For those of you who know what variable data is, you know how powerful it is for direct mail and email campaigns. It has revolutionized the way customized and personalized information can be mass distributed through print and email publishing. The concept is the same for both. Through an automated process, unique advertising and promotion is achieved. The technique used for variable data printing is executed through a digital printer (as opposed to an offset print press). A computer program sends a database to a digital printer and the printer is told exactly where to put the “unique” information and what “customized” information is to be printed. The benefit, for example, is if a promotion is to be mass distributed but needs to have the recipient’s name appear to be integrated into the promotion and artwork design (perhaps their name is to be printed on a yellow burst), then the computer tells the printer to change out the name portion for every recipient (where the yellow burst is located). It could be an announcement letter on well designed letterhead and each recipient’s name is specifically addressed in the “Dear <specific name here>…” The recipient feels as if this letter was indeed intended for them and they are not put off by the cliched “Dear Valued Customer…” Variable data is a component of mass targeting while individualizing each emailed or printed piece. It’s a great tool for one-to-one marketing and because it’s an automated process, it’s cost effective in comparison to trying to individualize through offset printing. The cost efficiency is worth the increase in sales and customer relations. Leads generate, loyalty will grow. If you’d like to discuss how your business can benefit through variable data using direct mail or email, please contact me… and let’s get started today!
November is almost over, but there’s still time to enjoy your November Rewards Offers if you’re a Players Club member at Little Creek. Like previous months, Players Club member’s have enjoyed the benefits of their membership status with free play, discounted lodging, free dining or entertainment privileges. As an advertising advocate of direct mail and e-newsletters, I find it hard to distinguish which of the two I believe carries more absorbable information, then translated into results. It’s obvious both are powerful mediums! Currently Little Creek mails both out as a partnership… you will receive the direct mail piece and the e-newsletter (as long as a valid email address has been provided). November’s direct mail piece was packed with information, promotions and a warmly written letter by Little Creek’s Marketing Manager, Brandi Peters. The mail piece gave tiered offers of free play (exclusively available through direct mail), as well as a calendar of events and perforated ads. The e-newsletter delivered a list of events and promotions also, but it carried with it an exclusive hotel stay offer, only available through the emailed e-newsletter. The e-newsletter and the direct mail piece have very similar functions and both serve their purpose very well, to the casino and their patrons. Both mediums are effective. If you’d like to discuss ways to serve your clients or customers better through direct mail or e-newsletters, or both, please contact me… and let’s get started today!
Email Extra Rewards (e-newsletter) and Direct Mail Piece – Designed by Erik Eikenberry
October is the second month this year Little Creek Casino Resort continues with their Email Extra Rewards program. This exclusive e-newsletter launched into inboxes last month proving to be an effective means to satisfy loyal patrons with their Players Club reward offer via email. As well as instantly receiving their offer, they are immediately informed of all the exciting entertainment and events coming to Little Creek… able to click on any promotion or event and link right to the Casino’s website. E-blasts have proven to be a very effective medium for Little Creek regarding messaging, now these e-blasts are proving to be an excellent way to distribute reward offers. The Email Extra Rewards program has shown itself worthy of inbox blasting, but Little Creek also continues their long standing tradition of sending out their monthly direct mail piece via snail mail as a way of showing their gratitude to established members. This three panel piece arrives in mail boxes tri-folded to 9″w x 6″h and unfolds to reveal a 9″w x 18″h info and event-packed brochure… complete with their monthly calendar, letter and perforated “tear-off” rewards. These direct mail pieces are sent to their Players Club Members that continually enjoy all the amenities, entertainment and gaming fun the Casino has to offer… and in return, Little Creek sends these mailers as their way of saying thank you!
Press play above to see how this three panel piece vertically folds. I created this low resolution, animated sequence to demonstrate how Little Creek’s monthly direct mail pieces function. If you’re interest in seeing the overall design in a high resolution, flat print proof: click here. If you’re interested to learn how to effectively send promotions and offers to your clients with direct mail or e-blasts… or both, please contact me… and let’s get started today!
E-blasts and e-newsletters are not new to Little Creek Casino Resort… they’ve been doing them for years. What’s new is their Email Extra Rewards campaign/program which now cross pollenates their “snail mailed” direct mail rewards program with their e-blasts. Members who receive these rewards are loyal players, not necessarily high-rollers, but certainly show they have a passion for what the casino offers. Known as Players Club Members, these patrons receive different tiers of rewards based upon how frequently they play… it can be free play up to hundreds of dollars, free hotel stays or free concert admissions. These great incentives not only increase membership growth, but also develop long lasting devotees to Little Creek. They boast that they have the best rewards program in the South Sound which can be reinforced as Little Creek was voted the Best Casino in the South Sound by the South Sound community… four years in a row! I was not only excited for this new campaign to blast into player’s inboxes and mail boxes, I was very enthusiastic to start the graphic design of this new campaign’s direct mail piece and e-blast. If you have a campaign you’d like to have designed, branded, cross-promoted and e-blasted, please contact me… and let’s get started today!
For those of you who know what variable data is, you know how powerful it is for direct mail and email campaigns. It has revolutionized the way customized and personalized information can be mass distributed through print and email publishing. The concept is the same for both. Through an automated process, unique advertising and promotion is achieved. The technique used for variable data printing is executed through a digital printer (as opposed to an offset print press). A computer program sends a database to a digital printer and the printer is told exactly where to put the “unique” information and what “customized” information is to be printed. The benefit, for example, is if a promotion is to be mass distributed but needs to have the recipient’s name appear to be integrated into the promotion and artwork design (perhaps their name is to be printed on a yellow burst), then the computer tells the printer to change out the name portion for every recipient (where the yellow burst is located). It could be an announcement letter on well designed letterhead and each recipient’s name is specifically addressed in the “Dear <specific name here>…” The recipient feels as if this letter was indeed intended for them and they are not put off by the cliched “Dear Valued Customer…” Variable data is a component of mass targeting while individualizing each emailed or printed piece. It’s a great tool for one-to-one marketing and because it’s an automated process, it’s cost effective in comparison to trying to individualize through offset printing. The cost efficiency is worth the increase in sales and customer relations. Leads generate, loyalty will grow. If you’d like to discuss how your business can benefit through variable data using direct mail or email, please contact me… and let’s get started today!
