In part 2 of this 3 part series on choosing a direct mail vendor, we discussed: Hiring a direct mail production company

In today’s post — part 3 — we’ll be covering: Working directly with various printing plants

Note: If you’d rather just read the white paper version of this series, simply visit here.

OK, let’s begin…

The advantage to working directly with various printing plants to take care of your direct mail needs is having direct access to the vendors producing your campaigns which might result in a greater amount of control. Working direct can also sometimes offer lower prices and a quicker turnaround especially when working with a plant that offers multiple services under one roof such as printing and mailing.

An ideal candidate for working direct is one that uses a very high volume of ongoing direct mail and has a department dedicated to producing and managing these campaigns. These are generally large companies that have an in-house marketing, design and production team although some medium sized companies will also be a good fit.

BE CAREFUL: If your direct mail includes multiple components, you will most likely have to juggle multiple vendors to get the job produced. Working direct means you’ll be responsible for every step of the process, including troubleshooting. As a result, make sure you have sufficient staff resources to handle this before the job starts.

After Selection

No matter what type of company you choose to assist you with your direct mail marketing campaign, communication with that company is crucial. You should have a single point of contact within the company that you can call with questions and who will keep you updated throughout the development process. You should request frequent updates and track the progress made on a regular basis especially near delivery dates to ensure there is no hold up. Lastly, ensure that all the necessary input concerning designing your direct mail for press efficiency has been covered before creative begins.

Note: Are you wondering if Ballantine is a good fit for your direct mail needs? Contact us to find out.