Even though the United States Postal Service is reporting a significant decline in the volume of mail we all know from the contents in our mailboxes that we still seem to get plenty. It’s clear that direct mail marketing budgets have been slashed in many cases, but of course as some companies pull back from sending mail others see that as an opportunity to send more. We decided to research which profit and non-profit organizations are currently sending the most mail.
Top 10 For-Profit Mailers
56% of all the top 50 mailers in the U.S. are for-profit ogranizations. Several of these are large publishing companies athat sending publications, renewal notices, and other offers to the public.
- -Publishers Clearing House – This household name in the sweepstakes industry makes over $620 million dollars a year through publishing and distributing millions of magazines and other publications. They are the overall largets user of direct mail in the U.S.
- -The Economist Group – With revenues north of $516 million this is another publishing giant. They publish under the brands of The Economist newspaper, The Economist online, Edonomist Intelligence Unit, and a few more.
- -Conde Naste – You may not be familiar with this massive publisher with revenues of $454 million per year. They own some of the most subscribed to magazines in the World (GQ, Vogue, The New Yorker, etc.).
- -Direct Brands – Like Conde Naste, you may say Direct Brands, Inc. who? Well they have revenues of $402 million per year with services you will recognize (Columbia House, Book-of-the-Month Club, etc.).
- -Consumers Union – This company has revenues in excess of $249 million per year on sending direct mail, you may be more familiar with Consumer Reports.
- -Omaha Steaks – With revenues of $200 million per year this company has made a bundle off of selling mail order mouth watering meats. Now that’s mail with some sizzle to it!
- -Rodale – Has revenues of approximately $136 million per year and publishes magazines like Men’s Health, Runner’s World, and Prevention.
- -Hachette Filipacchi Media – Another massive magazine publisher with revenues reported at $123 million from magazines like ELLE, Woman’s Day, Car and Driver, Road & Track, and more).
- -International Masters Publishers – This publisher is well known for Recipes & Cooking, Wildlife & Nature, Home & Leisure, and similar categories of publications. They have annual revenues of $230 million.
- -Boardroom – This is another publisher for a list that is most well-known for their Bottom Line newsletters in the subject areas of Personal, Health, Retirement, Natural Healing, and Wealth. Their revenues could not be reliably collected.
Top 10 Non-Profit Mailers
44% of all the top 50 mailers in the U.S. are non-profit ogranizations that are either soliciting for donations or attempting to collect on pledges via mailers.
- -Smithsonian Institute – They generate donations/revenue of $532 million per year.
- -U.S. Fund for UNICEF – They generate donations/revenue of $454 million per year.
- -Habitat for Humanity – They generate donations/revenue of $356 million per year.
- -The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – They generate donations/revenue of $269 million per year.
- -March of Dimes – They generate donations/revenue of $248 million per year.
- -World Wildlife fund – They generate donations/revenue of $180 million per year.
- -Paralyzed Veterens of America – They generate donations/revenue of $109 million per year.
- -Humane Society of the U.S. – They generate donations/revenue of $102 million per year.
- -Alzheimers Association – They generate donations/revenue of $95 million per year.
- -National Wildlife Federation – They generate donations/revenue of $83 million per year.
It’s always interesting to see who is using the mail more frequently as a means of communicating with the American public. The biggest surprise is that in this list of the 20 top mailers, that are no banks or credit card companies. Judging by the mail I get every day, that’s a surprise.
shared by our friends at changeofaddress.org
Hi Michael,
We would love to share with you an article that we just posted on our own blog! “Top 20 U.S. Direct Mail Marketer” (http://www.changeofaddress.org/blog/2010/top-20-us-direct-mail-marketers/) would be an interesting story for your readers to check out and discuss on your blog, so we hope you will consider sharing it!
Thanks so much for your time, and have a wonderful day!
Sheryl Owen
PCC of Northern Nevada Lunch and Learn Series
Guest Speaker: Michael Hemphill of CSG Direct, Inc
The US Postal Service continues to 
modernize and automate steps to keep postage low and better serve its clients. Come learn about the new Business Customer Gateway from the US Postal Service.
The Business Customer Gateway gives you a single, unified landing point to access the Postal Services' online business offerings. These channels consist of the products that support intelligent Mail Full Service Mailing. This includes PostalOne!, FAST (Facility Access and Shipment Tracking), CLDS (Customer Label Distribution System) and Mailer IDs (MID).
Here is the USPS Business Customer Gateway Powerpoint (trimmed)
Speaker: Michael Hemphill of CSG Direct, Inc
Topic: Business Customer Gateway
Location: Atlantis Casino, 3800 S Virginia St, Grand Ballroom 5
Date: Thursday May 20, 2010
Time: Registration at 11:30 am, Lunch served at 12:00
Cost: $20
Reserve your seat by contacting Cindy Cornelison at 775-788-0690.
Call early to request a vegetarian meal.
Here is a scanned copy of the postcard invite from the PCC:
We just received final written confirmation from the US Postal Service that any mailing that has not had addresses move-updated will be charged a $0.07 per piece more.
Scan of letter here
The Deadline is January 4th, 2010.
Move Updating is the process of comparing your database to all the change-of-address forms on file with the US Postal Service. This is done electronically by CSG Direct during the mailing process. However, we are not able to process it for you if you have not submitted the required PAF form to us.
We help our customers earn discounts all the way from .44 each down to .067 per piece. All Direct Mailers are now required to Move-Update their mailing list within 95 days of mailing to get these discounts. We can help you with that process!
We've been an National Change of Address vendor for over 5 years now. These requirements have been coming for a long time now and they are finally upon us.
From the text of the letter: "On January 4th, 2010, we will treat both First-Class and Standard Mail to the same assessment for non-compliance. Both classes will be assessed a $0.07 per piece additional charge on pieces determined at acceptance to have an error rate above a 30% tolerance level, based on sampling."
More NCOA information
even more NCOA information
Well the much-awaited September 8, 2009 direct mail changes are finally here. This set of changes has been very convoluted and harder to follow than many changes in the past. We made every effort to stay ahead of the curve but the final rulings happened in the final days. The document explains this unique process further.
Here is the full document
THE FINAL RULE:
Basically, when it all comes down to it; there are changes in the
requirements on booklets.
Don't yawn yet; this is bigger
than you might think.
1st) The maximum size is now 6"x10.5" long (smaller now)
2nd) The minimum thickness is .009 (not changed)
3rd) The maximum thickness is .25 inch (not changed)
4th) Cannot use perforated tabs ( changed )
5th) Now requires 3 1-1/2" tabs (changed - damn)
on heavier booklets they 'recommend' 1-inch paper tabs.
The upcharge for not meeting these standards can be considerable. Mailpieces would be upcharded to nonmachinable rates. The most common would be for Standard mail which would go up at least .20 cents per piece (almost double).
It is this kind of details that makes our services and expertise more valuable. Avoid spending more than you need by working with USPS certified reps like all of us at CSG Direct, Inc
We are here to keep your postage low and guide your mail to its destination quickly and inexpensively. You don't get that kind of guidance from a quick-printer.
Of course with our new US Mail Tracking systems, you can also track every single piece.
We sure do have a lot of fun friends on Facebook. I bet you didn't know direct mail could be so fun! Try our fun facebook direct mail quiz and see if YOU know direct mail.
When you've created as much success for your customers as we have, you are bound to enjoy yourself.
After creating some of our Countries greatest personalized database marketing, we hang out with our friends on Facebook and share our joy.
Why don't you join us
for a while, you might just learn a few things that help you grow your business and increase your companies sales. Direct Marketing is.. well.. very DIRECT, so I am asking you to become friends with CSG Direct and bring us all your direct mail questions and projects.
At least with Facebook you get to hang out and get to know us first.
If you would like you can also skip all that fun and get your direct mail quote right now. But we'd sure like to get to know you better! The more we know about you and your goals, the more we can provide you the same high level care and support all our best customers have grown their businesses with.
That is the best way to get success with direct mailing companies like CSG Direct, Inc. You have to get us in the game and put us shoulder to shoulder with the rest of your staff so we can get you the big gains. It is never best practice to keep us in a corner as an outside vendor only.
Nobody wins by putting direct mail in a corner. lol
Mathematically speaking, National Change of Address (NCOA) is one of the most valuable services any Direct Mail Services company can offer you. With over 17% of the population moving per year many of today's businesses are using mailing lists that are from 17-34% useless to begin with.
Most people send direct mail using Presorted Standard postage in order to save large sums of money in postage. The backside of this is that any pieces mailed to someone that has moved are thrown away by the US Postal Service. This is because "Presorted Standard" (old 3rd class) doesn't include address forwarding the same way 1st-Class does.
So, if you don't get back the return-mail pieces with yellow stickers like you do with 1st-Class Postage, your mailing list begins to expire over time. But 1st-Class costs 50% more to send.
So if your boss says they want a better response from their direct mail, tell them NCOA can help you find where all your people have moved. That is what NCOA is afterall. It is the national Postal registry of every change of address database of every form submitted by moving people. Your database is compared to this database and your movers are identified, flagged and updated.
On average, even a "clean" mailing list has 3-10% moves. That is 3-10% of your print costs, your mailing costs and your postage costs being thrown away. At CSG Direct we let you know where your people have moved BEFORE your mailing goes out.
We are a USPS NCOA Link Limited Service Licensee and have been doing NCOA for about 5 years now.
We got into NCOA because it helped our clients achieve greater marketing results. The US Postal Service has seen great results and is making the service mandatory within 95 days of mailing. They spend too much time and money trying to find people for your .44 cents so they are making cleaner lists a requirement.
From me to you, behind the scenes a technology revolution is happening at the US Postal Service. Make sure you are working with a vendor that knows what's going on. There is lots to be gained when working with a Direct Mail Company ~vs~ a printer "that does mail too".
You asked for it and at CSG Direct you get it. Now with every single mailing you do, First-Class or Standard mail postage; US Mail Tracking is included at no additional costs.
What that means to you is you can now lookup and track every mailpiece you send and see where it is in the Postal Service at any time, day or night, 24/7. Just like Fedex and UPS!!
You see, this is such a new service that so very few people in the country have this opportunity to track bulk mail at all. Those people that do are paying fees and going through 3rd-party vendors to come even close. So, only CSG Direct customers get this NATIONWIDE!! Fortunately we process direct mail for customers all over the USA so everyone can try this.
Have you ever been told by a mailshop "It's in the mail" only to get the feeling it really never was? This is not possible at CSG Direct and we are probably the most accountable direct mailing services company in the country. Track your print and mail project as it happens through our website, get an email notice as it goes to the Bulk Mail center, then track the pieces as they travel to your customers.
You deserve this kind of honest, hardworking and accountable Direct Marketing and it is only available at CSG Direct, Inc.
Call us for a print and mail quote 800-881-2150 x12 or use this direct mail quotes form.
If you haven’t already heard, the US Postal service will be implementing new postal rates and standards for folded self-mailers and letter sized booklets – also known as “slim-jims”.
These new standards were scheduled to go into effect with the postal rate increase on May 11, but then delayed after review until Sept. 8th of this year. These new standards pose a “double-whammy” on the industry, as new size templates will need to be implemented for designs and creative for mail-pieces. The new standards will also incur much deeper penalties for mailers who are not compliant.
Instead of getting non-automation rates for non-automation compliant pieces, mailers will likely be getting hit with non-machineable rates for virtually all mailpieces that do not comply with automation standards.
The only exception to this, as I am told, will be non-barcoded mailpieces that otherwise would be automation compliant in regards to size, tabs, folds, paper stock, etc.
The new maximum size for letter sized booklets and folded self- mailers is 6” x 10.5” x .25” thick. The post office will also be enforcing new tab and paper weight standards. Please review the information to avoid problems.
It’s important to stay ahead of the changes that the US Postal Service is continually making. This is why working with mail professionals helps to ensure that your direct marketing projects are prepared and presented without costly or problematic delays.
Your projects deserve the attention that only a true direct mail marketer can provide. Putting addresses on mail pieces as a side business, as many print shops do to enhance revenue, does not qualify them as professional direct marketers.
Give us call to discuss your next mail project – In these times of extreme budget monitoring and cuts…it is crucial that you get the absolute best value for your company’s marketing dollar. We invite you to compare us to your current mail shop, you will find that we are "The Greatest Value in Direct Mail”.
I often have people ask "What is the best Casino Marketing Direct Mail Campaign?".
There really is no easy secret formula or special tricks for getting the most impact out of a mailing. The best direct mail campaign is simply the one that gets maximum results for the lowest cost. In determining what will work best for each customer, the marketing professional must ascertain what the customer wishes to accomplish, whom the customer wants to communicate with, what the incentive is for the recipient to respond, determining a strong call to action, and producing the project in a cost-effective and efficient manner. It is crucial that the mailer takes advantage of the lowest postage rates available - as postage is often the most expensive aspect of the project.
The next question is: "How do I know I am maximizing my direct marketing efforts?"
This is where the experience pays off. Seasoned marketing professionals will seek out the mail marketers who are innovative, versed on postal rules and regulations, and focused on getting maximum results for their customers. Companies such as CSG Direct are in high demand due to the experience and innovation that they bring to the direct marketing industry.
While many printers and small mail shops may have the ability to put an address on a mail-piece, they do not have the ability to track delivery. They cannot ascertain the "in-home" timelines, analyze the market penetration, or track results in a comprehensive manner. Less experienced mailers do not have strong quality control systems in place, MQC Certified employees, expert data programmers on staff or the systems to expedite the projects efficiently.
This is nearly always followed by: "What type of direct mail piece is most effective?"
Once again: This is determined by the type of results that the customer expects, the type of offer that is being presented, and the demographic that is being pursued. One wouldn't send a postcard as a high-end wedding invitation….however, they might send a "save-the-date" card prior to sending out the formal invitations.
This is the type of strategy that often increases results. Sometimes a postcard with coupons is the most effective, low cost medium for specific campaigns. Sometimes a personalized letter makes more sense, and can easily be tailored to the individual's interests or purchasing traits. Self-mailers are often a great alternative, especially if one desires a lot of "real-estate" to get their message across. The type of mail-piece will vary with each project, and should be determined by demographic, content and end strategy.
Marketers should realize that a direct mail campaign is exactly as it sounds: a campaign. A single mailing is not a true campaign. In most cases, it makes more sense to mail to one-third of your top prospects three times than to mail to all of your prospects a single time. Repetition is the key to any campaign. With proper planning and implementation, the cost for a multi-tiered mailing campaign is very reasonable. With a strong offer, proper incentive and an effective call to action…your customers and prospects will react in a positive and timely manner.
In summation: Too often individuals plan, ponder, partially develop and ponder some more about their marketing campaigns. It is a "ready - set - wait" scenario. As the event or promotion draws closer, they are forced to react. At this point the campaign is pushed out late and valuable time is lost. Early planning and implementation will make for a smoother campaign. It is no coincidence that in most cases, the well planned campaigns are the most effective campaigns.
By approaching the objective ahead of time and applying a plan - develop - implement" strategy, your mailings will be received by your potential customers in a much more timely and effective manner. By working with an experienced, competent mail shop - you will have the proper tools to analyze your campaign (and you will sleep better at night).
Effective direct mail marketing….it's as easy as C-S-G!
During difficult economic times, I find that the marketing professionals that I work with are more price-conscious than ever. Budgets are slashed, staff is reduced and expectations on marketing teams are raised. How do you do more with less?
Well, first of all you want to partner with a team that has A LOT of experience in dealing with direct mail marketing. Direct mail is the most targeted and trackable form of advertising. Savvy marketers have learned that having experienced vendors/partners is crucial when budgets are tight.
The anguish of having a budget overrun due to postage upcharges or undeliverable mail is an experience that has destroyed more than one career. One needs to analyze the true value of experience and leadership in their marketing campaigns.
You wouldn't hire an attorney or surgeon based on price. The end results are just too important. The same philosophy holds true on your marketing - the lifeblood of your company. A vendor who is less than qualified to properly assess, critique (really), analyze, and process your mail probably is not going to save you any money on your overall campaigns.
A Direct Mail specialist, such as you will find at CSG Direct; is trained and versed on postal regulations, design elements, USPS rules and regulation changes, and targeted marketing strategies. Our staff of fully certified USPS MQC (Mailpiece Quality Control) specialists often find design elements, size constraints or data problems that would get past the most experienced of mail shops.
We also offer creative solutions to save our customers money on production and postage rates, which sometimes makes an individual project less profitable for us... but we are here as a partner, for the long haul. Your projects deserve the experience and expertise that comes from seasoned mail professionals.
Let your competitors work with the inexperienced, fly by night companies while you shop for a company that makes you shine.
You will look better for two reasons:
#1) Your campaigns are effective because you found the true value of experience and expertise. The mailings are dropped in an efficient and timely manner to the intended recipients. You can track your mail through the mail stream (a CSG Direct exclusive) to identify when your target markets are receiving their mailings. You have confidence that your projects stay within budget, and are offered the tools to fully justify the mailing.
#2) You sleep well at night because you know you are working with detail oriented partners who care about your success and are certified in every avenue as meticulous professionals.
The next time you plan a mailing campaign, take a moment to reflect on who you are working with. Are you getting true value?
Are you comfortable with the experience level of your direct mail partner? Are you taking advantage of all of the benefits of a great response and postal discounts that are available?
Either way, get a quote from us so you can compare your vendors to the benchmark in direct mail. You deserve a good nights sleep!