There was an air of optimism at the International Direct Mail Fair (IDMF) this week. The industry is shaking off the “junk mail” tag and breaking new ground.
The saviour of direct mail is data driven personalisation. Rather than printers and mailers, on display at this year’s fair were software packages enhancing and manipulating data for personalised campaigns and RIP technology making the pre-press process more efficient.
Indeed, the stands displayed a prevalence of the suit jacket and jeans combo favoured by successful techies not seen in such numbers since the .com stock market investor roadshows at the height of the boom.
The threat of opt-in held by the government, where houses would have to opt-in to receive any direct mail, has been removed by the government and in turn, direct mailers are doing their bit to cut waste and redefine the industry.
After all, personalised direct mail is better for everyone. We receive relevant offers, companies build up better and more lasting relationships with their clients, and waste is reduced so the environment benefits.
The challenge now is for the companies to get their data in order. The software is there to understand and process data to maximise a campaign, with DSTi’s Hi-Response among the impressive new offerings at the IDMF.
Direct mail is here to stay and its reputation will improve as the data becomes more accurate, the optimism at the IDMF was well placed and a bright future lies ahead for the once maligned industry.