Package Format Consulting

Direct Mail Package Format Consulting

Consulting to ensure optimum function and cost-efficiency

Direct Mail Package Format Consulting can play a key role in determining and controlling CAC (customer acquisition cost). I excel at selecting or inventing mail package formats that cut through the clutter to get noticed, opened, and responded to.

Direct Mail Package Format Strategies that define the rules – and break them when necessary

Applying innovative creative solutions to both traditional and unique package configurations has proven time and again that there are no “hard and fast rules” regarding which direct mail formats “work” best. This is in part due to the fact that a “working” package reference a performance index that measures 3 criteria:

• Attention Strength: ability of package for getting noticed and selected for further examination.
• Engagement Strength: ability to create meaningful prospect engagement through message and offer.
• Response Strength: ability to motivate the intended value-delivering response.

Although there are exceptions, delivering on all 3 of these criteria is usually required for meeting response goals. Under that assumption, the following are how various formats rank relative to “performance index potential.” Note: Higher performance-ranked formats almost always involve higher production and delivery cost.

How mail “package formats” affect response rates

In general,  larger, attention-getting formats will outperfrom smaller formats simply due to their ability to command attention:

#1 |  Dimensional mail
Custom and stock boxes, tubes, soft-pack envelopes. Out-perform flat-mail packages for attention, but not always engagement or conversion.

#2 |  Large multi-component direct mail packages
“Jumbo,” “Mini-Jumbo,” “Baronial”, and custom. Components usually include: Outer Envelope, Sales Letter, Brochure, Response Option Card, and a 5th targeted-message element (such as testimonial flyer or publishers note) often focused on addressing response skepticisms.

#3 |  Traditional multi-component packages. 
#10, #11, and similar sized business-envelope packages.
Usually contain from 2 to 5 components depending upon strategy.

#4 |  Multi-panel folding self-mailers

#5 |  Single-panel self-mailers and oversized postcards

#6 |  Postcards

The above ranking can be summarized as: “the more unique and substantial impact your package has, the more it stands out from the clutter, engages, and motivates response — if positioned, written and designed according to an effective strategy. But because higher performance ranking formats cost more, CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) and LTV (Customer Lifetime Value) need to be carefully considered to assess if “realistic and obtainable” response predictions warrant the format being considered.

Contact KROHA now —
benefit from experience Package Format Consulting!