Additional insert media vehicles include: co-ops and shared mailings; free standing inserts; sampling programs; take ones; card decks; coupon magazines; door hangers; and space, envelope and product box advertising.
Challenges and Solutions
Managers and brokers must continue to be creative in monetizing all customer touchpoints by creating new programs and developing ads for new products and services. Our No. 1 advice to marketers is to test, test, test! For best results, we recommend marketers create multiple formats to fit the varied program mix; feature dollars or percentage off, premiums, free or flat-rate shipping and handling; test offer/creative against control; and offer several ways to order including: phone, Web and mail.
Response rates will vary significantly depending upon variables such as:
- program type
- product type and price
- type of offer (one-step, two-step)
- size and type of insert/ad (postcard, trifold, banner, etc.)
- number of products featured per ad
- key code tracking mechanisms
- number of other inserts/ads in the program
- program distribution/ad dates
Barbara Henry is executive vice president and Jody Smith is vice president of Leon Henry Inc., a Hartsdale, N.Y.-based insert media company. Reach Henry at barbarah@leonhenryinc.com and Smith at jodys@leonhenryinc.com.
