more, see https://www.acculistusa.com/watch-for-2019-promotional-products-to-embrace-re-use-multi-use-quality/

Digital Trends Lead Insurance Marketing Change

Digital marketing dominates professional advice for insurance marketers this year, from e-mail to social media to online search. However, whether insurance marketing via digital or traditional channels such as direct mail, there are some general trends affecting success in 2019, per the American Agents Alliance. First comes the continued value of cultivating brand advocates with testimonials, referrals and word of mouth. Quoting Forbes magazine, "the top four most-trusted sources of advertising are people you know, branded sites, editorial sites, and reviews." A myopic focus on impersonal advertising will miss these important lead drivers. The personal touch needs to extend into offering targeted, personalized digital and print content that is useful and engaging, as well as client interaction that is real and humanized, not generic and automated. Insurance agency/broker marketing agencies like EaseCentral and OutboundEngine offer some advice on where to focus digital marketing energies more specifically in 2019. Start by revisiting e-mail strategy. With an average $32 return per $1 spent in 2018, e-mail remains an attractive direct marketing option especially because it also offers opportunities for the forwarding, social sharing, and referral business in line with the general trends noted above. Another tried-and-true digital driver, paid and organic search engine ranking, still matters, but search strategy needs an important tweak this year to cater to growth of voice searches. EaseCentral points out that ComScore forecasts close to 50% of all searches will be made through voice search by 2020. Plus, due to the increasing use of voice searches, Google and other search engines are beginning to factor it into their algorithms. Mobile optimization will play a big role in effective leveraging of voice search since these searches occur mainly on mobile devices. Social platforms offer some unique advantages for insurance marketers looking for a way to humanize and personalize, say with personalized customer service via Facebook and LinkedIn. Opportunities for direct marketing with promoted posts and social ads can use social media platforms' increasing ability to target zip codes, professions and other demographics to hone response. Finally, video is now a proven response driver in digital marketing for almost all industries, with online video projected to account for 80% of all web traffic in 2019 per Cisco research. For more detail, see our website blog post at https://www.acculistusa.com/digital-options-lead-2019-insurance-marketing-trends/

2019 Marketing Creative: Simple, Bold, Interactive

A new year brings new marketing creative inspirations for both digital and printed promotions, and some interesting trends are shaping up, per graphics and ad agency experts.The Ballantine and Brand Shouter agencies and the Digital Agency Network suggest some key digital creative trends to embrace this year, including more clean, minimalist designs and less use of borders, bars and boxes to separate elements. At the same time, minimalist doesn't mean drab; more designers are forecast to embrace bright colors and bold color transitions and gradients with black or white text. And speaking of type, Brand Shouter foresees more beautiful, complimentary, brand-consistent typography as well, especially since marketers are shifting toward more text-only designs, while DAN forecasts more use of multicolored vector fonts. Plus, thanks to print technology advances, metallics will rise in popularity to pop in simplified designs, per DAN. Meanwhile, the minimalist flat look, which works well in mobile presentations, also can be livened with the inclusion of 3D elements, as Apple is doing, notes Brand Shouter. And since everything old is new again at some point, several retro trends are forecast. DAN sees use of the bold duotone graphics of the 1970s as well as vintage fonts and motifs, while Ballantine thinks the bright colors and funky designs of the 1990s and early 2000s, which remind many of today’s designers and target buyers of childhood, will reappear to leverage nostalgia. Finally, hand-drawn illustrations will be used to create that feeling of originality and authenticity, predicts DAN. Meanwhile, Ballantine underscores three ubiquitous trends for all creative this year. Video will only continue its impact in marketing, especially in social media, now that 54% of Internet users watch social media videos at least monthly and 65% of ad impressions on Instagram come from video ads, making video a necessary part of most creative budgets. Story-telling over selling is another general trend, especially in social media advertising, where story ads are designed to reflect a platform's personal user experience rather than slick promotion, mimicking a post from a friend. Finally, marketing design must cater to mobile users now that 57% of online searches originate on mobile devices, almost 50% of web page views worldwide occur on mobile devices, and 95% of Americans own a cellphone and 57% own a smartphone. Any creative that is not mobile-optimized is sacrificing a huge market. For more on creative trends, plus a useful infographic, go to http://www.acculistusa.com/2019-marketing-creative-simple-bold-interactive-design/

2019 Trends Can Propel Direct Mail Success

Direct mail lists and data services are core to AccuList USA’s business success, so each year we research which trends our direct mail marketing clients will want to embrace for maximum response. We start by noting that digital era issues can actually create direct mail opportunities, as pointed out by direct mail agency Inkit. More customers are tuning out digital advertising. In fact, eMarketer estimates that 30% of all Internet users will use ad blockers in 2019. One way marketers can offset the drop in digital ad effectiveness is to beef up direct mail campaigns. After all, ANA-DMA research shows that 84% of millennials take the time to look through their mail and 64% would rather scan for useful information in the mail than e-mail. Plus, 41% of millennials and 53% of Gen Xers report enjoying catalogs. That engagement translates into higher response rates for mail than for any other media, per the 2018 ANA-DMA Response Rate Report, with 9% for house lists and 4.9% for prospect lists. While digital ads are being ignored, digital video is booming; Inkit reports that Cisco projects video will encompass more than 85% of all Internet traffic in the U.S. by 2020! Direct mail doesn’t have to be left out. Thanks to print technology–QR, AR, Video-in-Print and Near Field Communication (NFC)–paper promotions can jump on the video bandwagon. For all marketing channels, customers in 2019 will expect marketers to personalize offers and deliver a seamless experience across channels, Inkit asserts. AI is one way marketers can get a handle on messaging across channels and at different points in the buyer journey. Meanwhile, variable data content printing and enhanced database targeting and segmenting can deliver personalized relevant messaging for mail. Yet there are some popular direct mail printing practices that need to be ditched this year, advises direct marketing agency Darwill. For example, using a 4-color master shell on which variable content is laser-printed in black and white has become old-hat given that new inkjet presses can create endless 4-color versions, including coupons varied based on a recipient’s past shopping patterns or demographics. Plus, custom maps once laser-printed in black and white can be replaced by full-color variable maps that are more personalized, eye-catching, and likely to drive leads. For more see our full blog post at http://www.acculistusa.com/2019-trends-open-doors-for-more-direct-mail-success/

Business Trends Drive Recognition & Incentive Sales

AccuList USA recently completed proprietary research on hundreds of top performing lists of employee recognition and incentive product buyers to support clients in a business-to-business marketplace that now encompasses close to 90% of companies. In fact, the 2017 "Trends in Employee Recognition" report from WorldatWork, a nonprofit human resources association, found 89% of surveyed organizations committed to recognition programs, with 65% offering between three and six different programs, from companywide (81%) to individual (69%) to department/team (67%). Certificates and/or plaques remain the most awarded recognition item, at 80% of respondents, followed by cash (55%), gift certificates/cards (45%), company-logo merchandise (40%), and food, such as a lunch or pizza party (39%). For incentive and recognition marketers, targeting can mainly focus on two departments responsible for administering programs: human resources (59%) and compensation (22%). Now, the Incentive Research Foundation's "IRF 2018 Trends Study" offers recognition and incentive marketers more guidance on changing demand trends. For one, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality capabilities will be a "fundamental requirement" for vendors and suppliers looking to partner with incentive professionals in 2018, per IRF. Marketers also will want to push wellness messaging, since more incentive professionals are adding health and wellness components focused on fitness, food, and comfort to their incentive programs this year compared with other features, says the report. And when it comes to merchandise products, incentive buyers in 2018 don't want more choice as much as more "impactful products," such as products with local sourcing or organic roots and products that can be easily personalized and customized. The desire to build a brand-asset culture around intangibles, such as innovation, as well as traditional assets is one factor pushing these non-cash awards in 2018, notes the report. On the other hand, gift cards will continue to gain momentum this year, according to the IRF, which says mid-size firms spend an average of nearly $500,000 annually on gift cards across all programs, while large ones spend over $1 million annually. Finally, although incentive travel makes up a small part of the recognition pie, the incentive travel industry's net optimism score for the economy is up almost 20 points from 2017 in the IRF report, leading to budget increases despite rising costs. For more on top incentive trends, see our website blog post at http://www.acculistusa.com/2018-recognition-market-tech-partnering-wellness-non-cash-awards/

Evaluating Martech Buzzwords: Hype vs. Results

Marketers are bombarded by advice on how to seize buzzword opportunities such as personalization, "big data," omnichannel, real-time marketing, and, most recently, artificial intelligence (AI). Those struggling to find room in real-world budgets often worry that they're falling behind in an escalating martech arms race! New research by Resulticks—a survey of over 300 marketing pros across industry verticals—offers interesting perspective. For example, "Big Data" was the hot topic at the 2013 DMA Annual Conference, with 50% of marketers enthusiastic about investing. But making practical sense of those data torrents turned out to be more difficult than expected. Resulticks finds that only 16% of today's marketers have fully implemented big data solutions, 20% have given up on the concept, and just 27% rank big data as a top priority now. Part of the problem is overhyped, underperforming martech platforms, per the survey, with 21% of marketers complaining that vendors overpromise and underdeliver. In contrast, personalization has done better in fulfilling expectations, with 60% of today's marketers reporting full or partial implementation. The only fly in the ointment: Tech investments have not always kept pace with enthusiasm, and only 20% rate their software ability to deliver personalization as "excellent." Back in 2014, many retailers were optimistic about an "omnichannel" approach to create a seamless customer experience across all channels. Resulticks finds that only 9% of today's marketers describe their approach as omnichannel, compared with 63% who use less comprehensive multichannel marketing. Only 35% have fully or partially implemented the required software platforms for omnichannel, and, among those who have bet on platforms, 58% rank vendor execution as "poor" to "fair." There's a better report card for the "real-time marketing" that rapidly uses data across channels for more timely, targeted engagement in the customer journey. Resulticks reports that 49% of marketers rate their real-time marketing ability as "good" to "excellent," that half say they have fully or partially implemented real-time marketing solutions, and that 47% say real-time is a priority for their organizations today. Most recently, social media giants have been betting on AI, and many marketers are following their lead. However, Resulticks' survey finds almost half (47%) of the marketers polled already rate AI as overhyped. Here's a big source of that skepticism: 43% of marketers believe martech software vendors overpromise and underdeliver, and 69% rate their vendors' ability to execute AI as "fair" to "poor." For more, see http://www.acculistusa.com/skeptical-of-marketing-tech-buzzwords-youre-not-alone/

Why Direct Mail Retains a Key Marketing Role

Direct mail, perhaps because of its proven workhorse status, keeps a low profile in marketing trend articles, except for the periodic "direct mail isn't dead" reminder. Yet, despite growing use of digital channels--web, e-mail, social, mobile--the majority of marketers continue to rely on direct mail. Why? Marketing data backs up direct mail's proven response power and ROI. Target Marketing magazine’s latest study “Marketing Mix Trends 2010-2016” shows that 69% of marketers surveyed either increased or held steady on direct mail spending in 2016. The 6% of marketers decreasing their mail budgets were the smallest group since 2010. A reason for direct mail's survival as a go-to marketing channel can be seen in the the Data & Marketing Association's 2016 "Response Rate Report." The report showed 2016 direct mail response rates leaping to 5.3% for house lists and 2.9% for prospect lists, the highest DMA-tracked response rates since 2003. By comparison, 2015's reported rates were 3.7% and 1.0%, respectively. More significantly, no other channel in 2016 had response rates over 1%! Direct mail response allows it to compete in ROI despite higher costs, coming in third at 27%, close to social media's 28% (e-mail leads ROI). Bottom line, direct mail's evergreen power lies in delivering on direct marketing basics. Rather than exploring the diverse creative and tech-savvy ways to meet direct mail goals, it is easier to focus on a few big mail "don'ts," and that's the tack recently taken by Summer Gould of Target Marketing magazine in "5 Things Not to Do in Direct Mail." Gould chooses key, highly avoidable pitfalls: a hard-to-read font; dishonesty; old, bad data in mailing lists (one of our bugaboos); a missing or unclear call-to-action; and a promotional focus on features over benefits. Direct mail--no matter how loaded with interactive QR codes, variable data printing personalization and multi-channel customer analytics--will miss the mark if it misses on these basics! For more, go to http://www.acculistusa.com/how-direct-mail-retains-its-place-in-marketing-tool-chests/

2017 Magazines: Digital Embrace, Platform Tensions

The pursuit of circulation and ad revenue will push magazine publishers to embrace a number of digital publishing trends in 2017, per predictions in a Publishing Executive magazine article by Ron Matejko, president of digital publisher MVP Media. For one, watch for subscription drives to leverage digital outreach.While insert cards and direct mail remain sturdy tools for circulation marketing, Matejko foresees increased use of digital tools in audience development, and he cites the example of Dallas-based D Magazine, which is leveraging its combined database with outreach via automated and personalized e-mail campaigns and targeted social media advertising to audiences that look like their current print subscriber base. The result has been more new and renewed subscriptions for the print product, in fact almost a 100% increase in subscriptions generated monthly through digital efforts. Mobile apps are another area that will see increased interest, predicts Matejko. Consider the success story of Cities West Publishing in Arizona, which expanded its app offerings last year with interactive versions of two monthly print publications, as well as apps to supplement multimedia campaigns for two special issues. The benefits: branding, extended shelf life beyond the newsstand, and revenue via multi-platform value-added for print ad partners. Plus, Matejko cites other tech innovations that could transform digital publishing, particularly when teamed with mobile. For more on his digital publishing trend predictions, see http://www.acculistusa.com/2017-magazine-trends-digital-embrace-platform-tensions/

2017 Event Marketing: Social, Visual, Data-Focused

Event professionals can look forward to some exciting new marketing trends in 2017--especially in the social, digital and data arenas--as recently highlighted in both an EventManagerBlog survey and a post by MarketingTango, the marketing blog for brands like PIP and Sir Speedy. Data, with a social twist, remains key, with many event professionals reporting to EventMB that they saw an increase in the amount and quality of data available through social media in 2016--data that can be used to improve retargeting and create better multi-channel campaigns in 2017. MarketingTango points out that tighter targeting of the right VIPs and digital influencers will allow marketers to ride their social media coattails to higher Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram traffic and maximize social data ROI. Underlying social media's growth as an event tool is its ability to boost engagement and professional connectivity. Certainly, per EventMB's survey, using contests and giveaways for posting or tagging in social media is a big trend with exhibitors, who not only reap booth traffic but free marketing buzz as people tag and share. MarketingTango likewise notes the growing use of a "digital social wall" to engage attendees in real-time and harness the power of hashtags to own conversations. Social media also offers more ways to connect, and EventMB's surveyed event pros reported increased use of Snapchat and Snapchat geolocation filters to meet and connect as well as use of guest-generated pop-up events such as Twitter meetups. Event marketers further stressed that today's attendees want websites and landing pages that are easy-to-use, faster and more concise, preferring bullets and visuals over wordy pages. Image-based platforms are winning more followers, and many event pros forecast growing popularity for video in event invitations and advertisements, virtual reality experiences to sell venues, etc. For more, go to http://www.acculistusa.com/2017-event-marketing-social-visual-data-focused/

Top NonProfit Subject Lines: Personal, Fun, Thankful

The most effective e-mail subject lines for nonprofit and association marketers in 2015 had some key lessons for any e-mail effort: The best were personal, fun and expressed gratitude for loyalty and support, according to digital-marketing agency Informz's study of 80 million A/B tested e-mails and 58 million e-mails with 40%+ open rates. As reported by NonProfit PRO magazine, the study found that personalization continues to prove its worth. For example, the subject line "FirstName, Your Membership is About to Expire" delivered a 13% better open rate than the impersonal "Your Membership is About to Expire." Subject lines that used humor and informality succeeded in punching up response to ordinary topics. For example "It's a trashy party, and you're invited!" got a 35% open rate, higher than the staid "Join Us at the Red Clay Valley Clean Up" (28%). Of course, caution is advised in this area, since there can be a fine line between lighthearted and unprofessional or offensive. Finally, the high open rates of simple thank-you subject lines proved that you can't overappreciate donors and members. "Thank you for making a real difference" earned a 66% open rate, for example. For more on subject line trends, go to http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/the-best-nonprofit-email-subject-lines-of-2015/

2016 Digital Spending Set to Rise; Direct Mail Steady

Online advertising and social media engagement efforts are forecast for the biggest surges in marketing spend this year, while direct mail holds its own, according to the annual Target Marketing magazine "Media Usage Survey." Of surveyed marketers, 54% plan to increase online advertising and 55% plan to boost social media engagement (brand pages, sharing updates, interactions), plus 49% also plan to boost social media ad spending. E-mail rules the roost as the most popular marketing channel, with 97% of respondents planning e-mail campaigns (and 49% planning to increase e-mail budgets). However, marketers sent mixed signals on mobile marketing, despite its supposedly "must-have" status, with the 38% who say they plan to increase outlays balanced by the 33% who don't even plan to use mobile in 2016. Amid the channel ups and downs, direct mail remains a steady choice in the marketing channel mix; although slightly more plan no direct mail (25% compared with 22% last year), most marketers, 69%, say they will either increase spending or hold spending steady. Television is the biggest channel loser for direct marketers, with 79% avoiding any DR TV ads and 76% nixing non-infomercial TV ads, too. For details of trends for all channels: http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/2016-channel-spending-trends/

Most Direct Mailers Opt for Medium-Sized Pieces

Wondering about direct-mail creative trends for 2015? Don't be surprised if mailers stick with medium-sized creative pieces and still pump out a good share of No. 10 envelope packages. At least that's what you would expect based on a Who's Mailing What! study of mailing patterns through 2013. As recently reported by Direct Marketing IQ, direct mail pieces with medium envelope/package sizes have dominated offers received by Who’s Mailing What! since 2010, averaging 71% of mail offers each year. One-third of these medium-sized pieces used a No. 10 envelope, and Retail Traffic Builders were the top users of medium sizes for the years reviewed. In contrast, larger-sized mailings—ranging from 2.5"x20" to 11"x14"—were used for about 26% of the offers received each year, per WMW. Those larger-sized mailers were most used in the Catalog and Retail Traffic Builders (brochures) categories. Keeping it small (3"x9" or smaller No. 7-3/4 or No. 9 envelopes) appeals to a minority of direct mailers, with just 3% opting for smaller-sized mailing pieces. For more detail, go to http://www.directmarketingiq.com/article/medium-sized-direct-mail-pieces-dominate-whos-mailing-what-offers/1

Q1 E-mail: Insurance Tops CTR; Mobile Design Lack

Insurance e-mail marketing led other industries in terms of response in the first quarter of 2014, according to Yesmail's "Q1 Benchmarks Overview." Insurance e-mails scored the highest average open rate (31.4%), unique click rate (7.6%) and click-to-open rate (CTR) of 24.1%. Per the Yesmail study of more than 5 billion e-mails deployed in the first quarter, marketing/advertising company e-mails had the dubious distinction of the lowest average open rate (9.8%) as well as the lowest unique click rate (0.7%). However, the lowest CTRs were earned by the e-mail creative of Financial Services (3.7%) and Technology (5.3%), despite high 28% and 20% open rates, respectively. Overall, open rates rose 6% in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter of 2013, and unique click rates were up 8%, but those increases may have been due to 20% lower e-mail volume after the year-end holiday quarter. For e-mail marketers seeking to leverage mobile, there is some key news: E-mails using mobile-friendly responsive design had a 21% higher CTR in the first quarter when compared with non-responsive e-mails. Yet 75% of marketers neglected mobile design, with 31% not sending responsive e-mails at all, and 44% sending them less than half of the time. See more on the Yesmail e-mail benchmarks in the MarketingProfs report at http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2014/25246/marketing-email-benchmarks-open-rates-by-industry-device-trends

Under 8% of Social Marketers Happy With Results

Less than 8% of social media marketers are satisfied with their social media results, reports Joseph Carrabis, founder and chief research officer for NextStage Evolution. The finding was based on a 2013 NextStage survey of 1,700 U.S.- and Canada-based businesses ranging from mom and pop shops to Fortune 100 companies. All interviewees were director level and above, and all qualified themselves as knowledgeable social managers with two or more years' experience in social media marketing. A good 21% of those surveyed labeled themselves "dissatisfied with social marketing" and ready to replace it with more traditional buys in 2014. And the biggest chunk, 54.75%, said they are taking a wait and see approach, with many classifying themselves as "social media agnostics." This largest group hasn't made any decisions about next moves in 2014. So, with more than half the businesses interviewed saying that the jury is out on social marketing's value and that they are prepared to sit out 2014 rather than continue to invest, Carrabis unsurprisingly suggests that, at best, "social marketing seems to be losing its pull." For more on the survey, go to http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/35711.asp?imcid=missedarticle#singleview

Hobby Magazines Thrive Thanks to Loyal Subscribers

"Hobby" magazines have become the "darlings of the struggling magazine industry," The New York Times recently reported. The lucky niche publishers can thank especially loyal subscribers for immunity from the circulation erosion that has afflicted general-interest publications. An example is the toy train fanatic who spends about $120 a year on subscriptions to Model Railroader, Classic Trains and Classic Toy Trains and declares to The Times, "I would probably give up my train club before I would give up my train magazines." Some high-end niche publications even boast circulation growth. For example, Wine Spectator's circulation has grown by 11% in the last 10 years. And while Cycle World and Hot Bike magazines have seen slight declines in circulation, both have been able to successfully raise subscription rates to offset the drop and have such strong renewal rates that they have expanded editorial staff. Food magazines are among those benefiting from subscriber loyalty--and the fact that advertisers value that loyalty: Bon Appetit's ad dollars were up by 27% in the third quarter of 2013 from the same period a year earlier and Saveur's ad take was up about 11%, compared with the publishing industry growth rate of just 4%. And hobby magazines are now making a profitable transition to the digital world. When the big brands began to offer free Internet content, the niche players held back. Now they are introducing paid subscriber-only websites and digital apps. Wine Spectator subscribers pay both $2.99 a month for an app and $49.95 annually paid website, which has attracted 10,000 sign-ups since its debut eight months ago. See the whole story at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/business/media/loyal-subscribers-keep-hobby-magazines-afloat.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0