Go Green to Stay Out of the Red

Ways to save both money and the environment in your next direct mail campaign

According to Greg Brown, marketing director at Melissa Data, six million trees and 300 million pounds of paper are used each year just for marketing mailings with incorrect addresses. And those mailings cost direct mail marketers more than $6 billion per year. "Going green in your direct mail campaign is a common-sense business initiative that will save mailers a tremendous amount of money," Brown says. Follow these simple tips to save money — and help protect the environment — in your next direct mail campaign:

1. Keep mailing lists updated. Update your mailing list every chance you get. Today's customer is highly mobile: every year 12 to 18 percent of the U.S. population moves and 10 to 15 percent of businesses move or close. Keep track of customers by asking them to confirm customer information after every transaction and by keeping carefully organized records.
2. Ensure delivery. Try adding "or current resident" to the end of every address record. That way, the Postal Service will deliver your piece of direct mail to the address you have written — even if the person you have on record has moved.
3. Target your mailings. Send out mailings only to prospects likely to be excited by your promotions. Targeted direct mail campaigns can increase response rates and get you more bang for your buck.
4. Keep it short and sweet. If possible, cut back on the number of pages in your mailing. For example, if you are a clothing retailer that sends out a comprehensive catalog, review how many products you're featuring. Focusing solely on the things that have a history of really exciting customers will save you printing and mailing costs.