WAYNE, N.J. — The Ballantine Corporation, a full-service direct mail production company, announces the release of their 2008 Direct Mail Format Report. With the recent postage increase, deciding on effective direct mail formats is financially important to a company’s well being. That’s why the Ballantine Corporation surveyed their marketing contacts and clients and asked them what direct mail formats they plan to test in 2008 and why.
“The results revealed a wide array of responses that we want to share with industry peers,” Ryan Cote, Director of Marketing for The Ballantine Corporation, said. “We hope that this report will provide marketing professionals with an insider’s view of what formats are popular right now.”
A range of companies were surveyed that included, but were not limited to: financial services, publishing, automotive, association, travel, non-profit, and more.
One interesting direct mail format prediction for 2008 was the use of hybrid voucher packages. They are continuing to grow in popularity; have proven to be low-cost direct mail vehicles; and have evolved over time.
Other companies plan to try new direct mail formats in addition to traditional and reliable ones. Some new formats hope to increase customer interaction and boost response.
Is the #10 package still a popular item? How is the double postcard faring? Is the voucher package still paying off? These and many other questions will be addressed in this direct mail format report.
One publishing company revealed that their 8 1/2 x 11 poly control was killing them on postage and they were seeking alternatives. Another company said that they were planning to test variations of their voucher control including the carrier, the offer and buckslip.
Overall, the results were both predictable and surprising. To learn more, a comprehensive chart outlines the results, at-a-glance, and includes percentage information about who’s testing what. Links to current USPS domestic and international rates are also included.
Founded in 1966, The Ballantine Corporation has evolved from offering print production services to also providing mailing, creative and one-to-one marketing solutions.
Read the full report at: http://www.ballantine.com/formatreport2008.html.
