United States Postal Service Full Service Approved
Highlights
- Tool for branding
- Capability for customization
- The key is integration
Marketers are always looking for the next new thing when it comes to finding ways of getting their message out. And for good reason. After all, the field was transformed throughout the 20th century by technological innovations in media, from radio to the Internet. These days, the latest thing is social media marketing, and marketers are still working out how to best (more…)
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WordCamp Dallas'09 Logo
Like many other blog pages, ours is powered by WordPress software. While we are no strangers to the world of online media, we like keeping up with things and learning new ways to make use of communication technologies. So when we found out about WordCamp Dallas ’09, we wasted no time in registering for it.
Now I will admit that at first I wasn’t too keen on the idea of giving up my weekend to get up early and spend two days in a room full of techie types, listening to someone drone on about things I’m not even sure I understand. Thankfully, WordCamp Dallas ’09 was not like that at all, except for the unfortunate getting up early part.
There are WordCamp events all over the world, happening all the time. They are user-organized gatherings that have a wide range in size and scope, from a few people getting together for an afternoon to a few hundred people spending a weekend in seminars. WordCamp Dallas ’09, held on the University of Texas at Dallas campus and attended by about 300 people, was on the larger end of the spectrum.
And since it was such a large event, we had a little bit of everything there. Some of it was technical, like Dave Curlee’s session on adding video to pages. Some was creative, like Liz Strauss’ discussion on the visual elements of page design. Some of it was straight-up hilarious, like getting Rickrolled live by Scott Kingsley Clark and his baritone ukulele, Elvis. There was even a session by WordPress creator, Matt Mullenweg.
Besides being entertained, we did pick up a few things that will help us keep our blog page fresh. The breadth of information presented was more than I could take in at the time. But what impressed me most was the way everybody pitched in to make this conference a success. This is not merely a gaggle of people who happen to use the same software; it is a community.
Attendees were encouraged to participate in the discussions, and in several instances a question posed by one audience member would be answered by another. The environment was more akin to an open forum than a college lecture.
I could tell that the event’s organizers, headed by Woopra founder John Pozadzides, had put a lot of effort into getting everything together. They found sponsors to pitch in, both with monetary support and items to raffle off, which kept ticket costs low for attendees while also affording such niceties as catered lunches and free t-shirts. And they arranged for a diverse range of guest speakers, many of whom flew in from out of town.
The speakers also made an effort to be a part of the event. Much like the organizers, they were volunteers donating their time and experience. Some of them, when not speaking, offered advice and solutions at a genius bar outside the conference room.
When the event wrapped up Sunday evening, I went home knowing more than I had Saturday morning about how to use WordPress. I also left impressed with the spirit of cooperation that marked WordCamp. I look forward to going next year.
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Highlights
- Open a dialog with customers
- Next step in targeting markets
- Develop/strengthen brand loyalty
One of the chief advantages of using direct mail is the ability to target your message to a very specific audience. Even better, modern print technology has enhanced that advantage by allowing the mail pieces themselves to be custom-tailored for individual recipients.
Personalized mail has become a hot trend in direct marketing, and for good reason. Consumers like to feel that vendors listen to them and will address their needs. And in a tough economic climate such as today’s, making that kind of connection with your customers takes on an even greater degree of importance than usual.
In the old days, when the only individualized part of a mail piece was the address, mail was used as a tool for keeping your customers aware of you. Now, though, the communication can be more of a two-way street, with custom fields in the mail piece telling the customer that you are also keeping up with them.
For example, a customer who recently bought a new gas grill from a home improvement store might get a mailer from the store advertising a special on patio furniture. The information gathered from the customer’s purchasing history can be used to suggest items he may also be interested in buying, much like the suggestions made by online retailers to their customers.
Not only does that kind of two-way communication strengthen your connection with your customers, it also increases the effectiveness of your promotions since customers will receive information on the products or services they are most likely to buy.
Personalized mailings can also be combined with PURLs as part of an integrated multimedia campaign to further the benefits of tailoring mail to your target audience. By adding a field for a PURL, you invite your customers to interact with you, and can also gather information that will help you hone your messages on an individual basis.
By building brand loyalty through communication, personalized mailings are a powerful marketing tool. It is the kind of effort that really stands out in a customer’s mail box.