Colors fill our world and (literally) frame what we see. Colors are also key for successful direct mailings. The right color can invoke a mood that harmonizes your campaign, while the wrong color can at best send a mixed message, at worst make a direct trip to the recycling bin.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) filed a notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) proposing new mailing and shipping services pricing to take effect January 21, 2018. The PRC has reviewed and approved the proposed pricing changes.

Notable mailing services price changes include:

• First-Class Forever stamps from 49 to 50 cents
• Domestic Postcards stamp price increase from 34 to 35 cents
• Metered Letters price increase from 46 to 47 cents

It's all about smart marketing these days. You can have the classiest looking website with all of the latest bells and whistles, but if no one is visiting, or if most of your visitors take flight in less than a minute of hitting your site, something is not working.

Even if you have studied search engine optimization (SEO) and email marketing, it is important to realize that thousands of others have read the same papers and guides and are likely applying the same tactics that you are trying. This is truly a case of following the crowds and feeling left behind in the dust.

There is a better solution, almost a hidden marketing treasure that few people have uncovered so far.

Direct mail marketing can be a powerful tool, allowing companies to reach past or potential customers who may not be actively engaged via email, social media or another medium. Direct mail encompasses a wide variety of materials, including postcards, newsletters, brochures, catalogs and more. It can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to reach out to new and existing clients.

Let’s face it: inbound marketing is currently all the rage. Drawn by impressive stats regarding strategies like search engine optimization, content marketing and social media engagement, marketers have too often overlooked many highly-effective, traditional outbound strategies—in particular, direct mail marketing.

Creating and implementing a successful direct mail project requires careful planning, especially when it comes to the big three; List, Offer, and Design. Most direct mail professionals agree that these three elements play the biggest role in determining success or failure. Also worthy of careful consideration is the timing, postal rules, and print vendor. Direct mail done right generates excellent results with a solid return on investment. Unfortunately it’s too easy to make a significant mistake that kills your response rate. What could have been quickly turns to what should have been.  Here are the top five direct mail mistakes.

Your mailbox today is almost certain to contain at least one postcard. This is for the simple reason that postcards perform well for marketers. Marketers know what works best because direct mail is easy to track. Direct mail postcards are an ideal choice for your next direct mail project because of their impact, lower cost, and outstanding ROI.  

An eye-catching design and enticing offer are only part of the total direct mail package. Many “behind the scenes” processes contribute to its success, including prepress, mail list processing, variable data composition, printing and delivery. Of course, the success of a direct mail campaign can only be measured when responses start pouring in but keep these tips in mind so your campaign is handled properly before and after it drops.

With a century of practical application, the validation of countless business and academic studies, and robust statistics supporting its effectiveness, direct mail marketing is firmly established as an essential marketing channel. Any marketer can create a successful campaign by sticking to the core elements of a quality list, appealing design, and a strong offer. You may be satisfied with achieving average response rates, but you could take your direct mail to the next level by triggering response through appealing to our hidden addictions.