In the mailing business, often the most expensive questions are the ones people don’t ask. So at Spectrum Data, we make it a point to cover even the bases you might not have considered. Over the years, it’s amazing how often a new client will stop us and say, “Wow, no one’s ever asked me that before!” We’ve been in this business awhile; we’ve seen the pitfalls and potholes. (And we’ve hit a few ourselves along the way.) So below is a list of a few questions asked too infrequently:
Will I really save money by having a big printing house handle all of my mailing-related services?
In the long run, probably not. While big printers can realize some savings just from the scale of their operation, those savings don’t always make their way into your pocket. You can often enjoy both cost savings and better service by being a “big fish in a little pond” — using a smaller printer and getting other mailing services from third-party vendors. After all, the ocean may be a great place for whales and sharks, but little fish usually end up as someone else’s lunch.
You don’t ask your dentist to do your taxes. Why ask your printer to handle your list management?
Can match-back services reallocate my “lost” sales?
You know the old saying: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In today’s competitive environment, everyone wants an edge. It’s no surprise that so many vendors offer “match-back” services. But we’re much more interested in accuracy than inflated results. So when we provide match-back results, they are numbers you can depend on.
“Match-back” services address the all-too-common dilemma in today’s complex, multi-stream environment: What if a sale comes in without a key code? How do you know where the customer came from? Some match-back vendors promise the sun and the moon, but reality is usually a little more cloudy. Are you getting a 90-percent match-back success rate? Are you willing to bet your company’s future on results you can’t really trust?
We built our match-back systems from the ground up to ensure that the results are rock-solid. That process starts with things such as randomized key codes that prevent fulfillment operators from “cutting and pasting” you into inaccurate results. And our back-end routines don’t throw darts. When you get a “match-back” result from us, it’s better than a guess. So part of our definition of success is a “success” rate that may be lower than some of our competitors.
In these tough times, I’m thinking of cutting back on my mailings. Good idea?
A better approach is to mail smarter: Make sure every mailing address is a good one. Keep your postage rates as low as possible. Combine with other mailings when you can. Induce more sales with customized ink-jet messages. When you get a sale, be sure you know where it came from.
Fortunately, we can help you with all of these elements as well as provide the data analytics to ensure that you are mailing the right names.
Our mailing situation is a little unique and my list processing is not a “standard” situation. I need certain things done a little differently, but I get charged for “custom” solutions.
One shoe has never fit all. Spectrum Data is a small company and thus has the ability to be nimble and flexible to client special needs. We have custom solutions for almost every client we serve and our prices are no different than any other service bureau.