Continuing with our Direct Mail Cost Reduction series, this week's topic is focuses on how to reduce direct mail expenses by testing the "Match Effect."

Although heavily personalized mailings tend to generate a better response, these often require additional production steps to match campaign components. In the direct mail world, these types of campaigns are referred to as "match mailings."

For example, a common "match mailing" might include a personalized letter inserted into a personalized non-window envelope. This process is more expensive because not only are you personalizing two components, but it requires the project to be produced at slower speeds, adding quality control measures that are put in place to eliminate a mismatch.

Testing a match versus non-match performance could be a worthwhile exercise in the long run, particularly for reoccurring or large volume campaigns. It will be essential to identify the variance in response rate, such as the call to action, while measuring cost implications.

SAVINGS

A single letter campaign mailing to 50,000 records, eliminating the match, saves approximately $1,100.

To learn more about how to test a match vs non-match mailing, check out this blog post — Tips on How to Plan an A/B Test

Uncover opportunities to improve your existing marketing campaigns by saving money. Sign up for our FREE Education Email Series Direct Mail: Cost Reduction Strategies for more cost-saving strategies.