Let’s face it, every time we mail promotional items or interact with customers or prospects we should be trying to a) foster existing relationships or b) create new meaningful relationships. So, what people really think of what we send them and what we do are very important.

Not all things suit all people, but sometimes things do fit nicely. We have often said that it is not our intention to tell people what to do, but what they might consider. That said, here are some ideas on adding value.

Newsletters That Entertain

While some newsletters are very business like, others are lighter in nature. In addition to information on products, services and special offers, they often include entertaining anecdotes as well as recipes and household tips. When these types of pieces arrive in our plant for mail prep, our plant workers are often compelled to read them. That in itself is a strong testament to their appeal.

Adding Some “How To”

Whether included in a newsletter or catalogue, posted on a web site or delivered in person, a little bit of “How To” is a great way to add value.

By their very nature, catalogues provide information on products and services and sometimes we see display ads for featured products. But some catalogues also provide brief articles on how to do certain things or overcome specific challenges. I recall a column in a technical catalogue that was a good example of this. The catalogue featured networking hardware and software and the column covered day to day network issues, how to maximize performance on different topologies, intra-networking gateways etc. The company did not have to include this column, but as the networking field was still fairly young, the content provided considerable value to the customer base and also helped to further reinforce the company’s expertise in this field. Although it took a bit of time to prepare the articles for each issue, I believe that it was a wonderful way to add value.

Of course these things are not restricted to what we mail. Interestingly, just yesterday I received an article on “10 Tips for Winter Workouts”, electronically, from a group that I subscribe to. Along this same line, many businesses within our industry, including ourselves, post web content to show clients options for different types of mailers as well as tips for staying within the most cost-effective mailing classifications.

Lastly, I want to note that sometimes you can personally deliver “How To”. I have a friend that enjoyed a very successful career selling aluminum extrusions. I recall him explaining to me one day that when a client was looking at a new concept he would often sketch out the fundamentals for the type of die that would be required. With his education and experience, he was well qualified to do this. There were two major benefits. First, he could be assured that the client was getting something that would work. Secondly, there was the value that he provided to his clients with the “added touch” of his design services. This was great way for him to personally deliver some “How To” and it served him very well.

Samples, Gifts and Novelty Items

Sampling has been a critical component of direct marketing for some of our clients for many years. Where products and services do not lend themselves to sending product samples, many other clients opt to mail small, useful gifts or novelty items that are usually linked to a specific campaign.

Sampling campaigns can be driven in many different ways. Consumers or businesses can request samples via websites, magazine ads, 1-800 numbers etc. Optionally, highly qualified lists can be purchased for segmented targeting, based on a variety of conditions.

It’s always nice to get things for free. It’s even better when it really suits someone’s specific needs and it adds value to the relationship.

Of course, if you have great product that lends itself to sampling this is one of the best ways to get your product into the hands of potential customers. If they try it and like it, there is a very good chance that they will buy it!

Summary

These are some of the ways that our customers and associates currently add value. I am sure that you can think of many more. When it comes to adding value, I think the famous quote by Carl W. Buehner sums it up very well – “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” This message carries a lot of value in itself and I like it so much that I often use it in the signature block of my emails.

If you have never used this product, please do not discount it too quickly. Featuring state of the art technology, it allows you to target by a number of demographics including age, income, children etc. and it is a powerful but affordable tool that can help you expand your customer base.

As 2011 begins to wind down, there is a bit of confusion as to how much a given Unaddressed Admail mailing might cost in 2012. This stems from the facts that a) as of April 23, 2012 there will be a 1.5 cent surcharge¹ for pieces delivered on High Demand Routes and b) during 6 months of the year there will be a 10% discount applied to the base rate.

Of course, we must also take into account that we have both Basic rates and Premium rates for Delivery to Businesses, Oversize Pieces and “Specified Delivery Dates”. Lastly, don’t forget that the criteria for Standard size varies depending on whether you are mailing through letter carrier offices or non-letter carrier offices.

The table below illustrates different postage rates for both Basic and Premium Addressed Admail for 2012. Note that these increases are effective on January 16, 2012 and that the surcharge for High Demand Routes begins on April 23, 2012.

Table of Non-Contract Unaddressed Admail Postage Rates for 2012

Notes:

• all prices shown to 4 decimals, as we are uncertain how rounding will be applied
• all prices below are for items weighing up to 50 grams
• Canada Post transportation fee (optional) of $0.008 not included
• HDR denotes High Demand Route
• seasonal discount has not been applied to HDR Surcharge

* As of January 16, 2012
**As of April 23, 2012

Although the pricing may appear confusing on the surface, this table allows you to see at a glance what you would pay for postage in any given month and is a handy tool in Unaddressed Admail campaign planning (so feel free to bookmark this post for future reference).

I also want to note that, if these rates seem a bit expensive when compared to delivery through your local newspaper, there are some real benefits with Unaddressed Admail that you just don’t get elsewhere. Volume contracts are also available, starting at 100,000 pieces per year.

Canada Post is the Keeper of the Keys

Canada Post is the only keeper of the keys for apartment and condo mailboxes. These delivery addresses represent a broad range of income earners and interest groups and can make up a large percentage of a target market.

Powerful Targeting Tools

We also can’t forget the value of Canada Post’s GeoPost system, which will soon be known as “Data and Targeting Solutions”. This system allows us to target pretty much whomever we want to reach by demographics, distances and clusters of similar consumers. I have written before about how direct mail allows you to decide whom you want to mail to. While this may not be as target-specific as Addressed Admail, it does allow you to reach a fairly high percentage of addresses within a target group.

So, shortly into the New Year, we will be looking at quite different pricing for the Unaddressed Admail product. You likely know the best times to promote your business. However, using the table above, you can decide if you might be able to enjoy both a “best time” and “best price” mailing date, or where you might compromise to come up with your optimum time(s) to mail.

If you have any questions regarding the new pricing for Unaddressed Admail or the new targeting tools, call Highland Marketing today. One of our seasoned mailing professionals would be pleased to help you.

¹ Canada Post refers to this as a “premium”. However, given that there are both Basic and Premium services levels and that the 1.5 cent premium can be applicable to both, we have opted to use the term surcharge to avoid using the word premium in two different contexts.

When we first started the business, our focus was on providing professional data services as well as mailing services and we incorporated the company Alexander, Floyd & Associates Ltd. The Alexander was taken from Alexandra, which is Christine’s middle name and the Floyd is from my middle name, as you may have guessed.

As Alexander, Floyd & Associates did not have much of a marketing ring to it, we decided to register the trading name of Highland Marketing under Alexander, Floyd & Associates Ltd. We liked the sound of Highland Marketing and it was consistent with our roots in Fergus.

Interestingly, our certified, LCP sort software is listed on the Canada Post website under the name of Alexander, Floyd & Associates Ltd. As such, with the introduction of our new Remote LCP Sort Services, we felt it time to bring the name of Alexander, Floyd & Associates more to the forefront, especially for those that might want to confirm the certified status of our software on the Canada Post site. To this end, we have also set up a separate website for Alexander, Floyd & Associates Ltd. to feature our Remote LCP Sort Services.

So, there you have it. Alexander, Floyd & Associates Ltd. and Highland Marketing are really the same entity and we answer to either one.

Hope this helps!

With many recent articles blatantly stating that many folks no longer depend on the postal service nearly as much as they did in 1997, this has to weigh on both sides. Give others a reason to go digital and they just might. Even my 86 year old mother is looking at getting a computer.

There is no doubt that certain sectors, especially small business, would be hit hard by a complete walk out. But, as we have said, many others simply won’t notice. Is this why we haven’t seen a full strike to this point? Is there recognition that a strike might actually do more harm than good?

Apart from the “don’t need ya” message we keep seeing, others are now extolling the virtues of privatization. Privatization of postal systems has already happened in several countries worldwide and, as volumes of mail are declining, today it might be more manageable than it was in 1997. I am sure that many remember the de-regulation of the telecommunications industry. Whoda thunk that ever would have happened?

So, both sides to this dispute are faced with some pretty tough rows to hoe. What they really need is a rational win-win that serves the common good, because after all, they are on the same team and it’s a team that is facing some serious challenges.

If it is more of a protest for now, so be it. Here’s hoping that it does not escalate beyond this and that they can come up with solutions that reflect the signs of times, best serving the needs of all.

If CUPW simply continues with rotating 24-hour strikes in different communities, it is safe to mail. In reality, this would only be adding a day or two onto delivery. That said, it is not the kind of bite that will impact anyone very much at all and I expect that everyone is aware of this.

However, as this could be a pre-cursor to a nationwide shut down or extended walkouts in different centres, there is, indeed, an element of risk. This especially true for anyone mailing Addressed Admail or Publications mail across the country, as delivery times for these products can range from a few days to a few weeks.

The press keeps telling us that we are not as dependent on Canada Post in this digital age and there is no denying that and I believe that both sides to this dispute recognize this as well. Although many people may not even notice this strike, small business certainly will and so will marketers. But is that enough to bring a speedy end to the strike? If I am not mistaken, the government had already drafted back to work legislation before the strike of 1997 actually began. I have heard nothing to that effect in 2011.

Highland Marketing provides both regulatory and promotional mailing services and we have to be honest with clients. Therefore, to answer the question “Is it safe to mail?” we really have to look at time-sensitivity. If you don’t really care how long delivery might take, as long as it gets there, then do mail, because your mail is going to get into the system and will have priority at the end of the strike. However, if you are mailing time-sensitive materials that must be delivered by a given date, then I do not believe that it is safe to mail because there is an air of uncertainty and I believe that if the strike is to be effective, the bite will have to hurt more than it would with rotating 24-hour walkouts in different cities. That said, it could escalate very quickly.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed, However, for some mailers, it can still be business as usual, whereas other must certainly assess the risk before mailing, at least for now.

To this point, we have had very little direct communication from Canada Post regarding the potential mail strike. Thus, if you listen to what is in the press, you know about the same as we do.

We weathered the mail strike of 1997 that lasted two weeks. The effect of the saber rattling leading up to the strike was actually harder on business than the strike itself, largely because of the understandable fear of mailing during the uncertainty.

There are a couple of things that you should take into account when deciding whether or not you should mail with a strike looming.

1. If you have time-sensitive material, you should consider either a) deferring your mailing until after a settlement has been reached or b) extending the period of the offer by about two to three weeks.

2. If your materials are not time-sensitive, oddly, it can be to your advantage to mail before a labour disruption. The reason for this is that, typically, most people defer mailing until after a strike. As such, abnormally large volumes of mail are usually deposited after the settlement, bogging down the system. Of course mail that is already in the system would have a priority and would be delivered quicker than had it been deposited after the settlement.

I recall during the last strike that we also pre-prepped quite a bit of mail so that it could be ready for induction immediately after the settlement and we will have staff available during any labour disruptions to pre-prep mail as we did in 1997.

Lastly, we must remember that many strikes involving government public workers do result in back to work legislation. Therefore, if there were a strike, I would hope that service would not be disrupted for more than couple of weeks, as it was in 1997.

I hope this helps. If there are any questions, I would be pleased to answer them, as best I can.

Have a great day!

P.S. Note that the contents of this post will also be communicated to our clients and associates via email on Monday May 30.

Survd is web-based software

First of all, although Survd is a piece of software, unlike conventional software that you install on your PC, Survd is web-based software and, as such, a web developer usually installs it. Once installed, however, Survd runs entirely in your browser, and anyone can use it to create and develop surveys!

You can have unlimited surveys, questions and response values

Once installed, you can quickly and easily set up as many surveys as you want. You can have an unlimited number of questions and each question can have an unlimited number of possible responses. Once created, each new survey must be loaded into a web page, again, usually by someone who has some experience with setting up a web site.

It is very cost-effective

Survd software itself is only $34.95 and it’s a one-time license fee, unlike some other programs/services that are a) far more expensive or b) have ongoing monthly fees.

Survd is also easy to work with. Therefore, it is very easy for us, or anyone for that matter, to set up questions, select from a broad array of question types, specify allowable values and establish effective edit criteria. With a product that is this easy to use, we can minimize survey set up times and reduce associated costs.

So, when you combine the low cost for the software together with the efficiencies in setup and deploying surveys, Survd is a logical choice.

Knowledge is power

Sir Francis Bacon was a brilliant man and his famous quote “Knowledge is power” is known throughout the world.

The more you know about what your customers really think or want, the easier it is for you to give them what they want. Of course surveys can be used in many other ways, but in every case, it is the knowledge that evolves from their use that can be used to fuels the fire of success.

In conclusion

Survd is cost-effective, yet very powerful web-based software that allows you to set up an unlimited number surveys, with unlimited question and responses. Because it’s web-based nature it is normally installed by someone with some web design experience.

With Survd, surveys are surprisingly easy to set up and you can gather whatever information you wish. Regardless of the type of survey, the information and knowledge that you collect can be an enormous asset when making decisions within any organization.

One day boarding an airplane, a steward came to his seat, addressed Jim by name and asked him to complete a paper survey. Jim said he would be happy to, but then he looked at the survey. It asked his name, frequent flier number, what flight he was on, his destination, whether he had to change planes, and so forth –information that the airline knew, but the survey firm didn’t. This made the survey seem as tedious as filling out a form.

The Royal United Hospital in Bath, England, sent a household a survey asking the patient to rate his recent operation. Tragically, the patient had died in surgery. His widow was not amused to receive the survey. In fact, she talked to a newspaper about the callous way she was treated, creating a public-relations problem for the hospital.

Sources for both stories Vovici eBook, Survey Software Success

I still think it is important to know what our customers think, however, in an effort to attain this information it’s best not to give them reason to think any less of us than they did before they were presented with our survey!

But, how often do you ask your customers what they think and what they might like? I believe that, in reality, many of us could listen more and then use that knowledge to ensure that we are really meeting customer needs.

Only a few years ago, market research of any type required a printed survey and usually mail prep and postage costs to get the surveys into the hands of the respondents. Then, we had to contract people to enter the data into some type of system. Oh yeah, and we usually had to supply a postage paid envelope to get the surveys back, which added even more expense.

Today, we can set up an online survey or run a contest on our web site and people key the information in for us. That certainly cuts down on our print and other associated costs!

You might be thinking that there are significant expenses involved in setting up an online survey. However, nothing could be further from the truth. There is a new app out there called Survd that allows anyone to set up surveys in minutes. Once installed, you just have to supply the questions. Plus, you can set up as many surveys as you like on a given web site. With a tool like Survd, everyone can set up and use surveys  – with minimal effort and expense.

Do your customers like your products and services? Do they think that your price points are fair? Are there other products or variations that they might like to see in your product mix? Do they enjoy working with your customer service personnel? These are all very important questions and having the answers can go along way in helping you to retain your valuable customers!

So, if you thought that setting up a survey and gathering information was clumsy and expensive, think again. With today’s technologies, we can all be in the know and stay in the know at little or no cost.

Of course Highland Marketing will be here to look after your direct marketing needs. However, through the effective use of client surveys, your marketing materials could be better honed to truly satisfy your customer needs.

As 2010 begins to wind down the Highland team can look back with a sense of accomplishment. We have seen many DM concepts that we have been promoting over the past few years actually come to fruition and that is gratifying. And, we are pleased that there are already several new and exciting projects lined up for 2011.

Sometimes during the holiday season it’s difficult to hear the distant bells for all the clatter. But when the checkered flag drops as the last stores close, a surreal quiet seems to steal across the land. Focus shifts from holiday madness to quieter times, and like it or not, and ready or not, most of us are forced to slow down for a couple of days.

As we will be breaking for the holidays very shortly, it seems an appropriate time to thank our blog visitors for taking the time to read what we have to say. Inasmuch as we may get the odd Highland plug in from time to time, the blog is intended to share ideas and concepts. So we extend our sincerest thanks for visiting our blog and we hope that you have found real value in the various posts.

At this time, our blog writers and the entire Highland team, want to wish you the very best for a wonderful and safe holiday season and much happiness and prosperity in the year ahead. We hope that you can find the time to do the things that you enjoy and share some quality time with family and friends

Again, our best wishes to all!