Insert media programs

deliver excellent ROI

Okay. Not all programs are created equal. But even a mediocre program may be a good buy if you’re cash poor. And the beauty of inserts is there are so many programs available you can find one that’s right for your business. What’s more, like other direct marketing venues, inserts lend themselves to testing and measurement. And tweaking…and negotiating.

Insert media can be a DIY project, but I don’t recommend it for a newbie. Like most marcom ammo, few of us know as much as we think we do about the nuances of any channel we’ve seldom (or never) used. It’s best to work with an expert for your early ventures. Maybe later on you can get creative and network with simpatico partners to swap lists or do cooperative mailings.

Experts who have been there done that, can make recommendations and help you decide and test venues. Everyone is familiar with statement stuffers and free standing newspaper inserts (FSIs), but they may not have considered package inserts, piggybacks, card decks, dimensional mailings, and ( annoying but effective) blow-ins and many others.

One tip offered by experts is to expand your reach through what might be called unconventional partnerships. Your product may not be related to the mailer’s but still interest the same types of buyers. In other words, it may not look like a fit, but still fit.

Another piece of advice I like is to print your offer on both sides of a blow-in. Don’t assume the recipient is going to read both sides of a card. When s/he does, you’ve had a second shot to push your most important benefit.

If you do want to try a DIY program, one that I’ve seen work well on a tiny budget is to negotiate with clubs to include your material with their newsletters. Reprints of ads with special offers and coupons give you an easy way to measure response.

Two excellent sources of background info on insert media are Target Marketing Magazine at http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/ and DM News at www.DMNews.com.

Insert media is one of the many paradoxes of marcom. To break through the clutter we add to the clutter. But it’s good clutter. Check out the possibilities.