Direct Marketing News, Tips & Trends
Our blog delivers info on the latest direct marketing trends, omnichannel marketing strategies, creative marketing ideas, direct mail marketing tips, postal issues, and more.
Integrated Marketing Approach Delivers Measurable Results
We all know the old saying ‘may you live in interesting times,’ which is often described as being both a blessing and a curse. We have certainly seen the continued pace of change in the marketing industry around us―and in direct marketing specifically, but I strongly believe these are in fact exciting times for IWCO […]
Breaking Down the USPS Strategic Plan – Areas of Support and Concern
Last week, the U.S. Postal Service released its long-awaited 10-Year Strategic Plan. The plan, entitled Delivering for America, outlines how the Postal Service proposes to achieve financial stability over the next ten years. As with any plan of this scope and scale, there are aspects many postal stakeholders can support and other aspects that may cause stakeholders concern.
What Does it Take to Create Great Direct Marketing?
It’s a big question. True direct response marketing starts with putting relevant, personalized marketing communications in front of targeted prospects. Done well, great direct marketing campaigns target more than just small groups with similar demographics―they target individuals. Every mailpiece or advertisement should reflect the needs of the individual targeted. Effective direct marketing drives response by […]
Four Ways Pandemic BC/DR Planning Helped Us Get Back to Basics
If your business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR) plan was mature enough before 2020, you had probably found a good cadence of maintenance updates. Reviewing, updating, and refining your BC/DR plan to be ready for action likely included closing some gaps from exercises and plan testing, updating roles and responsibilities due to employee changes, and […]
Urban Ventures is the “Landing Site” for IWCO Direct and Steel Partners Donation
Near the end of 2019, our parent company, Steel Partners, worked with Skechers to give employees across their businesses special edition walking shoes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The shoes feature NASA’s Apollo 11 mission logo and Steel Partners’ Wellness Council worked on the design of the shoes with […]
The Johnson Box—What, Why, Where, and How
Before we dive into the value and inner workings of the Johnson Box, a little family history. The Johnson Box was invented by my great great great grandfather Eustice Aristotle Johnson, a pioneer in direct mail. This breakthrough in marketing occurred shortly after he created boxed cereal and sliced bread. I’m a little fuzzy on […]
2021 Promises to be an Active Year in Postal Affairs
When I last wrote about what was happening with the Postal Service, the agency was in the midst of an overwhelming holiday peak season, during which a COVID-driven drop in employee availability combined with record parcel volume had resulted in extreme delivery challenges in several parts of the country.
The Benefits and Challenges of Cellular Manufacturing for Direct Mail Production
My posts for SpeakingDIRECT often highlight new technologies IWCO Direct is exploring or capabilities we are adding, but innovation and efficiency aren’t just driven by the equipment we employ. Processes and workflow can be just as important in ensuring IWCO Direct maintains its leadership role.
IWCO Direct 1to1℠ Customer Communications Management Updates Enhance Speed, Flexibility, and Performance
How do you keep customer communications relevant in an ever-changing landscape? The answer is to keep moving forward. And that’s what we’ve done by adding greater speed, flexibility, and performance to our technology solution. The IWCO Direct 1to1℠ solution team has the primary mission of continually expanding features and functions to provide responsive innovation. The […]
Rise in Cybercrime Reinforces Need for Strong Information Security Practices
2020 brought a lot of change to the way companies do business. Cramped meeting rooms were replaced by video conference meetings. Towering buildings, once over capacity, now mostly empty as workers have pivoted to working remotely. The power lunch replaced by one of the many food delivery services. Because of the rapid and frequent business […]
