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Spring 2015


07


“ ‘Monitor fatigue’ has led to a return to the power of a tactile touch of the direct mail piece.”


People pick a folding style, and FOLDRite


calculates folding templates that are accurate and industry approved. The system labels and measures the panels and applies the folding guides and marks. In a split second, subscribers can download production-ready custom InDesign templates in up to 85 folding styles. It takes all of the stress out of file setup for folded materials.


Putting Sexy Back into Folding Granted, folding isn’t a sexy topic, and people weren’t that interested in talking about it. Trish changed that, too. Five years ago, she launched a fun weekly video to push out a cool fold from the many ideas stashed in her research files and boxes. Everyone perked up when the videos started showing interesting, real-world solutions. “No one gets excited until they see a real-world project,” she notes. And as a fun little video gimmick, she decided to put a different funny folding slogan on her T-shirt every week, with sayings such as, “What the fold?” and, “That’s fold-tastic.” Her fans now look forward to the folding ideas, as well as the shirts and mugs. Fast-forward a few years, and Trish is now


at Episode 276 on YouTube and is poised to hit one million views in 2015. Her weekly dose of folded inspiration goes out to thousands of loyal viewers, and her global audience of folding fanatics constantly surprises her with new samples. “What’s amazing now that Foldfactory has a solid following is to see people influenced to try new formats, or to modify formats I’ve shown on the series. The bar seems to keep getting higher and higher.” Even after five years, she feels it’s just getting started.


Process and Strategy Lead the Way Format is her specialty, but as her viewers’ questions went beyond that, she began putting the broader process together for them. That led her to take on direct mail as a topic—and it’s really clicking with people. Now mail is a huge focus and the beginning of a new brand: RocktheMailbox.com. (See page 9.) “Folding out of context isn’t always interesting to people, but when it’s viewed within the context of creating effective mail, marketers get it and want more.” Now she helps people understand the process of direct mail. “Process and strategy have more to do with success than anything else.”


Direct Mail: Far from Dead Some observers say print and mail got out-marketed by digital. Social channels can put marketing messages at our fingertips, but now everyone is saturated with social. “Monitor fatigue” has led to a return to the power of the tactile touch of a direct mail piece.


“The truth is, there’s never been an


issue with the power of sending printed communications. On average, direct mail returns more than $12 for every $1 spent. It’s actually one of the industry’s best-kept secrets,” says Trish. “Marketers spend money and effort perfecting materials, so when they have success, they keep it close, but people thinking about spending money want to know it works.”


Forget Design. Focus on Drivers. Trish says people often start with the creative, but direct mail success doesn’t rely on aesthetics. It’s about message and offer and audience. Marketers must craft a compelling message and offer, and get it into the right hands at the right time. “That’s all direct mail is, but people get tied up in brand and marketing.”


A Fanatic About Learning


Trish Witkowski never stops learning—and she finds inspiration in all corners of the direct marketing world. Some of her go-to resources listed here might help you, too.


DirectMarketingIQ.com “The home of direct marketing intelligence.” Awesome online bookstore and even “TV.” E-learn through webinars and virtual conferences. Find a prospecting tool for suppliers. Enough topics to last you a long, long time.


WhosMailingWhat.com Boost your “creative mojo” by learning from others. Searchable database. Direct mail samples archives. Multichannel marketing intelligence. World’s most complete library of direct mail and email campaigns.


1to1media.com Multimedia resource for CRM and customer experience professionals. Will take months to explore all the white papers and webinars. Weekly digest and community for best practices and emerging tactics.


TargetMarketingMag.com Direct marketing sections include B2B, copywriting, email, lists, and more. Resource for industry events, webinars, and awards. Bookstore, magazine, and newsletter.


Successful Direct Marketing Methods by Bob Stone and Ron Jacobs. Hailed as the bible of direct marketing for over 30 years, updated and expanded with the latest tools and techniques for today’s digital, multichannel marketplace.


The Cross-Channel Copywriting Handbook by Pat Friesen. Essential insights for the evolving cross-channel landscape, from unlocking writer’s block to using type; to increasing response; to what subject lines, headlines, and direct mail teasers have in common.


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