Match format to objectives.

• Author: Turner, Jim
• Position: Direct Mail Essentials - Brief Article

Take a look at the mail you receive. You are likely to find a mix of standard envelopes, I square envelopes, large formats and a few postcards. Which type of package is the right format for your next direct mail campaign? The answer depends on many factors. Typical considerations include:

* Budget: The cost of printing a postcard may be only one-half or one-third that of a larger-format mailing.

* Product complexity: Certificates of deposit primarily need to sell a rate, but not much more, while trust services are better sold with packages containing more complex copy.

* Type of response: If a telephone response from the recipient is sufficient, a simple format mailer may be appropriate. A larger format would be better for something like a home equity loan requiring a long application.

Here's a quick guide to help identify the most efficient format for your next mailing:

Postcard: One of the least expensive formats, the postcard gets attention and delivers your message quickly. Printing costs are low enough to justify four-color printing in reasonable quantities, and it can be produced quickly--which is helpful in a fast-changing rate environment.

Because of the postcard's relatively small space, copywriting and graphics can be produced quickly. Printing adds only a few days.

Postcards, therefore, usually are most appropriate for products that can be sold with a short message, such as checking accounts, or products with short time-cycles and rapidly changing rates, such as certificates of deposit or money market accounts.

Self-mailer: A folded letter-size page offers many of the advantages of a postcard. It has high visibility and relatively low cost, and it can provide three or more times the space for a longer message and larger graphics. Yet printing costs typically are only about 30 percent more than a postcard. The format also can be expanded to an 11"x17" paper size for even more space, then folded to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" for mailing. This larger size is ideal for a newsletter- or tabloid-style layout, making it useful for selling multiple products or event marketing, such as a branch opening or anniversary.

Standard...