1 You get more "bang for your buck."
Studies show that, on average, every dollar spent on Direct Mail advertising brings in $10 in sales – a return of more than twice that generated by a direct television ad.

2 You reach prospects that want to hear from you.
More than half of all American households say they would actually like to receive more Direct Mail or would enjoy receiving some.

3 Consumers are receptive.
Americans spent more than $250 billion in response to Direct Mail in 2002.

4 Businesses are also receptive.
Over $150 billion in Business-to-Business sales was attributed to Direct Mail in 2002.

5 It’s a powerful revenue building tool.
By using Direct Mail to reach out to consumers, businesses can expect sales to increase by more than 7% between now and 2008.

6 There doesn’t seem to be an end to its potential.
In fact, Direct Mail sales reached over $450 billion in 2002. And over the next five years, sales driven by Direct Mail are projected to increase by over $8.5 billion per year.

7 Over 50% of Direct Mail recipients read it immediately,
and of those, over 40% found the information they received useful.  After all, you’re reading this right now, aren’t you?

8 Direct Mail continues its astounding growth as a profitable advertising medium.
In 2002, American Businesses spent over $47 billion on Direct Mail advertising. And for the last 20 years, it’s been growing at a compounded growth rate of more than 6% -- an indication of the steadily increasing acceptance of targeted Direct Mail among consumers and businesses.

9 Direct Mail works.
Perhaps that’s why, in 2002, over 58% of the adult U.S. population placed an order by mail for a product or service.

10 Everybody has a mailbox!



Flexibility:
You can mail anyone your message at any time, using any format.  You can send postcards, letters, color brochures, free samples, even a bowling ball!  The choice is up to you and your budget.  It can also bring back information you need for a database or develop an on-going dialogue that helps to create a lifetime customer.

Measurability:
There’s no guesswork when it comes to the results of a mail campaign, and virtually no waiting.  By tracking and analyzing your mailings, you’ll know how you’re doing. If you’ve got a winner worth rolling out, you’ll know right away.  Then you can test the creative, price points, and other aspects of motivating sales.

Accountability:
Because you can prove that Direct Mail works, it becomes its own justification, a "self-funding" medium, if you will. As responses pour in, the value of your program speaks for itself.  This high level of accountability enables you to proceed with a high level of confidence.

Efficiency:
With Direct Mail, you know that every dollar you spend is being directed at people who are genuine prospects for your product or service.  Instead of paying for circulation or viewership that may not be relevant to your needs, your
budget is working all-out to persuade the people who really matter.  You can also control costs by testing your ideas on small populations, and rolling out the winners. And not only can you reach your customers without your competition’s knowledge, but you can also allow your customers to see your message without distraction.
© Copyright 2004 Market Street Lists, Inc. All rights reserved.



We are in the curious business of creating advertising that pays for itself. We spend almost $2 billion of our clients' money each year o-n advertising that is designed to sell products or services, get leads for sales people and build brands and brand relationships. And you know what? It works!

Not o-nly has Direct Mail proven to be o-ne of the most reliable and effective media we use, it is also the most versatile. It is the only form of advertising that allows you to create not o-nly the message, but also the format. It can be as simple as a personal letter that is hand written, typed or printed. Or it can be as complex as a multicolored, multipage presentation with a letter, brochure and response form, and even a simple of the product itself. It can be scented, die-cut or anything that a creative mind can imagine and invent. And best of all, in this new world of mass customization, it can be personal and relevant to o-ne person or to two hundred and fifty million.

Direct Mail enables targeted communication and a unique interactive system of persuasion. It allows you to select and communicate directly with interested prospects in a relevant, one-to-one conversation that conveys the individualized benefits of your product, service or brand to each targeted audience. That drives sales.

But the power of Direct Mail goes far beyond that first sale. Direct Mail gives you the ability to initiate and nurture relationships with your customers that turn the questionable profit of a single purchase into the ongoing annuity generated by the true brand loyalty. That's what we mean by the "lifetime value of a customer." Through Direct Mail, your customers can get to know you and you too can respond to their particular needs this special relationship builds allegiance and repeat sales.
This high road to profits, for any company or brand, is the number of loyal, repeat customers it acquires and keeps. Instead of "share of market" we should all strive for "share of loyal customers."

The real task is to collect and safeguard the "crown jewels," those customers who create almost all of the profit. Good general advertising can shape a brand's personality, but only direct marketing and Direct Mail can build ongoing, durable relationships with your customers - and that's where the profits are.
Written by Lester Wunderman © Copyright 2004 Market Street Lists, Inc. All rights reserved.