Like dedicated Olympians, we trained, we performed, and we took home two Gold and one Silver award this March in the Kansas City Direct Marketing Association’s equivalent to the Olympics—The Ambit Awards. (Ambit stands for AMBITious Achievement.)
Our fingers are sore from constantly pushing the envelope and tabulating campaign measurement metrics, but that’s what we do best – create measurable results for our clients. We’re even more proud of the fourth and most prestigious Ambit that we took home this year – The Consistent Achiever Award.
Only one Consistent Achiever Award is given each year and we will display this one front and center in our lobby to underscore the consistent results we continue to deliver for our client Assurant Employee Benefits. Each month we automate, print, and distribute catalogs for Assurant with the most complicated variables any VDP printer in the country can produce error-free thanks in part to market automation. We have done so for the past two years and will press on doing so consistently.
Which leads me to a key point I want to make in this blog: What Sets Winning Companies Apart. From the outside some may see Mail Print as a quiet multi-channel solutions provide or data-driven niche printer. However, that’s not the full story. If you were to tour our office and production facility, you’d see something the equivalent of Santa’s workshop the week of Christmas every day. But what really sets us apart according to a Forbes articles, especially in this economy, is for two decades we have consistently done three things right (1) Kept our eye on growth (2) Pursued new technology and innovation just like adding our HP T200 press this year (3) Turned information into insight.
How are you doing in those areas? Share your comments so we can start a discussion. Until then, join us in raising your coffee mugs in celebration of the Ambit awards we received for consistent results below.
NextPage Takes Home 4 Ambits
Business Integrated Marketing — Connect Magazine (SILVER AMBIT)
To further establish NextPage (formerly Mail Print) as a thought leader in the direct marketing industry and to demonstrate our belief in the ROI of direct mail, NextPage launches Connect Magazine. A 16-page print magazine designed to present key information from our existing materials that are easily digestible and helpful to top-level business people. The feature articles are based around direct marketing strategy and innovative marketing approaches. Content encourages clients and prospects to learn more by visiting the NextPage blog or website.
In 2011, Mail Print attributed $1.3 million in new business and new opportunities to Connect for a return on investment of $41 for every $1 spent on the magazine.
Business Catalogs — Assurant Personalized Benefits Catalog (GOLD AMBIT & CONSISTENT ACHIEVER AWARD)
To solve the problem of generically explaining benefits vs. speaking directly to each employee with information that applied to them, Assurant Employee Benefits needed to move from static benefits materials into personalized insurance catalogs.
NextPage developed a print automation system that produces flawless, personalized catalogs that customized to the individual’s age, gender, geographical location, and salary — resulting in a simplified selection process for the employee that requires no need for calculations and interpretations to determine their rate. In addition:
- The purchase rate of voluntary benefits rose 5% after implementation.
- Catalogs were produced in 24-hour timeframe vs. 7-10 days.
- As of the end of 2011, more than 180,000 catalogs for more than 1,100 client companies have been produced that are error-free.
- Mail Print saved Assurant Employee benefits over $200,000 by implementing the right process and eliminating wasteful spending.
Fundraising — Harvester’s Donor Receipt Program (GOLD AMBIT)
Acknowledging 72,000 donations a year with tax-required donor receipts via mail is no small task. Harvesters was spending in excess of a half work week each month trying to stay on top of the endless task, which was marred with duplicate mailings coming from multiple systems and a slow turn of up to three weeks to get in the hands of generous donors.
NextPage automated the process by uploading the data, de-duping the data and sending out personalized letters with additional donation request within 48 hours. The results were a 54% increase in second-time donations, an 11% response rate, and a return on investment of 1597% with the $688,930 of additional donations brought in.