Customized MarketMail (CMM) proven to grab and keep your
customer's attention!
By Tom Becker, CMM pioneer and president of ShipShapes
Many marketing professionals and their creative agency partners are developing marketing programs that will enable them to achieve business objectives through an integrated effort likely to include public relations, advertising and direct mail. They would be remiss to overlook the power of direct mail, specifically Customized MarketMail (CMM), as they plan to reach prospective and current customers in 2005 and beyond.
CMM, a classification of mail that the United States Postal Service (USPS) approved in 2003 and is supported by the Direct Marketing Association, allows for non-rectangular, over-dimensional pieces of mail to be shipped without a package, carton or envelope. Prior to the CMM classification, the USPS would permit mailing of an actual product, but prohibited direct mail in anything other than the standard, flat, rectangular shape.
Now, direct marketers can deliver realistic samples of their products and services into the hands of their target audiences in any shape imaginable – from motorcycles and automobiles to stop signs, cell phones, food products and toys. More importantly, direct marketers can cut through the clutter of “junk mail” and dramatically boost response rates with premium pieces that capture the attention of top prospects.
According to industry averages, advertisers and direct marketers generally expect a return of 0.5 percent response rate when mailing to prospects and a 1.5 percent response rate when reaching current customers (source: Direct Marketing Association). In a pilot test conducted by ShipShapes in 2003, marketers observed a five-fold increase in response rate. But did the results prove comparable in a real mailing?
Krispy Kreme was the first company to take advantage of CMM in 2003 with a direct mail piece that targeted existing customers. The company sent three-dimensional looking pieces shaped like a half-opened box of Krispy Kreme donuts. On the back of the mailing was a special offer: Buy one box of Krispy Kreme donuts and receive another dozen for a dime. Krispy Kreme ran a test run of 10,000 pieces and received an 11 percent response rate on this mailing.
In addition to boosting response rates, CMM pieces promote brands through their longevity. While traditional direct mail pieces may fail to capture the attention of consumers because they arrive in mailboxes mangled or torn or simply are indiscernible from other pieces of mail, CMM pieces are eye-catching because of their durability, shapes and three-dimensional qualities. A CMM piece in the shape of a sports car, for instance, is likely to catch the eye of a consumer and perhaps even her child who enjoys playing with the shape and keeps it in her room or hangs it on the refrigerator. Some consumers may be so inclined to collect the pieces – further increasing the value and brand-building potential of a direct mail piece.
CMM pieces can be made with magnets to further bolster staying power. Recent changes authorized by the USPS also allow marketers to add attachments, including product samples, promotional items, business reply cards, gift certificates and compact disks, to CMM direct mail pieces.
Should you be considering CMM? Telemarketing restrictions enacted in recent years remain in place while calls for anti-spam legislation increase. CMM offers an innovative alternative to traditional direct mail. Marketers in nearly every industry – from telecommunications and pharmaceuticals to transportation and retail – can differentiate their products and services and reach their target audiences with premium pieces that have been proven to garner high response rates. Companies that have successfully leveraged this form of direct mail to date include Dell, Sprint, American Greetings, New Line Cinema, TDC Metrocom and Jeep. Often, the creative design and finished mail piece are so eye-catching, prospects and customers hang onto the CMM pieces and display or collect them.
Getting Started
There are only a handful of companies producing direct mail products that meet the criteria for CMM. ShipShapes, a division of 38-year old Imageworks Manufacturing, was a CMM pioneer and continues to lead the industry.
A good CMM partner should assist marketers and their clients in developing strong creative and shapes that showcase brands and encourage response rates. Ask your CMM partner to see samples and inspect the quality of the pieces: Do they crease? Do they maintain their shapes despite bending and folding?
ShipShapes pieces, for instance, are printed on a plastic specifically engineered to accept ink as well as the best paper stock and are designed to flex without creasing and retain their shape after coming out of the mailbox. They feature 175-line screen lithography printing, up to 4/4 plus spot colors and can be produced with UV clear coats, metallic and other specialty coatings.
Ask also about customers: How many reorder? Call customers to confirm response rates and the reputation of the vendor.
Costs for CMM pieces typically vary based on the quantity and mailing list distribution, but usually range between $1 and $3 per item and should include postage and drop ship costs.
To learn more about the creative opportunities and positive response rates of CMM and ShipShapes, visit www.shipshapes.net or contact Becker directly at
1-866-774-2737, or via e-mail at tbecker@shipshapes.net
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