The Direct Approach

Know-how is necessary to break into the direct mail market

By Misty Byers

When it comes to succeeding in the direct mail business, it's all in the approach.

"Manufacturers and distributors don't just jump into direct mail," explained Allen Simon, president of Monaca, Pa.-based Datatel Resources. "It's a whole different in-dustry [from traditional business forms] that operates a completely different way. If you attack it like you attack the business forms industry, it won't work.

"You don't just go out and install a four- or six-color press and say, 'I'm in the direct mail business.' You have to make a very strong commitment to do business the way that the market demands you do business. People who sell direct marketing will recognize if you don't."

Jim Corr, general manager at Newtown/CPC, Newtown, Pa., agreed that mastering the approach to the market is key to direct mail success. When Newtown/CPC entered the direct mail industry more than five years ago, employee training was an important consideration.

"We had to retrain our people--from sales through prepress and through the pressroom. It was an overall training of everyone in how to handle direct mail pieces differently from business forms," he explained.

Corr suggested attending a graphic arts association or DMIA direct mail course. He also said that distributors should affiliate with a manufacturer in the direct mail business willing to teach them what they need to know to avoid pitfalls.