Direct Mail FAQ & Terms

Accordion fold: Multiple back-& forth or zig-sag-like folds, allowing a closed document to be opened with a single motion like an accordion.

Acquisition Campaign: Direct Marketing sent to acquire new responders (customers, contributors, visitors members, etc.

Address block: The area where name and address are imaged for postal delivery.

Admail: References a classification of advertising mail that qualifies for a lower postal rate.

Attrition rate: The rate at which customers discontinue with buying – usually associated with a continuity program.

Back Test: A duplicate mailing test sent out to confirm results of a recent mailing – often used if initial results were much greater or much worse than anticipated.

Balance Count: The number of mailable prospects available in a mailing list for list segment after eliminating names of prospects previously mailed to.

Bangtail (aka “Banktail”): A self-mailer format that is in essence an unsealed reply envelope with an oversized second flap that contains the address block, promotional content, and an ordering/response from. A perforation allows the oversized flap to be detached, completed as needed, and inserted inside the envelope (usually postage paid) for mail-back response.

Barcode: A printed line code used for automated sortation and tracking.

Barrel Fold: In printing, the process of multi-folding a component into a smaller size. This is done by short-folding one edge of the piece toward the opposite edge to create a finished-size “doubled” section, and then continuing that rolling action using the doubles section as a next-fold guide until the opposite edge no longer falls outside the “finished size” area.

Base Price: In list rental, the cost per 1,000 names, excluding additional charges for segmenting, formatting, etc.

Benefits: Descriptions of the values customers realizes from your product or service features.

Best Customer: A demographic profile of your most valuable customer, configured through a calculation that considers cost per acquisition, customer purchase volume, purchase profit margin, lifetime (repeat customer) value, and more.

Bill Insert: A “ride-along” promotional or informational item that is inserted along with bill to take advantage of the postal cost associated with invoicing (See Statement Stuffer)

Bind – In: A promotional ad or response device (BRC)that bound into the spine of a magazine.Usually a card stock weight to allow BRC to meet postal weight requirements.

Bleed: A printing term referencing printed areas will continuing off the edge of a page.

Bleed Size: A dimension that indicates the design size of an element where printed areas are to bleed. This dimension is slightly larger than the trim size.

Blow-In: A promotional element loosely inserted in a publication during production

Blueprint or BlueProof:  A one color (usually blue) low-cost printer-proof of direct mail package components prior to final press run.

Body Copy: The text portion of copywriting printed on a component (as opposed to the headlines).

Bounce Back: A promotional insert included a product shipment that promotes an additional offer to that recipient.

Breakeven: The profit amount that equals the promotional cost.

Brochure: A multi-panel document that visually presents and promotes the product or service and offer. Usually the most visually inviting component v(initially) in a multi-component package.

BRE (Business Reply Envelope): Postage-Paid, sender-addressed envelope, included in direct mail packages to provide easy way for prospects to return the response devise.

Lift Note (aka Pub Note): A additional mail package insert that delivers a targeted sales message intended to encourage the reader’s response by offering a different or detailed perspective, or by offering an additional/bonus incentive.

Bulk Mail: A discounted mailing category for specially processed, large quantity, identical SECOND CLASS or THIRD CLASS Mail.

Bulk Rate: Reduced rate postage that requires special processing, sorting, and grouping prior to being brought to post office.

B2B: Business to Business Marketing

B2C: Business to Consumer Marketing

BRC (Business Reply Card): Usually contains Mail-back response elements on one side, and postage paid return mailing information on the other.

Campaign: Can reference a mailing effort, or multiple efforts mailed over a defined period of time. Can include multiple test variations or targeted variations of that effort.

Call Outs: Text captions pointing out features, elements, or benefits

Capture: Obtaining valuable data regarding a prospect or customer (name, address, preferences, etc.)

CTA (Call to Action): Text written to motivate and guide response. Usually accompanied by a phone number, website URL, or other reply instructions.

Card deck: Multiple postcard promotions from different marketers mailed in the same envelope.

Carrier Route / Walk presort: A granular level of mail pre-sort that identifies carrier walk delivery details to qualify for a reduced postal rate.

Cheshire Labels: Mailing labels which are created using a Cheshire Labeling Machine. Addresses records are imaged on continuous paper continuous paper, and automatically trimmed and glued on to the direct mail components.

Circulation: Number of elements distributed, usually associated with publications like newspaper and magazines.

CMYK: Acronym for the “process” colors of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and “Key Plate” or Black. By combining these 4 colors in various percentages, printers achieve what is commonly referred to as “full color” or “4-color” printing results.

Comp: Abbreviation for  “comprehensive designer’s layout”, providing a visual example of format, design direction, and visual/graphics selection.

Controlled Circulation: In Publishing, the total paid subscribers (as opposed to “circulation” which I can included a significant number of free recipients).

Control: Mailing effort with leading performance that sets the benchmark for measuring test package results.

Conversion rate: Prospect to buyer conversion ratio, commonly used in free trial and other non-commitment, other “up-front incentive” offers.

Co-Op: Mailing that contains a number of unrelated product or service offerings, usually from a variety of companies.

Copy Testing: Mailing test variations of a package that with copywriting being the only variable top the same prospects or to a randomly split database of prospects to determine which copy platform yields the strongest performance.

CPI ( Cost per inquiry): Cost of obtaining an inquiry, calculated by dividing total cost of mailing by the number of inquiries received.

CPO (Cost per order): Cost of obtaining an order, calculated by dividing total cost of mailing by the number of actual converted orders received.

CPP (Cost per piece): Cost of each mailing piece, calculated by dividing total mailing cost, including creative, printing, letter shop, and postage (and sometimes fulfillment) divided by number of pieces mailed.

CPM (Cost per thousand ): Cost of each mailing piece, calculated by dividing total mailing cost, including creative, printing, list cost, letter shop, postage (and sometimes fulfillment) divided by one thousand.

Creative: All communication elements in direct mail, including format design, copywriting, graphic design, photography, illustration, and typography.

Crop Marks: lines on a pre-press file or document that indicate the trim edge.

Cross-Section: Random sample selection(s) of a database intended to provided a snapshot of average database characteristics.

Cross-selling: Promoting additional products or services to prospects based on available demographics.
and customers.

Customer Base: References current active/past customer database. Can sometimes also reference primary targeted prospect demographic.

Customer Profile: Demographic details of targeted prospects and customers.

Database (in Direct Mail): A collection data tables that collectively provide identification, delivery, and past activity information regarding prospects and customers.

Data Card: Mailing list details provided by list brokers and list owners/renters.

Data Processing: Improvement of data or combined data through merge/purge of deduplicates location (or other characteristic) sortation, output formatting, and more.

Data Record: The name, address, and demographic data for a single prospect within a data file.

Demographics: Any and all relevant characteristics that collectively are used to identify and select prospects and customers. This can include details regarding physical location, household profile and income, age, ethnicity, religion, gender, lifestyle activities, and more.)

Direct Mail: Response-focused marketing materials delivered via physical postage-paid mail to a prospects and customer database.

Direct Marketing: Response-focused communications delivered presented to a prospects and customers via any media.

Digital Proof: Pre-Press printing proof that represents anticipated printing results without the need to create an actual ‘“printed” paper proof. Used in both digital and offset printing.

Direct Response: Synonymous with Direct Marketing.

Drop: Referencing the mailing (date) of a direct mail effort.

Dummy: A comprehensive physical mock-up layout that indicates characteristics of a direct mail effort, including size, layout, folding, insertion order, and imaging area.

Dump: Prepare all (or a portion of) data in a format that can be reviewed prior to imaging on a mailing piece.

Dupes: Duplication of a stat record within a single list.

Duplex (Printing): Imaging on the front and back side of a promotional panel — usually associated with the inkjet or laser printing processes.

Entry:  Process of creating or adding to data

Envelope: Paper, postal-conforming container used to deliver outbound direct mail an also inbound responses.

Eyebrow: In copywriting, a short phrase that precedes and “sets-up” a headline. Also called a “Lead-In.”

Expiration: Date deadline displayed in direct marketing to motivate response for a limited time offer.

File: Collection of customer or prospect data.

Flap: A fold-over section on a printed element – usually referencing the opening “gate panel” of an envelope where materials are inserted prior to sealing.

Flyer: A small, flat (or sometimes folding) printed element. Usually containing a targeted message and distributed as a publication insert or in a mail package in addition to a larger brochure.

Focus Group: A group of individuals (believed to represent potential prospects and customers) that are questioned and surveyed my Research Moderators in an attempt to gather insight on proposed branding, product, and marketing initiatives.

Format: Physical characteristics of the direct mail effort.

FREE: When associated with offer, the word “FREE” has proven to be the most powerful response-boosting text element available to direct marketers—“when” used correctly.

Free Ride: Marketing materials that promote additional products or services that ride-along inside a mailing package top avoid postage delivery cost.

FSA: A code designation for geographic areas in the Canadian Postal Code structure, characterized by the first 3 digits of the code.

FSI (Free-Standing Insert): Printed Marketing element inserted between the pages of a printed publication.

Front End: References initial actions and elements associated with generating an initial response, contribution, or purchase.

Front-End Premium: A no-cost incentive item either promised or delivered upon initial contact, intended to help encourage desired response.

Fulfillment: The process which involves responding to the responder – either by providing additional information, shipping or billing products ordered.

FPO: In creative design, FPO stands for “For Position Only.”  In layout stage, the letters FPO are placed on text and images that have been included as “placeholders only.”

Guarantee: In Direct Marketing, usually a short, reassuring block of text written to address skepticism by addressing quality, ordering, or commitment concerns. Usually placed in multiple locations, including on the actual ordering device.

Hot-line: Source for recently added entries to a prospect or customer database.

House list: Company-owned database of prospects and customers obtained through responses from that company’s outbound marketing efforts.

Indicia: printed text on the upper right corner of a] envelope or mailing panel that communicates postage is pre-paid

Insert: A printed marketing component placed within the pages of a publication os within a direct mail package.

Johnson Box: Text at the top of a direct mail sales letter that serves to highlight an offer feature or product benefit. Usually the text is surrounded by a box silhouette comprised of small “asterisk stars.”

Junk Mail: Negative Moniker often given to Direct Mail by anti-direct-mail groups. Because the definition of “junk” is “anything used, fit to be discarded” — this term may be accurate for describing mailing pieces that are immediately thrown out because they are immediately interpreted as “not delivering relevant value.” Which is why, given the cost of print resources and postage, working with an experienced Direct Mail Consultant is so important.

Kill file: Deleting customer records from a file for a number of reasons, such as expiration, inactivity, change in demographic status and so forth.

Knock-Out: In Direct mail printing, “knock-out” references a top layer element being visible over a bottom layer element by “removing or “knocking out” the bottom element wherever the two layers overlap. Example: For top layer light yellow type to be readable when placed over a bottom layer a dark photo or background, the bottom layer would need to “knock out” where the yellow type was printed.

Lettershop: Service Bureau that collectively assembles and prepares printed elements for mailing. Lettershop services can include envelope insertion and sealing, address imaging, folding, metering, sorting, bagging, documenting, and delivery entry into the postal stream according to designated postage provisions.

LTV (Life time value): Total value of a customer over the lifetime customer activity including initial purchases, ongoing purchases, referrals, cross-selling, and more.

Lift Letter: Similar to a buckslip, usually a smaller-scale letter written from an authoritative company figure (The publisher, for example)— delivers a targeted sales message intended to encourage reader’s response via trusted endorsement and encouragement.

List: Referencing a mailing list of prospects or customers, contains names, addresses, and sometimes additional relevant data such as company time, business title, etc.

List Cleaning: Verification of names and addresses via interactive correspondence with the recipients.

List Compiler: A service providers that develops mailing lists by compiling data from multiple sources including public records, directories, association member lists, subscriber lists, and more.

LDU (Local Delivery Unit): The last three digits in the Canadian Postal Code that designate a small, defined section within an area described by the first 3 digits (the FSA).

Mailing House: (See Lettershop)

Matrix: A strategy blueprint that defines the variable elements within a multi-versioned mailing campaign. Specifically, which components and component variations will be sent to which list segments.

Merge/Purge: A data-processing procedure that combines one out more lists and removes any duplicates.

Meter: Printing or affixing postage on a mailing envelope.

Multiple Buyer (also repeat buyer): A customer that has purchased on more than one occasion.

Multiple Dwelling: An address characterization in lists that references multiple family recipients living at the same address but in different “units” (as with an apartment building). “Apartment numbers” need to be be part of any Multiple Dwelling list for efficient delivery.

Net Agreement. A performance-ensuring agreement between list renter and mailer that bases list rental cost on verification of total names shipped.

Nth Name: references the review and sampling of a list mailing list through a random selection of names based on a mathematical pattern (every 20th name, for example).

Occupant address: Mailing option where the word “Occupant” is inserted when no accurate name reference is available.

Offer: The proposition presented to the recipient that motivates response.

One-Time Usage: references contract agreement of mailing only once to a rented list.

Overlays: Adding data from multiple lists to a primary list to obtain more defined demographic data, including phone numbers, job title, buying history, and more.

Package: References all elements with a Direct Mail envelope, including the envelope itself.

Pass Along: A promotional element included in a mailing that encourages the prospect to share the offer opportunity with someone who has not received it.

Personalization: Along with name and address, printing personal the recipients name or other personal information in various areas of a marketing effort.

PMS (Pantone Matching System): A color identification system that specifies names and formulas for solid ink colors available in the Pantone Library. Pantone also provides formulas for achieving the CMYK equivalents to these color where possible. (Many PMS colors are only achievable through the use of solid, specialty tinted Pantone ink.)

Poly Bag: Polyethylene bag that takes the place of the outer envelope in a mailing package, Poly Bags can be tinted or clear overall or selectively, allowing designated areas to clearly show-through.

Postal Code: References mailable addresses within the United Kingdom Postal System.

Premium: A item offered as an incentive to motivate response.

Presort: Segmenting packages at lettereshop according to location designations to qualify them for postal discounts .

Pressure Sensitive Label: A pre-imprinted label that intended to be removed and affixed to an ordering device (by the prospect) in order to make the order process easier and more accurate, Can also contain code that enhances tracking identification and assessment.

Priority Mail: Mail given priority handling within the postal system.

Process Colors: See CMYK.

Projection: Calculation of response and sales results from a campaign after a set duration of time.

Prospect Universe: The total market of potential customers. The “universe” is developed through determination of buyer profiles, evaluation of prior mailing results or through other marketing studies.

Prospecting: Mailing efforts (or other direct marketing communications) focused on obtaining prospect leads rather than direct sales.

Pyramid Mailing: Testing increasingly larger sections of a mailing list based on positive results from the mailing prior.