Inspired by Mail

Barcodes are a great design element for direct mail

Meryl — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:45:50 +0000

Here’s a piece I designed for Newsweek. Very basic, but take note of the barcodes that I circled in red. They are an important design element of the piece. It makes the form worth something more. It’s saying this is a special access form, and your so lucky to have received it. BTW, the barcodes are just art that plays no role other than decoration.

Make Old Ideas New

Meryl — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:40:56 +0000

I just read this article titled “Tactics to ensure your direct mail is open” in the Direct Marketing News. Being a seasoned creative person in direct marketing, I’ve read these same “tactics” a thousand times. Still I was engaged and inspired by it. Why? The author, Nancy Harhut, gave these tactics new engaging titles, and by doing so it appeared to be a new idea. For example, I’m sure all my fellow direct marketers know how effective customer testimomials or stats are. Nancy Harhut’s gave this tactic a smart new title — “the principle of social proof”. And this is what she wrote:

“Employ the principle of social proof. When people aren’t sure what decision to make, they look to others and do what they do.To trigger this response, use customer testimonials or stats about how many customers you have.”

When I initially skimmed the article, the “principle of social proof” popped right out at me and I had to learn more about it.

This article is also a good reminder that even if we are working on products that have been around a long time, renaming, repositioning, reframing the product’s benefits can be a great way to draw in or back new and old customers.

Check out the rest of the article. Like tactic number 4, “The power of pain”. Oh my what could that be? ;) Here’s the link http://goo.gl/DmZBl.

Judging Email Creative Based on “Images Off”

Meryl — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:05:53 +0000

Designer: Meryl Randman; Writer: Patrick Donoghue

Here are two emails, both with the images off. If you were to click “images on” (show content), the email on the bottom is “prettier”. This fits perfectly into my argument that good design is not always the prettier designed. I would say that the one on top is the better design. The message is clear and direct from the moment the email is opened. No need to turn images on to get a quick positive response.

Update on USPS Postal Barcodes

Meryl — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:44:04 +0000

The Post Office was retiring the Postnet barcode in May 2011, replacing it with Intelligent Mail barcode. They are now relaxing some of the requirements. Postnet barcode will still be allowed for Business Reply Mail, Automation Discounts and Confirm Service. To learn more go to: http://goo.gl/96KFs

5 Reasons to Use Coupons

Meryl — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:36:24 +0000

Coupons are effective.

Consider these points from http://smallbusinessbonfire.com/blog:

1.    Coupons are time-based and encourage fast action.
2.    Coupons offer an immediate benefit.
3.    Coupons can push on-the-fence purchasers toward making a purchase.
4.    Coupons can give previous purchasers a reason to purchase again.
5.    The success of your coupons can be measured and tracked.

When considering creative there are certain design elements that scream out “This is a coupon”.

1. A dashed rectangular frame. Especially with the word save in it.

2. Small scissors touching the border

3. Layout placement—

• Traditional media such as ads and inserts in a corner of a page for easy cutting (or tearing).

• In direct mail I opt for a separate buckslip.

• For email, placement it’s best on the top portion so it is seen as soon as the email is opened.

4. A gift card look

Can you think of anything else?

50 folds in 120 seconds

Meryl — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:13:20 +0000

See Kit Hinrichs do 50 folds in 120 seconds to the tune of the William Tell Overture. Click here.

Are Bigger Postcards Better?

Meryl — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:38:47 +0000

Are mailing oversize postcards worth the additional expense?

Oversize postcards stand out more in the mailbox. But are they really more effective than smaller postcards? Read more about this here.

An Invaluable Book on Form Design

Meryl — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:46:06 +0000

Forms are an integral part of business communication but

“…if a form is too complicated, confusing or obscure, it can become a barrier to clear communication, wasting time and money and potentially harming the publics perception of a business or brand.”

Here is a book that proves to be an invaluable resource for creating clear, well-designed and user-friendly forms.

The Form Book: Creating Forms for Printed and Online Use
by Borries Schwesinger’s.

Filled with tips on typography, structure and style and lots of samples, this book is a must-have for inspiration. I ordered it for my design-book library. To learn more go to http://goo.gl/53Lbi.

(The top quote was taken from the-form-book website.)

A fun look at email oversending

Meryl — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:31:09 +0000

Fun! This comic strip, created by Brad Colbow reflects how people will feel if they receive too many emails from a specific company. To see more of Brad’s work go to http://bradcolbow.com/archive/ .

An Easy Trick to check U.S. Letter Mail Aspect Ratio

Meryl — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:22:27 +0000

Here is an easy trick to check U.S. letter mail aspect ratio. Just divide the width of your envelope or postcard by the height. If your results are great than 1.3 and less than 2.5 you are good.

Why is letter mail aspect ratio important? It’s the key to getting the lowest postage rate, by ensuring the package can run through the USPS automated mailing equipment. When considering the aspect ratio you must also follow the sizing guidelines from the USPS.

Please use this as a guide only. To make sure that your documents follow the proper sizing guidelines check with your local post office.