This week I'm writing from the 2019 International Franchise Association's Annual Convention in Las Vegas. Many of the agenda topics are around franchisor-franchisee relationships and how to keep franchisees engaged and enthusiastic about the brand.
Marketers know direct mail is a powerful channel to reach their customers and prospects. The DMA reports that direct mail response rates outperform all digital channels and continue to climb year over year. In their latest Response Rate Report, the DMA found the direct mail response rate was 4.9% for prospect lists and 9% for house lists in 2018. This is significantly higher than the previous year and the highest since the report started in 2003.
The start of a new year is a great reason to declutter and reorganize all aspects of your life, from your closet to your career. One of Netflix's hottest shows is "Tidying Up" where Marie Kondo, the New York Times best selling author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, helps people part with their clutter and find joy in their belongings.
It is likely that free-standing insert (FSI) deals are delivered to your home in the form of a weekly grocery shopper, whether or not you are a subscriber to your local newspaper. So why has this form of advertising persisted even though newspaper subscriptions have declined? Because it's still an effective form of mass advertising that delivers results for national brands and local stores alike.
When people enter the front door of your business, what impression do they get about your brand? Based on your lobby appearance you could seem "boring and bland" or "polished and professional." Your lobby should set the tone for your overall brand customer experience. It can also help with employee recruitment and morale. Here are four ways you can improve your lobby's aesthetic appeal with indoor business signage and custom graphics:
Every year, we like to push the envelope with our holiday card, trying new techniques and showcasing our capabilities. With this in mind, our holiday card this year featured an accordion folded card with ten pockets, bound by a belly band, and shrink wrapped to create a self-mailing piece. Recipients were instructed to open one pocket per day, each contained a different marketing resolution idea for the new year. The exterior was made up of two pieces that were rotated 180 degrees to complete the card. Both halves of the exterior utilized a single die, which allowed it to run on a smaller press sheet, helping save on total cost. See a video of how it was made and get a sample of this piece here.
The USPS has approved six mailing promotions for 2019. You may remember that USPS did not have any promotions in 2018. This year they are bringing back five promotions from previous years and have added one new Informed Delivery promotion. The promotions for First Class Mail are Earned Value, Personalize and Preprinted Color Transpromo. The Emerging & Technology and the Informed Delivery promotions can use either First Class Mail or Marketing Mail, while the Tactile, Sensory & Interactive Engagement and Mobile Shopping promos are only for Marketing Mail.
The grand opening of a new location can ultimately determine the overall success or failure of the business. After all, you don't get more than one chance to make a first impression in your community. When it comes to local marketing, here is some advice to follow that can help ensure your franchise starts off with the greatest chance of success.
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved the United States Postal Service (USPS) rate case. On January 27th 2019, postage rates will increase an average of 2.479% for Marketing/Presort Standard Mail.
Traditional forms of marketing (TV, print, mail) and digital forms of marketing (email, social media, web) are not mutually exclusive – in fact, they are better together. Here are five ways traditional and digital can come together for amazing results:
