USPS recognizes company for its use of direct mail
The U.S. Postal Service recently gave the 2012 Deliver magazine Marketing Achievement in Innovation and Leadership award to Sibley Smart Copy, for its use of direct mail to promote iStudio Salons, a chain of salons in Florida.
"The Postal Service is pleased to honor Sibley Smart Copy with this year's M.A.I.L. Award," said Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing/sales officer of the USPS. "Their out-of-the-box use of direct mail and the results from their distinctive marketing campaign are sure to inspire other companies to consider using direct mail to get the attention of prospective new customers."
Sibley was recognized for a cleverly packaged direct mail piece featuring full-color photos of the salon. Pointing to the value of direct mail as a marketing channel, the salon achieved a 4.7 percent response rate, for a total return on investment of 1,056 percent. The initiative generated four new contracts.
"So many of my contemporaries and colleagues in marketing are really focused on getting their digital efforts ramped up, and I don't want to downplay the importance of that because I'm doing it, too," said Barbara Sibley, who oversaw the project. "But what this award does is validate my belief, and my client's belief, that if you really want to drive leads, and conversions, and eventually sales to a physical location, direct mail is still the best way to go."
Companies looking to launch a successful direct mail campaign might consider a web-to-print solution and mailing software, which can produce a high-quality mail piece like iStudio's and facilitate a targeted, efficient mailing process.
Sibley Smart Copy recently received the award at the National Postal Forum, an industry event and tradeshow held in Orlando, Florida.