Having a database with inaccurate contact information or “dirty hygiene” can take control of your finances and prevent your constituents from receiving your mailing. Sending mail to a recipient with misspellings, contacting people who may be deceased or don’t want to be contacted does not best represent your organization.
Here are Five Tips for List Hygiene to help you make the most of your direct mail process:
1. Match your data input system to your database. The procedures you use to enter data are key to having accurate information. Make sure that the input system or form that you use to enter information has the same size requirements and information as your database.
2. Utilize National Change of Address (NCOALink). As a requirement for lower automated postal rates the USPS mandates that you use the NCOALink system. Run your database as a merge/purge suppression file through the NCOA and ask your service provider to return to you a file of the changes that will standardize the addresses to meet USPS delivery requirements and reduce returned mail.
3. Supplement the NCOA with the Proprietary Change of Address (PCOA)database. Only 40% of the people who move submit a change of address with the USPS. The PCOA database is a compilation from multiple sources that collect change of address notifications and aggregate the information to help you keep more up to date files.
4. Use the available Industry Suppressions. There are a number of suppression lists available of prospects who either are not cost-effective or do not want to be contacted. Your organization can save by eliminating these contacts from your database. DMA’s Mail Preference Service, Profanity File, Prison Suppression and Deceased Suppression lists are a few that will help reduce the cost of sending to uninterested parties.
5. Run your data through a merge/purge software at least once a year. Many times minor variations in contact data will allow duplicates to be created. Work with your service provider to set the most effective customization for your merge/purge software settings to eliminate duplicates.
Use these 5 tips for a solid list hygiene program and watch your deliverability and response rates increase while lowering your postage expense.
The MMI Direct and PMG gangs were at it again – all having a good time for a great cause. Last Friday was really St. Jammies Day at the office and our employees decked out in their comfiest sleep and/or lounge wear. Why? To support the Casey Cares Foundation which provides ongoing, uplifting programs with a special touch to critically ill children and their families.
One of their programs, Kami’s Jammies was inspired in memory of a Casey Cares child, Kamryn (Kami) who bravely battled leukemia. She had a flair for fashion and felt special when she wore a new pair of pajamas in place of hospital gowns. Thus Kami’s Jammies was born to help children feel more at home while staying in the hospital.
The PMG Family Effect: Our employees donated more than 40 pair of pajamas and $200 in gift certificates. Plus we gave out prizes for Craziest, Cutest and Greenest Jammies.
About the Casey Cares Foundation
The Casey Cares Foundation realizes that children on extended stays at the hospital often need some extra support. The Kami’s Jammies Program provides new sleepwear and themed pajama parties to pediatric patients at hospitals such as: Children’s Hospital at University of Maryland, Children’s Hospital at Sinai, Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, Howard County General, Carroll County General, Baltimore/Washington Medical Center, Holy Cross, Kennedy Krieger, NIH, Franklin Square, York Hospital, GBMC, and Georgetown University Hospital.
Columbia, MD – March 7, 2012 – MMI Direct is proud to announce the addition of Elise Buck to the Business Development Team. Her main focus will be to help introduce more nonprofits to the full range of services provided by MMI Direct, which include database hygiene, merge/purge and postal logistics.
“We are so happy to have Elise back as a part of our family. She brings with her years of experience in the direct marketing field. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication to her job make her a huge asset to the MMI Direct team and to our clients,” commented Rick Powell, CEO of The Production Management Group Ltd., the parent company of MMI Direct.
Elise previously worked for The Production Management Group, Ltd. overseeing business development. Her career also includes business development for a direct marketing agency and as a list manager for a publishing company.
About MMI Direct
MMI Direct was founded in 1972 and specializes in data processing, list hygiene, list rental fulfillment and postal discount processing for nonprofit and for profit businesses with highly customized protocols. Their data solutions support direct marketing via direct mail and online/email channels.
Any direct mail campaign relies on the US Postal Service to get that package into the mailbox. But waiting for it to be delivered and paying for it, can sometimes test one’s patience – not to mention budget.
Our family member, PMG has put together a very cool infographic which shows how postal logistics works on the more than 325 million pieces of mail they’ve managed over the last three years. The infographic explains how postal logistics works, how it speeds up delivery time and the postal savings for the nonprofit mailer, but rest assured these strategies work for the for-profit mailer as well. Postage rates will very soon be rising, now is the time to analyze your delivery methods. Your MMI Direct team will be happy to perform a postal analysis for you.
A very big welcome to six new team members. We are proud to announce that we’ve added five experienced direct marketing data professionals to the Data Processing Team and one to the Business Development Team. Their expertise will allow us to better serve your data processing, personalization and account management needs.
Welcome aboard new team members:
Data Processing Team
Larry Bettinger
Ranjana Arora
Jeff Roberts
Robin Parker
Shayne Sterling
Business Development Team
Elise Buck
We pride ourselves on providing top level service, and their knowledge and expertise will augment MMI Direct’s ability to continue to provide the best service in the industry.
Thursday, December 22nd we’ll be closing at noon for our holiday luncheon.
Friday, December 23rd through Monday, December 26th the office will be closed.
Monday, January 2nd the office will be closed.
Everyone here at MMI Direct wishes you and yours a very happy holiday season. We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in 2012.
The 2012 postage rate increase has been approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. The request was made in October by the USPS.
First Class Letters will rise a penny to 45 cents a piece, an increase of 2.27%
First Class Postcards will go up by 3 cents, an increase of more than 10%
Standard (Bulk) rates are a mixed bag, while Periodicals remain unchanged
While USPS rates may be climbing, nonprofit rates are in many instances being reduced for those who utilize advanced presorting and postal logistics techniques for their mailing programs.
These pricing decreases for nonprofits include:
Nonprofit, Automated Letters will DECREASE by 1.35%
Nonprofit, Automated, Machinable Letters will DECREASE by 1.27%
Whether you’re a nonprofit mailer or a for profit mailer, your MMI Direct team can help you make the most of your postage budget with Postal Logisitcs. And, we’ll sit down and help you evaluate things for free. Just give us a call at 410.561.1500 or drop us a line and we’ll help you navigate the 2012 postal increase.
The USPS recently filed their Mailing Services Price Change with the Postal Regulatory Commission, outlining a plan that increases postage rates an average of 2.1% in late January of next year.
Proposed changes include:
First Class Letters will rise a penny to 45 cents a piece, an increase of 2.27%
First Class Postcards will go up by 3 cents, an increase of more than 10%
Standard (Bulk) rates are a mixed bag, while Periodicals remain unchanged
It is likely that the new rates will be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. The rates were filed on October 18, 2011 and the Commission has 45 days to review the prices to verify they comply with the overall 2.1% price cap for each class of mail. If approved, the new prices will go into effect on January 22, 2012.
But There is Good News for Nonprofits Who “Mail Smart”
While USPS rates may be climbing, nonprofit rates are in many instances being reduced for those who utilize advanced presorting and postal logistics techniques for their mailing programs.
These pricing decreases for nonprofits include:
Nonprofit, Automated Letters will DECREASE by 1.35%
Nonprofit, Automated, Machinable Letters will DECREASE by 1.27%
Whether you’re a nonprofit mailer or a for profit mailer, your MMI Direct team can help you make the most of your postage budget with Postal Logisitcs. And, we’ll sit down and help you evaluate things for free. Just give us a call at 410.561.1500 or drop us a line.
MMI Direct is moving in with the rest of The Production Management Group, Ltd. family members on November 18th!
PMG, MMI Direct and The Engage Group will all be in the same office, making fully integrated direct marketing even easier. Our direct mail production, online fundraising and data processing pros will now be sitting next to one another.
Offices will be closed during the duration of the move (November 18th), but if any assistance is needed during our relocation, account managers will be available via phone and/or personal email. Our offices will be fully functional as of Monday, November 21st, and will resume normal activity.
All email addresses and phone numbers will remain the same, but please be sure to update your database with our new mailing address:
7160 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 300 Columbia, Maryland 21046
MMI Direct will speak at The Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association (DMFA) on November 16th. Speaker Marvin Dawson will be covering topics such as Data Hygiene and Data Processing, focusing on the importance and understanding of these key elements within any direct marketing campaign.
This presentation is part of the DM101 series at the DMFA. Marvin will delve into the many data hygiene options available, how to use them, what to look for, what kind of results to expect and the USPS requirements in their use. This session will also explain the many steps involved in the Merge/Purge process and how best to use technology to your advantage.
Immediately following MMIDirect, Jim Paolucci of PMG, will speak on the importance of production services. With over 20 years experience in the direct mail fundraising industry, Jim will cover the fundamentals surrounding direct mail production, including how to build a workable schedule that works for all stakeholders and how to stay within your budget.
DMFA is a professional association for marketers, providing fundraising services to non- profits, and sponsoring workshops on telemarketing, direct mail, internet marketing, along with many others.
5 Tips for Effective List Hygiene : 05/01/2012
Having a database with inaccurate contact information or "dirty hygiene" can take control of your finances and prevent your constituents... Read More
Pajamas at Work?: 03/21/2012 The MMI Direct and PMG gangs were at it again - all having a good time for a great cause. Last Friday was... Read More
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