Are you interested in learning how an effective direct mail package comes together? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The Jacobs & Clevenger direct mail design studio master class is now in session.

As digital agency services have become more in demand by marketers, I’ve often wondered which roots are the most logical for a digital agency. While several digital agencies are completely new start-ups, many are offshoots or born out of advertising, public relations, direct marketing and other agencies.

Direct mail continues to be one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers and prospects. Direct marketing is a discipline that is defined by response and action. Applying proven best practices and techniques to direct mail letters can be the difference between mediocre and stellar performance.

The evaluation of a direct marketing agency’s work should be considered in a number of different facets. Strong direct marketing agencies are expected to be leaders in generating response across a number of different channels. They understand how to apply the techniques of direct marketing across a number of tactics, including direct mail, email, banner ads and landing pages.

How is success defined for a direct mail campaign? Most people would say success is defined by outcome. In other words, if the direct mail met its objectives, then it was successful. But why do some things work better than others? 

With the proliferation of channels, marketers are often forced to make trade-offs. One of the questions they find themselves asking is: What are the advantages and expected returns for certain channels?

Clients often ask, “What can I expect in terms of my direct mail response rate?” According to the Direct Marketing Association, the average response rate is 3.4% for a house list and 1.28% for a prospect list. This varies by industry and a number of other factors that I’ll outline later.

Interestingly, this number has stayed about the same for past 24 months. One theory on this topic is that as volume has decreased, effectiveness of direct mail has increased. A less cluttered space seems to have created a positive impact on direct mail response rates.

Is more information truly more effective? When it comes to direct mail, the answer is yes.

Today consumers and business decision-makers demand a greater level of personalization than ever before. According to MarketSherpa, 69% of people state that they would exchange their data for better, more personalized service. Furthermore, a study J&C conducted in the first quarter of 2013 indicated that 2 out of 3 consumers prefer personalized communications to mass, non-customized communications.

In today’s changing marketing world, agencies are expected to be leaders in new media, new channels and ways to optimize marketing programs. That means marketers are demanding more out of their agencies.