Eye to Eye with DMI!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderful holiday season from everyone at DMI!

We look forward to a new year filled with prosperity and success.

--L

Giving Back!

2011-12-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday a group from DMI went to Second Harvest Food Bank to volunteer!

It was exciting to see how many other companies and individuals were there to volunteer their time. We were part of the group that was tasked with the job of food sorting. We went through barrels of food that was donated, sorted them, and then boxed them for distribution.

Everyone had a great time and we can't wait to go back next year to help out again!

We are always looking for volunteer opportunities at local Non Profits, so please let us know if we can help.

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Thanksgiving Edition!

2011-11-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love spending time with family and eating a huge feast!

If you are looking for an activity to help prepare your appetite for the huge feast there is still time to register for the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot! With registration you get a cool shirt and the proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, Housing Trust of Santa Clara County, and the Santa Clara County Children's Health Initiative.

Or if you want an activity after your Thanksgiving feast to burn off some calories, check out Christmas in the Park! They are having their opening ceremony this Friday, 11/25/11, at 5:30pm. I absolutely adore Christmas in the Park and everyone should go as many times as possible.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! Gobble gobble!

--L

Happy Veterans Day!

2011-11-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all the men and women who have served or currently serve our country. We are truly grateful.

--L

Imprint Indicia Advertising?

2011-11-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how cold it has gotten over the past few days! Hope everyone is staying bundled up.

In the most recent MailPro magazine, there was an interesting article that caught everyone's attention at DMI, titled "Pilot makes perfect: USPS test indicia concept."

This article talked about a new initiative called Picture Perfect Imprint Indicia. This allows businesses to advertise on the imprint of the outer envelope as displayed in the sample picture below:

"Chrysler's test already has been used on an estimated 1 million mailpieces. Now USPS is interested in marketing this new enhancement to other current and potential permit holders as a way to add value to the mail and generate incremental revnue."

The USPS hopes this will appeal to businesses because it will "attract more attention and potentially improve the reading rate of their mailpieces."

I think this type of marketing has a lot of potential and can make direct mail much more personable.

What are your thoughts on this? Would a graphic on the indicia give you more of an incentive to open the mailpiece?

--L

Do we need to give up on QR codes?

2011-10-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

I have been interested in QR codes since I started seeing them pop up all over the place. However, many people believe that QR codes are not useful as a marketing tool. I believe that if they are used correctly, they can be a powerful resource in a multichannel marketing campaign.

A recent article in AdAge agrees. The article highlights several successful QR code campaigns and also lists reasons why some QR code campaigns may fail. The main reason being:

No instructions. Not everyone knows what a QR code is and how to scan it. So it's necessary to include clear and concise instructions that include the benefits of bothering to make the scan.

"Barcode usage in North America continues to expand in Q3 with 42.1% growth in the USA...compared to Q2." This means that people are now just starting to get the hang of these codes. When used effectively in direct mail, these barcodes can provide quick and easy access to your donation page, website, etc.

Has your company or organization given up on QR codes? If so, why?

--L

DMI's Pet Corner!

2011-10-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone at DMI has a pet so I thought it would be fun to feature them in today's post.

Meet Louis! He's ready to attack at any moment!


Gio loves his paperwork! What a hard worker!

Jacoby is a squirrel in training! Either that or he's meditating!


K Dog's tongue is larger than life! So is his personality!


Sheba is already preparing for the cold winter!


Stinky is not so stinky after her bath! So cozy!

Owen loves his pet chicken! Looks like we have a future farmer!

I hope everyone enjoyed getting to know us by meeting our adorable pets. Have a wonderful weekend!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Habitat Edition!

2011-10-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

TGIF!

I have a wonderful weekend event for those who have no plans this Saturday.

Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley is having a Habitat Walk Home event to kick off their "Cupertino housing development with a walk to [their] construction site to raise funding and awareness for low-income housing."

The event will start at 12:30pm with a wonderful BBQ lunch and raffle. Then the walk will start at 1:30pm with a marching band send off! All walkers will receive a t-shirt, wrist band, and a raffle ticket. All this only costs $25.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and children. Or you can sign up your whole family (2 adults and 2 children) for $60.00. What a bargain!

To buy tickets just click here: http://habitatwalkhome.eventbrite.com/

Enjoy the wonderful weather this weekend!

--L

Fundraising Survey Results

2011-10-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

The Nonprofit Research Collaborative has conducted a survey of nonprofits to identify trends in fundraising. The results were recently published and offered some good insights such as:

"44 percent of responding charities reported increases in funds raised."
"Almost all methods of fundraising saw increased results at about 30 to 36 percent of responding charities."
"Just over half (54%) of responding charities investing in direct mail or in major gifts reported increased revenue from the method in the first half of 2011."

Even though it has been a rough economic year, it seems that a lot of nonprofits are reporting increases in fundraising. This survey provides an optimistic view of the rest of 2011, especially as we enter the holiday season.

DMI is also conducting a survey regarding charitable giving in conjunction with The Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University. You can view the reports from 2009 and 2010 in DMI Links (toolbar on the right hand side).

If you are interested in receiving more information about our current or previous surveys, please let me know and we will be happy to discuss them with you.

--L

P.S. Stay dry everyone!

DMI's Community Weekend - Oktoberfest Edition!

2011-09-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Oktoberfest! But before you go out to have beer and sausages, there is another Oktoberfest event that I wanted to share.

The Humane Society Silicon Valley is having a Barktoberfest Dog Adoption Event on Saturday (10/01/11) from 11am-4pm.

"This dog adoption extravaganza features a wide variety of breeds and sizes such as Beagles, Poodles, Golden Retrievers, Terriers, Rottweilers, Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls, and more!" So check out the website and find the right dog for you.

After you adopt a wonderful new puppy, click on the links below for more traditional Oktoberfest events around the Bay Area:

http://www.examiner.com/restaurant-news-in-san-jose/updated-san-jose-oktoberfest-2011-events

http://www.mercurynews.com/dining-scene/ci_18965129?source=rss

--L

Direct Mail to the rescue!

2011-09-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

It feels like I've been away from the blog for too long. I was on vacation last week but I'm back and ready to blog!

As many people know, the Post Office is in financial trouble and on the brink of default, per a recent article in Advertising Age Magazine. So what is the Post Office doing? They are developing programs to make direct mailing "friendlier in hopes of luring more revenue by reaching out to new users." Currently only "about 22% of businesses use direct mail." These programs will be part of a large TV campaign that is planned to air next year and is the first time the Post Office has "aggressively marketed" these types of programs.

One of the new programs is called "Every Door Direct Mail" which allows a company or an organization to "send out mailings that don't require specific addresses or names." You can drop off the pieces at your local Post Office and only pay 14.2 cents per piece for postage.

These new programs will allow direct mail to be much more cost effective and efficient. Direct mail is a large part of what we do here at DMI and we are constantly in talks with the Post Office to make sure we are informed and knowledgeable about these up and coming programs.

If you would like to learn more, please contact me!

--L

Direct mail's impact on the brain

2011-09-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

I was recently given an article from Deliver Magazine that discusses the impact of direct mail on your brain from a recent study.

"A recent neuroscience study conducted jointly by research firm Millward Brown, Bangor University and the United Kingdom's Royal Mail shows direct mail makes a deeper and longer-lasting impression on people's brains than digital advertising."

"Three main areas of difference were uncovered between how study participants’ brains processed direct mail and digital messaging: The first area of difference was the degree to which the emotional centers of the brain were activated, with direct mail generating more or deeper emotional processing than the digital messaging. Second, the brain saw the physical material as more real than the digital messaging. Third, there was more activity in the areas of the brain that are connected to introspection when people viewed the direct mail."

So what does this mean?

Direct mail is still essential in a marketing strategy.
"Companies that want to communicate and differentiate their brand over a long period of time... might want to consider using direct mail to deliver the message."
Direct mail pieces should be engaging and be of substance in order to convey the message effectively.

With the rise of digital media people are quick to dismiss direct mail, however, there is value in having a multichannel approach in marketing. As this study showed, people process and react differently to various types of outreach.

Contact me if you want to learn more about DMI's multichannel approach!

--L

Dreamforce!

2011-09-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our Research Associate and I attended the Dreamforce Expo in San Francisco. It is an annual conference by salesforce.com. There were a lot of people and everyone seemed very excited to apply social media concepts to sales, marketing, and production. Here are a few pictures from our adventure:

Social media at its best!


The room was filled for the keynote speech. Must have been over 40k people!

Entering the exhibit hall.


The cloud was the main theme of the Expo.

The cloud allows you to expand your services without having to install any actual software.

There were a lot of cool booths with great giveaways like these Dippin Dots!

Dreamforce gave me a lot of insight in applying social media in order to market to potential prospects, and learn more about your current customers/clients. I also learned a lot about cloud computing and what is possible with the existing platforms that are out there. As I learn more, I can't wait to share the information with everyone.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

--L

Social Media Growth

2011-08-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

I am a super fan of social media. I love being connected with people and getting up to date information quickly. Even if you are not an avid user of social media like me, you can't ignore the rapid growth.

Search Engine Journal recently produced a serious of infographics to show that social media is not "over-hyped" but is a rapidly growing industry. A couple of the infographics that resonated with me were (click on the graphs to enlarge them):

There is growth shown in every age group and every age group is using social media.

More and more companies are using social media for marketing.

There has already been significant growth in this industry and this trend will continue to grow. As more and more people use social media, companies need to recognize this channel and include it as part of their multichannel approach.

How do you personally use social media? How does your company use social media?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Italian Festa Edition!

2011-08-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! One of the things I look forward to over the weekend is hanging out with family and friends and eating a great meal.

There is a perfect event that will fulfill both those requirements this weekend! It is the 31st Annual Italian Family Festa!

The event runs from 12pm-9pm on Saturday (08/27/11) and 12pm-6pm on Sunday (08/28/11) at the Guadalupe River Park in San Jose and admission is free! There will be live entertainment, wonderful Italian food, cooking demos, bocce ball, arts and crafts and much much more!

You can also feel good about enjoying this wonderful event because proceeds from this event will benefit the Italian American Heritage Foundation Scholarship Program and the various events held at the Italian American Heritage Foundation Cultural Center.

Enjoy the weekend. I hear the weather will be fantastic!

--L

Better Know a DMI Employee!

2011-08-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for our 4th installment of Better Know a DMI Employee?

Today's interview is with our Operations Officer, W. Let's get to know W better!

L: How long have you been with DMI?

W: A little over 8 years.

L: What do you do when you're not at DMI?

W: I hang out with my family.

L: Is there anything in particular that your family likes to do?

W: We play a lot of soccer. Even my 3 year old is going to start playing.

L: 3 year olds can play soccer too?

W: He's tired of sitting on the sidelines.

L: Wow! Is there anything else you do besides soccer?

W: I go to school which takes up a lot of time.

L: What are you studying in school?

W: I'm pursuing an MBA emphasizing in Finance and Entrepreneurship.

L: That sounds very interesting. Is it hard to balance work, family, and school?

W: Yes but I find a way to prioritize everything. Like most things you have to set your priorities.

L: Great advice! Thanks for your time. I know you're a very busy person.

I hope everyone enjoyed getting to know another DMI employee.

To read the previous interviews click on the links below:

http://datamarketinginc.blogspot.com/2011/03/better-know-dmi-employee.html

http://datamarketinginc.blogspot.com/2011/05/better-know-dmi-employee.html

http://datamarketinginc.blogspot.com/2011/06/better-know-dmi-employee.html

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - End of summer!

2011-08-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

The summer is officially winding down. Kids are back in school and fall clothes are on the shelves of all the department stores.

We must celebrate the end of summer! Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is having an End of Summer BBQ with live music! The event is this Sunday (08/21/11) from 2-6pm.

Best of all, music and games are included with admission price (tickets to the park and zoo are only $12!). They will have BBQ, beer, and wine available for an additional charge.

So bring your family out and enjoy some good food and the nice weather while you still can!

Have a great weekend!

--L

Current Trends in Individual Giving

2011-08-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

I came across a blog called The Non Profit Times while going through DMI's twitter feed (follow us @datamarketinc). The blog post offered 5 recent trends in giving that came from Margaret Holman at the 2011 Fundraising Day in New York.

The 2 trends that stuck out for me were:

"Major donors continue to give, but they are narrowing their focus to fewer charities for bigger impact."

"Some trends are still true. For example: The most generous donors are likely to give by mail... and Giving still happens because donors are involved with organizations; 42% of donors volunteer with their organizations."

These 2 trends are important because it shows the importance of cultivating and growing your donor base. You want to make sure people know they are having a direct impact with their donation by communicating effectively and direct mail still is the effective method of communication. The organizations that show major donors what their donation will actually achieve, have a better chance in securing their donations. People are not able to give to as many charities as before.

Also donors want to be involved and engaged in the organizations that they support and that same principle works the other way around. Those who are already involved and engaged in organizations have a higher chance of becoming donors.

For those involved in non profit organizations, do you feel that these trends are accurate in what you are seeing internally? For those who are donors, do you feel that these trends are accurate in your personal giving patterns?

--L

Fun and creative QR Codes

2011-08-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

QR codes are everywhere these days. I know I've mentioned them plenty of times on the blog.

I came across a post that showed off some very creative QR codes. I never realized you could alter the image to be more appropriate to your brand.

"'Designer QR codes are not only a way to make your 2D barcode stand out, but they also add a more human element to the otherwise cold and techie appearance.' says Patrick Donnelly, QR code designer and expert. 'This could be the difference between someone scanning your code or not.'"

My favorite one was:

This is a really interesting way to stand out in the crowd and also incorporate your logo or brand into the barcode.

Which ones did you guys like? Are designer QR codes something your company/organization would be interested in?

--L

Who is your audience?

2011-08-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

Knowing your audience is to any marketing campaign. But what do we do when the audience is constantly changing?

A recent article titled Mosaic Marketing Takes a Fresh Look At Changing Society in the New York Times highlighted an agency that specializes in cross-cultural marketing. "As results from the 2010 census continue to be released, the changing demographic makeup of the American consumer market is increasingly a topic for discussion -- and action -- among advertisers and agencies. One trend to emerge is known as cross-cultural marketing, aimed at a general market that may be more of a mosaic than a melting pot."

This is a new approach to marketing because usually "traditional multicultural marketing is directed at specific demographics groups like Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, women or gay and lesbian consumers."

Many large companies such as British Airways and Ikea are starting to use this new approach in their advertising campaigns and it seems that many other companies are signing on. Instead of singling out specific demographic groups, they are looking for agencies to find common ground between people so that the advertising appeals to all groups and is more cohesive. They are looking for "cross-cultural nuances that could work cross-culturally."

I think this type of approach can be useful in every aspect of marketing including direct mail. The data, creative, and copy should "appeal to consumer similarities rather than differences."

What do you think about this new approach?

--L

How do you reach your donors?

2011-08-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

I'm still in shock that it's August already. The summer is moving so fast!

DMI attends and sponsors Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) lunches. These lunches provide a great opportunity to connect with other people in the fundraising field. They recently had a very interesting article on their website (which is a great resource) regarding how to reach donors in an integrated way.

"Integrated marketing incorporates multiple channels in a combination that works best for the message. The message is consistent across channels and is seamless to the recipient."

The report provided a "snapshot" of what other nonprofit organizations "are doing to integrate their messaging." The main takeaway from the report was that not enough organizations collect physical addresses for online donors and not enough people collect email addresses for those they mail to. Also, the two methods need to coincide and have the same look and feel.

This is great information not only for nonprofit organizations but also for any company or business.

DMI knows how important it is to create an integrated direct marketing campaign. When we create project schedules we make sure to take into account all the other various outreach efforts and attempts to make sure the campaign flows smoothly.

How does your organization or company handle email and direct mail campaigns?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Wine Edition!

2011-07-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

TGIF! You know what sounds good right now? A nice glass of wine! If you agree, then I have a wonderful event for you.

Surf City Vintners in Santa Cruz is hosting a Food & Wine Faire this Saturday (July 30th) from 5:30pm-9:00pm. The event benefits the Second Harvest Food Bank - Santa Cruz County and will help "fund 6,000 healthy meals for kids in Santa Cruz County."

Food and wine will be sold by each vendor so there is no entry fee and "in the interest of sustainable practices, please bring your own plates, utensils and wine glasses." There will also be live music!

So bring your friends and some wine glasses and enjoy this "urban picnic!"

Happy weekend everyone!

--L

Direct Mail Blunders

2011-07-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe July is almost over. Time sure flies when you're having fun!

I was browsing through Deliver Magazine and came across an article titled When Direct Mail Goes Wrong. It was a humorous take on direct mail mistakes that were submitted by marketers from around the world.

My favorite one was:

Wrong list was used and one personalization (my favorite) was “Dear Mrs. Mother Superior.” The magazine was not all that pleased.

We can laugh about it after the fact but we all know what a nightmare it is when a direct marketing vendor makes a data mistake.

DMI takes data very seriously (the word data is in our name after all!). We know the importance of having clean data and we go through proper quality control steps to ensure deliverability and maximize ROI.

For more information visit our Data Hygiene Solutions or contact me!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Community Celebration Edition!

2011-07-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I really love the summer time and all the fun summer activities like the 3rd Annual Portera Common Community Celebration!

This is a great event that benefits not only 1 but 4 local non profits like the Second Harvest Food Bank!

The celebration is Wednesday 07/27/11 and is from 6pm-8:30pm at the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell. There will be a Michael Jackson tribute band performing along with great food and drinks courtesy of Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery.

Admission is easy! All you need to bring are the following items:

"A nutritious, non-perishable food item (no glass containers) for Second Harvest"
"$5 or more (cash or check) to go directly to the Community Mammography Access Program at CHP"
"An item of clean, gently used career clothing or shoes for women or men for the Career Closet"
"School supplies for Sacred Heart"
"A friend, co-worker, neighbor or family member to enjoy this FUN event and contribute to the charities listed above"

Best of all, 100% of the proceeds benefit the charities listed!

For any additional information check out the links above or go directly to the event website: http://sites.google.com/site/porteraccc/

Have a wonderful weekend!

--L

Is Social Fundraising Right For Me?

2011-07-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

I know I've mentioned social media in various posts throughout this blog but I believe this is an emerging channel in fundraising.

I listened to a podcast today from The Chronicle of Philanthropy that interviewed 2 people who have been actively using social media to fundraise.

The first person is Tracy Viselli who is "a community manager at Action Alexandria, [and] is working with a group of small, local nonprofits in Alexandria, Va., to build successful online fund-raising campaigns." The second person is Aaron Steinberg who is "the social media manager at SAR Academy, in Bronx, N.Y." His school is "participating in an online fund-raising contest designed to help it attract at least 1,000 online donors."

They raised several interesting points from their experiences that I think every organization who is thinking of launching social media campaigns need to consider:

For Aaron, prior to beginning the school's contest, he had to evaluate if social media marketing was appropriate for his organization. He wasn't sure how responsive parents of the Academy would be. All organizations need to discuss this internally. What does social media mean to our organization and to our supporters? Wanting to be "social" and being "social" are 2 very different things.

For Tracy, her main takeaway was the importance of training. You must train the staff and everyone in the organization how to use social media. And not only how to use the platforms like Facebook or Twitter, but to be able to understand how to capitalize the impact. Another component is to be able to train your donors and potential donors. Both Tracy and Aaron urge people to hold events that incorporate a social media element. Have laptops, people, and literature available on how to participate in the social media campaign.

Both agree that experimentation is key. Try different approaches. Aaron was able to have a local company match donations and turned it into a contest to see how many donors and dollars they could bring in. Tracy had various local non profits participate in an online giving challenge. They wanted to see which non profit would bring in the most online donations and had a leader board posted on their website. Because this is a new way of fundraising, you have to be able to test different approaches and find out what works for your organization.

Has your organization tried a social media campaign? If so, what were some of your takeaways?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Dog Edition!

2011-07-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

As many of you know, I love my dog like he was my own child so I love finding dog friendly events.

This Saturday (July 16th) is the Niles Dog Show at Niles Community Park in Fremont. The event will run from 9am-3pm and will feature a dog adoption parade! There will be lots of other events such as a dog costume contest, most unusual dog mix competition, best in show, and much more.

Say hi to Jacoby!

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Ohlone Humane Society Spay Neuter program and the Niles Main Street Association. So take your dogs to this fun event and if you don't have a dog but always wanted one, this would be a great opportunity to adopt one!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

--L

Math Marketing aka Targeted Marketing

2011-07-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

How was everyone's weekend? It always seems to go by way too fast!

I had never heard of the phrase Math Marketing until I read a recent article in Deliver Magazine called More Than Ever, Math Drives Marketing Decisions. The article discussed the role of math in marketing campaigns for many large companies.

Basically, math marketing is a lot like targeted direct marketing, which is something DMI practices. It is the idea of using analytics to match the right audience to the right piece of marketing. It is finding out that x customer segment will respond to y offer via e-mail; or y customer segment will respond to z offer via direct mail, etc.

"To survive in a marketplace where tech-empowered consumers have boundless choices, companies are harvesting numbers and tilling customer data, driven by a near-religious faith that the numbers contain crucial insights into customer’s tastes, preferences and shopping vulnerabilities."

I think this method of marketing mirrors exactly what is at the core of DMI. We don't want to mass mail everyone and hope for the best. We want to select a targeted group of people who are most likely to respond to your direct marketing appeal.

Email or leave a comment for more information to our approach on marketing!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Book Sale Edition

2011-07-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

I know I say this every Friday but I have a great event this weekend for everyone to attend!

The Alviso Branch Library, which is located at 5050 N. 1st Street in San Jose, is having a book sale this Saturday, July 9th. All proceeds of the sale go directly to benefit library programs. It's the perfect opportunity to stock up on books and fill up your bookcase.

For more information check out their website: http://www.sjpl.org/alviso

I know everyone is reading digitally these days but don't you still love being able to hold an actual book and flip through the pages? So check out the event!

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the great summer weather!

--L

Mobile Barcode Promotion

2011-07-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone enjoyed the nice long holiday weekend!

Who doesn't love discounts? I know I do! The USPS is offering discounts on postage through the Mobile Barcode Promotion from July 1st to August 31st.

"The U.S. Postal Service is offering business mailers an upfront 3% discount on First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters and flats that include a mobile barcode."

A mobile barcode is a QR (2-D) barcode that you see on everything from magazine articles to billboard ads. You use a smartphone application to scan the barcode. "When scanned, these mobile barcodes can motivate an otherwise passive consumer to take immediate action: make a purchase, register for an event, or download a coupon."

I am very excited for this promotion because the USPS is offering a great incentive to test out this new technology.

Contact me to learn more about this promotion and how we can help implement this program for you!

--L

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th of July weekend!

One of my favorite things about this weekend is watching the fireworks! So I've compiled a list of places you can watch them.

San Jose Giants will be having a fireworks show on Monday (July 4th) and even on Tuesday (July 5th). Click here for more info: San Jose Giants Fireworks

The Shoreline Amphitheater will be hosting a "Fireworks Spectacular presented by Live Nation and starring the San Francisco Symphony." Click here for more info: Shoreline Ampitheater

Morgan Hill is not only having a fireworks show but will be having events all day on the 4th of July. There's a pancake breakfast, a 5k walk, a parade and much more. Click here for more info: Morgan Hill Freedomfest

California's Great America will be having fireworks shows on July 2nd and 3rd and is the "largest fireworks display in the Bay Area." Click here for more info: Great America

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!

--L

Using social media for fundraising!

2011-06-28T16:51:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned many times on this blog about the necessity of social media in companies and organizations. I came across an article from http://www.blueavocado.org/ that showed a concrete example of what social media can do.

Nelson Layag was able to raise $1,000 on Facebook without breaking a sweat. He used the Facebook Causes Birthday Wish application to send out notifications to his friends to raise money for a local non profit, the Women's Cancer Resource Center. Instead of birthday gifts for his upcoming 40th birthday, he wanted a donation made to the non profit. In just 3 days he had raised $1,000!

Nelson reflected on a few things that he learned from his experience:

A couple of his favorite non profits were not set up on the application so he could not select them
He was surprised that no one from the Women's Cancer Resource Center had contacted him to acknowledge what he was doing
Even people who he had not spoken to in years had donated to his cause

I realize that this method is not going to become the main source of donations for an organization but it is a great way to get people involved and "lets people hear about your organization from a trusted source." Even people Nelson did not directly interact with were willing to support him. It is an easy tool to utilize and every non profit should be set up on the application (it's free!).

This is a great example of how social media can give non profits the extra boost not only to raise more money but build an awareness and a sense of community. This is grassroots fundraising at its best!

Has anyone used the Facebook Causes application before? If so, what has been your experience with it? If your organization needs help setting this up, please contact me!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - NF Walk Edition

2011-06-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! What are your weekend plans? If you don't have anything to do on Saturday, I have a great event for you to attend.

It is the Children's Tumor Foundation NF Walk!

It's a 5k walk that takes place at Vasona Park in Los Gatos. The event starts at 9:30am and you can register the day of the event on-site. Besides the walk "there will be a raffle, food, and fun for the entire family!"

The walk benefits the Children's Tumor Foundation who are researching to find a cure for Neurofibromatosis (NF). "NF is a lifelong disorder that encompasses a set of distinct genetic disorders that cause tumors to grow along nerves and can affect the development of bones and skin." This is a great organization and need your support!

So check out the websites and go out to Vasona Park on Saturday for a fun walk and enjoy the great weather!

--L

Guinness World Records!

2011-06-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

Is everyone doing okay with all this heat? I'm starting to feel like I'm melting away.

To avoid thinking about the hot weather, I was browsing through a recent edition of Adweek, and came across an amusing article titled Record Makers. It was about companies setting Guinness World Records as a marketing ploy.

I started reading the article because I thought it was funny but then I realized that companies are actually benefiting from this type of marketing. They are gaining a lot of publicity and a lot of traffic especially through social media. Guinness spokesperson Jamie Panas says, "Record breaking is proving to be a unique promotional tool for companies looking to stand out. It's also a way to make a mark in actual history and be a part of something global."

Also I didn't know this but "brands holding official Guinness records are entitled to use that imprimatur in their marketing free of charge."

I immediately started thinking of things DMI could do, like producing the largest mail piece. I actually looked up the largest envelope record on the Guinness World Records website and the current record is 32 feet 9 in long and 23 feet wide. We could totally beat that!

Is there anything you would like to see DMI attempt? Is there anything that your company/organization has attempted or would like to attempt?

Maybe we can be in the record books together!

--L

Rise in Charitable Contributions

2011-06-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Happy first day of summer! As if we needed to be reminded that summer is officially here...the weather speaks for itself. Hopefully everyone is staying nice and cool!

Everyone knows about our down economy and fluctuating housing market but there is a bit of good news out there. According to a recent article in Reuters, there has been an increase in charitable giving overall.

"A Giving USA Foundation report released today shows total charitable contributions -- for individuals, corporations, and foundations -- rose 3.8% in 2010 to an estimated $291 billion."

Eileen Heisman, president and CEO of National Philanthropic Trust, discussed trends in charitable giving in the article and one of the interesting points was about social media. She believes that although many organizations are just learning how to utilize social media in fundraising, "there is a way to feed young donors so when they mature, you can position yourself to use that relationship in a different way. I think the younger generation coming up, who do a lot of mission-driven work, will be the refiners of this and it's going to be very exciting."

Another interesting point, was about how charitable organizations need to evolve with the changes in society's needs. She feels that the change in an organization occurs at the leadership level. "It requires nimbleness of leadership. Boards need the foresight and the person they hire has to have the bravery to say to the board that things are changing and we have to change with them. It's a very human-driven thing."

It is a very tough time to be in fundraising but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Social media is a wonderful new tool to cultivate donors and spread the message of your organization. I believe that using it effectively will benefit your organization in the long term.

There also has to be a "nimbleness" in the leadership group as stated in the article. It is important to recognize changes not only in society but in your community and in technology. I think being able to adapt and embrace change will allow your organization to be successful.

What are some successes or failures of using social media in your organization? Do you feel that change is important or necessary in your organization?

--L

What has DMI been up to lately?

2011-06-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have been wondering what we've been up to lately! Well here are some things that we've done!

We finally got our sign put up in front of our building! (Doesn't it look lovely?)

We've dropped 961,147 pieces in the mail since the beginning of the year. (Amazing!)

We got new business cards to match our website (check us out at www.datamarketing.com)

We have been attending lots of local community events such as:


Silicon Valley Duck Race & Festival

Rise & Shine Benefit Breakfast for Hope Services

Regularly attend the monthly AFP luncheons (DMI is also a sponsor!)

We are only halfway into the year and so far it's been a great! Looking forward to the 2nd half!

--L

The Haves vs. The Have Nots

2011-06-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe just last week, I was complaining about it being cold! Hopefully you are all enjoying this lovely weather!

So, I was given the San Jose Mercury Newspaper for an article about social media but there was another article right next to it that caught my eye. It was titled Silicon Valley's haves could save have-nots. It described a report called "A Portrait of California" which "was packed with conclusions drawn from Census Bureau and public health data."

The interesting takeaway from the report was that it showed there was a definite disparity in the Silicon Valley. That isn't real breaking news, but was interesting is that the disparity occurred in neighborhoods right next to each other.

"Tom Myers, executive director of the Community Services Agency, which provides emergency food and shelter in Mountain View," agrees with the report. "You find great disparity within this one community," he says. "What I tell everyone is you have a lot of wealth that is literally, often times very literally, right next door to poverty."

So what Myers and others in the Non Profit world believe is that those who "have" need to "help raise up the have-nots." "They are the solution."

But how does an organization go about sharing their message and vision to the "haves" in an effective way? Asking people to help their neighbors is a powerful message but is that enough to get people involved in your cause?

We at DMI work with many wonderful organizations and know that a clear, targeted direct marketing campaign is the most effective way to fundraise and to gain awareness.

Do you agree with this article? What are your thoughts about the "haves" and "have-nots"? Are people with wealth and education responsible for those who are not as fortunate?

Leave your comments below and please contact me for more information about our targeted direct marketing approach!

--L

DMI Community Weekend - Rubber Ducky Edition

2011-06-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying all this sunshine we've been having! The weekend forecast says we have more sunshine days ahead. One of the best ways to enjoy the nice weather is to go to the park and there's a special event at a local park this Sunday!

Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos is hosting the 4th annual Silicon Valley Duck Race & Festival this Sunday! The race and festival runs from 11am - 3pm.

People can "buy" rubber ducks and watch them race down Vasona Lake. "Whoever holds a winning duck's sponsorship number wins a prize. The more ducks sponsored (purchased), the more chances to win." There are a ton of really good prizes and you can sponsor a duck for as little as $5.

All the money from the rubber ducks go to support "16 local charities in Silicon Valley who give families, kids, and adults a better life in our community." Some of the charities are HOPE Services, Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice of the Valley, and many more!

Aside from the race, there will be plenty of other festivities such as food, music, bounce houses for the kids, and carnival games!

So check out the website for all the details: http://siliconvalleyduckrace.org/

Quack quack!

--L

Better Know a DMI Employee!

2011-06-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Is everyone ready for another installment of Better Know a DMI Employee? I sure am!

Today's interview is with T from our Production Department.

L: How long have you been with DMI?

T: My whole life.

L: Your whole life???

T: My dad started the company 35 years ago, so when I was a little kid my parents used to pay me a penny a piece to seal envelopes.

L: Wow! What is your favorite duty at DMI?

T: I like to run the inserters when no one else is here because I can do it without any distractions.

L: Yes, things can get a little hectic on the production floor. What do you do in your free time?

T: I brew beer and play soccer.

L: Tell me more about the beer!

T: I started brewing about 4 years ago with my brother and it has become a passion of mine. I hope to one day open my own brewery.

L: That sounds great. Hopefully I can get free beer from you. I noticed that from our last 2 interviews, a lot of people here have pets. Do you have any?

T: Not currently but I am looking to adopt a dog soon.

L: Any breeds in particular?

T: I had a schnauzer when I was little so I'm partial to those but I'm not too picky, as long as the dog isn't over 50 pounds.

L: I hope you find a dog soon! Thanks for a great interview and I'll be waiting for my beer!

I hope you all had fun getting to know another DMI employee.

To read the previous 2 interviews check out the links below:

http://datamarketinginc.blogspot.com/2011/05/better-know-dmi-employee.html

http://datamarketinginc.blogspot.com/2011/03/better-know-dmi-employee.html

--L

Does the weather influence our giving?

2011-06-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

The weather has been a hot topic lately. Not only because it's been raining in June, but also because of all the weather related natural disasters that have been occurring all over the country. The weather overall has been really depressing.

Does this depressing weather put you in a depressing mood? A recent Wall Street Journal article has found some interesting results from several studies regarding behavior and the weather.

"Researchers affiliated with the Center for Decision Sciences at Columbia Business School measured the public's changing attitudes about climate change. The team surveyed about 1,200 Americans and Australians, and the results were striking. Those who felt that the current day was warmer than usual for the time of year were more likely to believe in and worry about global warming than those who thought it was cooler outside. They were also more likely to donate the money they earned from taking the survey to a charity that did work on climate change."

Another study "had a woman greet volunteers in the lobby of the psychology building. She carried a coffee cup, a clipboard and two textbooks. Sometimes her cup was hot, sometimes it was cold. During the elevator ride to the fourth floor, she'd casually ask the volunteer to hold her cup while she jotted down notes. Later, in the lab, the participants read a description of a hypothetical person and were then asked for their impressions. Those who had handled a cup of hot coffee rated the person as significantly warmer and more sociable compared to people who had held an iced coffee. Feeling a warm object also made volunteers more generous in a second study that involved giving a gift certificate away or keeping it for themselves."

What does this have to do with direct marketing? As both of these studies found, the weather plays a factor in giving patterns. In the first study, because people were directly feeling the affects of global warming (warm weather), they were more inclined to donate to a cause that dealt with that issue. In the second study, people were more generous after feeling a warm object. The unseasonably cold weather, especially here in the Bay Area, is having a negative impact on giving patterns.

Has the recent weather affected your mood lately? Has your organization experienced drops in donations this year? Let us know in the comments section below. I would love to hear some feedback from different organizations!

--L

DMI's First Annual Picnic Day!

2011-06-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

Did everyone have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend? It was nice to have a long weekend.

On the Friday before the holiday weekend, DMI had our First Annual Picnic Day! The theme for this year was team building. The highlight of the day was a department vs. department relay race. Each department had to work together to complete various legs of a relay race.

And in the end, here is our winning team!

No picnic day is complete without a bbq and tons of food.

Everyone had a lot of fun and I can't wait for our next picnic day!

--L

DMI Community Weekend - Mushroom Mardi Gras Edition!

2011-05-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yay Memorial Day weekend! A time to enjoy the warm weather (sort of warm weather), BBQ, and hang out with family and friends.

If you don't have any plans this weekend, I have the perfect event to go to! The Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras! The festival takes place this weekend, Saturday the 28th (10am-7pm) and Sunday the 29th (10am-6pm) in Downtown Morgan Hill. There's free admission and even free parking!

There will be live performances, lots of gourmet food, a beer and wine garden, a kids area with rides, games and entertainment, lots of display booths, and even street performers.

All proceeds of the festival go to "educational scholarships to seniors living in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. The festival also supports many non-profit clubs and organizations by either donating money for their volunteer services or providing booths for their own fundraising efforts. Over the past 30 years, [they] have provided over $700,000 in scholarships."

It should be a lot of fun and I hope to see you all there! If not, have a wonderful holiday weekend!

--L

A look back at trends in charitable giving

2011-05-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Back in March our Research Department had written a post regarding trends in charitable giving. This has been quite the hot topic for us here at DMI.

Based on the survey that we had conducted, Research reported that "more people in 2010 say that they are donating to national organizations, perhaps driven by political considerations, or even specific issues like the BP oil disaster."

This was pertinent in Fall 2010, and has once again been brought back into the forefront. From the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, to the tornadoes ripping the South and Midwest, there have been lots of appeals from national organizations like the Red Cross.

Research also found that "more donors are restricting their giving to known organizations, indicating perhaps the increasing importance of loyalty." It is crucial for people involved in the organization to be active participants in fundraising. You have to remind your donors to stay loyal to your organization.

Stir in an unsettled economy, and it becomes even more important for Board members and volunteers to make their personal appeals to donors and potential donors.

Historically, major disaster response has always pulled away from local giving. Especially with the new technologies of donating, it is now easier for people to respond to national organizations. But when people directly involved in the organization reach out personally, they have the power to make a huge impact in fundraising.

How does your organization handle personal asks? How do you remind your donors to stay loyal to your organization?

Please contact us for some ideas regarding these questions and for more information about our survey and our findings.

--L

How do you share content?

2011-05-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Our hearts and our thoughts are with those affected by the deadly tornado in Joplin, MO. Here are just a few ways to help!

If you were given that link to help those in Joplin, how would you share it? Based on a study conducted by AOL and Nielsen Online, they "found that 93% of internet users turn to email to share content, while 89% use social networks and 82% use blogs."

Those percentages do change however when you are sharing information to your friends. "Social networks are the top method for sharing content with friends, as 92% of users do so, while email is the most popular way to share with family (86%) and colleagues (26%)."

I think this study shows how important an online presence is for any type of company. Having the ability for people to share your message to others through email and social media is crucial in making a campaign successful. It has become a vital part of any type of marketing campaign. Since this is an emerging form of marketing, it is a great avenue to test messaging and brand recognition.

This is something that we at DMI have been researching for quite some time. What kind of experience and results has your company had in online marketing? What are your thoughts on this type of marketing?

Feel free to contact us to learn more!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - National River Cleanup Day Edition

2011-05-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

Is everyone ready for the weekend? With the rapture happening on Saturday, I want to make sure I do everything on my bucket list! ;)

If you have community service as an item on your bucket list, then I have a great opportunity.

Saturday is National River Cleanup Day! The event occurs from 9am-12pm and there are a lot of sites that need our help. Also, it's not just limited to San Jose. There are other cities in our county that need help too.

Check out the website and bring along some family and friends to help clean up our environment.

Have a great weekend!

--L

Healthy employees make a healthy office!

2011-05-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Work has been super busy which is why I missed Monday's post (sorry!) and why I'm feeling more and more tired. The thing that helps me get back to feeling more like myself is working out. Exercise is a great way for me and I'm sure for you as well, to release stress and feel empowered.

Being busy is a classic excuse of why I can't exercise but I was given an article that has inspired me!

15 Exercises To Do While Watching TV!

It's really simple. "During each commercial break, choose one exercise from the list and do as many repetitions as you can per commercial."

Now we can all exercise at home and go to work the next day feeling like we can tackle any challenge!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Stamping Out Hunger Edition

2011-05-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday the 13th! Spooooky! I made sure not to walk near black cats, walk under any ladders, and did not open an umbrella indoors. So I think I'm all set!

How would you like to donate to a wonderful charity without leaving your home? The Second Harvest Food Bank is allowing you to do just that! Saturday May 14th is National Stamp Out Hunger Day.

To participate, all you have to do is leave a bag of non-perishable food items (such as peanut butter, cereal, and canned goods) by your mailbox before the mail delivery. Your letter carrier will pick it up and take it to Second Harvest Food Bank. It's that simple!

This is the "largest one-day food drive in the nation" and you can be a part of it!

So enjoy your weekend and don't forget to leave those canned goods by our mailbox Saturday morning!

--L

What's your address?

2011-05-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

Our guest blogger is back with a topic that many people may not think twice about.

What is in an address? What is an address?

Addresses can be identified two broad categories: Physical and Mailing. A physical address can be defined as the actual location of a structure (house or building), part of a structure (apartment or suite), or an empty lot. It also may be where one receives service from a utility, cable provider, or telephone company (service address). A mailing address is just that – where one designates where their mail is sent. This type of address may be a physical structure or part of a physical structure as described above, or it may be a Post Office Box located at a Post Office location. Sometimes, a mailing address for one physical structure may be the physical address of a completely different structure.

Why is this important? Why should we care?

Simply put, the point is to ensure that you are directing your correspondence to the correct person at the correct address. It is not good enough to know that your best targets live at particular addresses, but that you are also sending mail to their preferred addresses. Conversely, it is not enough to know that potential targets receive mail at a Post Office Box – you also need to know what physical address is attached to that Post Office Box if you want to learn anything about the demographics of who you are mailing to.

About 80%-90% of the time, the mailing address and the physical address are the same, so we do not have to worry about the consequences of the differences. But for that 10%-20%, the differences outlined about are very important for us to consider when we construct a direct marketing campaign.

--B

How are social norms created?

2011-05-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

Did everyone have a great Mother's Day weekend? I think my mom actually likes this holiday more than her own birthday!

I read a recent Wall Street Journal article titled Under the Influence: How the Group Changes What We Think and I started to think about how the idea of social norms could be applied to direct marketing.

"Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, studied what makes ideas 'go viral.' His team analyzed 7,000 newspaper articles in the New York Times and found the articles considered most popular on the newspaper's website were those that aroused more emotions, particularly happy emotions but also anger or anxiety."

People are more prone to adopt an idea if it evokes emotion, which is to be expected. People feel more tied to issues, ideas, causes, if they have an emotional connection. It makes it more personal.

But who is setting these issues, ideas, causes, into the universe to become viral? "Rarely does any one individual set an entirely new norm for the group. Group leaders, however, help perpetuate or shift the norm. Unlike innovators, leaders tend to be high-status "superconformists," embodying the group's most-typical characteristics or aspirations, says Deborah Prentice, a social psychologist at Princeton University."

What the research shows is that one person may not be able to instill an idea but that it requires a group. Hence the peer pressure idea. The more people who tell you an idea is good, the more likely you are to believe it.

What does this have to do with direct marketing? DMI believes that having the right messaging is crucial in a successful direct marketing campaign. The messaging must be personal and you must make sure your message is touching the prospect multiple times. Repetition is your friend!

Let me know if you want more information about creating the right messaging and what DMI can do for your next marketing campaign!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Farmers' Market Edition

2011-05-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

Did everyone have a good Cinco de Mayo? I really regret not drinking a margarita yesterday!

One of the things that I love about spring/summer are farmers' markets! And as of today, the downtown San Jose Farmers' Market is back!

"The cozy outdoor market takes place each Friday, from 10am-2pm along a charming block of San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets."

There are a number of great offers at the farmers' market such as:

If you ride your bike, you get a $1 credit to use at any of the vendors
Frequent shopper cards that will award prizes for stamps collected by shopping at the market
Every 3rd Friday are Green Days, which means the first 50 people (starting at noon) will receive a free tote bag
Twice a month, a local restaurant will offer free samples of their food

So check out the website for details: http://www.sjdowntown.com/FarmerMarket.html

Hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! I hope my dog got me a good present!

--L

Better Know a DMI Employee!

2011-05-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I debuted a new segment to allow our readers to get to know the people at DMI. The concept was borrowed from The Colbert Report's "Better Know a District" segment.

So here's my second interview with Z from our Research Department.

L: How long have you been at DMI?

Z: One year as of April.

L: Wow! A year has gone by so fast. I remember when you first came in for your interview. What was your first impression of DMI?

Z: At first I was surprised at how young everyone was. I got the "Google" feel.

L: Being compared to Google is quite the compliment!

Z: Everyone was welcoming and energetic.

L: So outside of work, what do you do to have fun?

Z: The exact opposite of GD actually!

L: So you remember our last segment! I heard you mention that it was your cat's birthday. Can you tell me about him?

Z: I was never a cat person but my girlfriend and I decided to adopt one randomly. Actually my girlfriend had a $10 coupon for the Humane Socity, and now I'm disturbed by how many cat pictures I have in my cell phone.

L: So what's the name of your cat?

Z: Louis Rutherford Van Gaal Watkins

L: That is quite the name for a cat! What did you get your cat for his birthday?

Z: I bought him a Kitty City.

L: Sounds fancy! It seems like we're all animal people here at DMI. Speaking of work, you are in our Research department and you deal with lots of data. What is it about data analysis that you like?

Z: When analyzing the performance of a campaign, I enjoy finding new ways to graphically depict results.

Fascinating! Well thank you for a very entertaining interview.

I hope everyone enjoyed the interview as much as I did!

--L

What to do with all those labels?

2011-05-02T15:51:00.000-07:00

Lots happened this past weekend. The Royal Wedding (which I loved!), White House Correspondents Dinner (Seth Myers did a fantastic job), and the most important news of all. Osama Bin Laden is officially dead! Wow...

I was given a Dear Abby article from a recent SF Chronicle issue which dealt with non profit solicitations. Specifically the ones that give you an incentive such as sheets of labels, notepads, etc. It was interesting to see how people reacted to those mailings. One writer received "532 request from 119 organizations" in 6 months! Another writer wrote "my view is, if they're using my donations to send gifts, then they really don't need my money. They should be using donations to help whomever or whatever it is they're soliciting for."

I personally have received quite a few of these types of solicitations. I never know how to react to them. I agree that they should be using donations to do other things rather than printing and mailing labels. My mom recently felt so guilty she sent a donation to an organization that sent her labels since she was using them. The organization ended up sending her a thank you with more labels!

What do you think of these types of mailings? Are you more likely to respond? Less likely?

--L

Fun times at the Expo!

2011-04-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

I apologize for missing the blog post yesterday. I, along with a couple of colleagues, went to the Customer Engagement Technology Expo at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

It was my first time at a huge Expo and we had a lot of fun going to the various booths. This particular expo turned out to be more hardware based than marketing based but we still learned a lot.

They had QR (2D) barcodes everywhere! As I have discussed a couple of times on the blog, this is definitely the new up and coming technology.

The expo also had a Social Sphere and Blogger Zone with laptops connected to the internet so people could update company blogs, twitter accounts, etc. I utilized this by tweeting from the event. Great way to gain more exposure for the event and a fun place to meet other social media people.

There were many interactive kiosks to try out the latest technology. It was fun to see how far the customer experience has come. Look for these interactive kiosks to pop up in stores near you!

Let me know if there are any other interesting conferences/expos that may be happening in the near future. DMI would definitely like to attend more of them!

--L

Direct mail and digital technology is a match made in heaven

2011-04-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Happy belated Easter! How was everyone's holiday weekend? I surprisingly did not eat my weight in chocolate bunnies.

An article caught my attention in April's Direct Marketing News, titled Direct mail and digital most successful combo in driving customer acquisition. Yes, the title is a mouthful but this is something that we at DMI, agree with 100%.

The article discusses the recent "integrated marketing campaign" by TruGreen, a lawncare company. They used digital support such as updating their website to bolster their direct mail. They also re-designed their direct mail piece to be more dynamic by doing things like a scratch and sniff postcard and three piece self mailers. Also to increase the number of touches they had pop up stores open up in malls, commercials, sweepstakes, and telephone calls.

Incorporating many different touches into an overall campaign is what DMI is all about. We want our clients not to only focus on the direct mail portion of their campaign but to make sure they have a web presence, social media presence, and other digital avenues like radio and/or TV. It is important to capture the buzz surrounding your organization/company.

Let me know if you want to know more about "integrated marketing campaigns" or what we can do to help you have a more successful marketing campaign!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Dining Out Edition

2011-04-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not having a post yesterday. I was out of the office enjoying daytime baseball! Also, tomorrow is Good Friday (and Earth day!) so DMI will be closed, which means no Friday post either.

So this post will have to do until next week!

I love eating out and when I can combine that with a charitable cause...it's wonderful!

Next Thursday, The Heath Trust will be having their Dining Out For Life event. "Simply dine at one of [the] participating restaurants on Thursday, April 28, 2011, and 25 percent of your food bill will benefit The Health Trust Aids Services."

Check out the website for a list of restaurants that are participating in your area and for more information about The Health Trust Aids Services program!

Make a difference in our community by dining out!

Have a great Easter weekend! Remember to save some Easter eggs for me!

--L

Are zip codes private information?

2011-04-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

Did everyone enjoy their weekend? I mainly caught up on my DVR over the weekend!

A very interesting article was given to me today from April's Issue of Direct Marketing News. It was discussing the recent California Supreme Court ruling "that Williams-Sonoma could not longer collect ZIP codes during credit card transactions." The court sided with the plaintiff who accused Williams-Sonoma of using "customer ZIP codes to find home addresses, market to consumers, and sell that data to other businesses." This case has brought along hundreds of similar cases against other retailers.

I shop at many stores that ask me for my ZIP code but never thought of it as private information. I never gave it a second thought but now this makes me wonder. With the advances in technology, it seems that our personal data is more vulnerable. But is that really the case?

Also, for those companies that do use this information for data gathering purposes will now have to find another way to do so. How will this affect marketing efforts by companies?

What are your thoughts? Do you consider your ZIP code to be personal?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Baseball Edition

2011-04-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

This past baseball off-season seemed really long. I couldn't wait for the season to start! But now, I kind of wish we were in the off-season again, since my team can't seem to win games!

Anyhoo...if you are like me and love watching games in person I highly recommend supporting our local minor league team the San Jose Giants!

It's a great atmosphere to watch the games and they have some awesome bbq!

Plus tickets are inexpensive and the ballpark is right in our own backyard.

Check out their website for more information: http://www.sjgiants.com/

Also, if anyone out there has any events, organizations, or any local happenings that you want me to feature on Fridays send them in.

Have a great weekend!

--L

Postal Rates Increase...Again!

2011-04-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

Today has been an odd weather day. First it was pouring and now it looks sunny! The weather keeps changing!

Speaking of changes...the USPS will be increasing postage rates starting April 17th.

Below is a table of some of the changes.

Item	Old Postage Rate	Postage Rate as of April 17th
Postcard	$0.28	$0.29
1st Class Letter 1 oz	$0.44	same
1st Class Letter 2 oz	$0.61	$0.64
Square/Odd-Shaped 1 oz Letter	$0.64	same
1st Class letter 3 oz	$0.78	$0.84
Square/Odd-Shaped 2 oz Letter	$0.81	$0.84
1st Class Flat 1 oz	$0.88	same
1st Class Letter 3.5 oz	$0.95	$1.04
1st Class Flat 2 oz	$1.05	$1.08
1st Class Flat 3 oz	$1.22	$1.28
1st Class Flat 4 oz	$1.39	$1.48
1st Class Flat 5 oz	$1.56	$1.68
1st Class Flat 6 oz	$1.73	$1.88
Priority Mail® – 1 lb Flat Rate Envelope	$4.95	same

For a full list of changes visit the USPS website: http://www.usps.com/

--L

Data Mining: Friend or Foe?

2011-04-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

How was everyone's weekend? Did anyone watch the Masters? (Is that crickets I hear?)

Data is something that is important to us here at DMI. It is the backbone to what we do. I read an article today in a recent Time Magazine regarding Data Mining. Data mining is a way for companies to track details about you. "Data is collected in lots of way, such as tracking devices (like cookies) on websites that allow a company to identify you as you travel around the Web and apps you download on your cell that look at your contact list and location." This data allows companies to show the consumer targeted ads based on what they think the consumer's preferences are.

People have mixed reactions to data mining. It seems invasive that someone is spying on every move you make online. Others are okay with it because it allows you to only see ads that are pertinent to you and decreases the number of overall ads.

This subject got me thinking about targeted direct marketing which is something we specialize in. We are able to find people who are most likely to respond to an organization/company's appeal. This cuts down on costs and allows the organization/company to concentrate their investment on a smaller group of individuals.

Although we don't track people the same way data miners do, we do believe in a similar principle. Targeting campaigns to those who are most likely to respond means that as a consumer, I will only get outreach for causes, products, etc. that most interest me.

What are your thoughts on data mining? What do you think about targeted direct marketing? Contact me for more information!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Veggie Edition!

2011-04-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for the weekend?

I just recently found out about an organization called Veggielution the other day. They are a "nonprofit community farm seeking to create a sustainable food system in San Jose." The farm is located in East San Jose and "engages the community by providing access to healthy and local food, creating youth leadership opportunities, and developing creative solutions to social and environmental justice issues."

Every Saturday they have a Farmstand event where they sell their freshly grown veggies. All the veggies have "a suggested price, which is below the market rate for organic produce. Customers are welcome to pay above or below that price depending on their ability." The Farmstand event is located on 647 S King Street and runs from 10am-2pm.

Also, browse their website for other events (there's lots!) and other ways you can get involved. If you have a green thumb but no yard (or even if you do have a yard), this may be a perfect place to volunteer your time.

Enjoy the weekend!

I know I will, thanks to a win by the Red Sox! FINALLY!

--L

An insider's view into DMI! Part 2!

2011-04-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Last month I had a post about our Winkjet in the first installment of "An insider's view into DMI!" Since that post was such a big hit (at least I thought it was) I wanted to give you another sneak peak into DMI.

Today's guest of honor is Inserter #1! (Not be confused with Inserter #2.)

Our inserting machine:

Has 8 stations which means it can insert 8 items at once
Originally only had 4 stations but we added the additional stations
Can insert up to 7,000 pieces an hour
Has a friction feeder which allows it to insert non traditional items such as booklets
Can be used in line with a stamper or a meter
Is the oldest machine we have on our Production floor currently
Is used for almost every job

As always leave a comment if you would like to know more about this machine or any of our other machines.

Or if you want to meet the Inserter in person, let us know!

--L

What's your Twitter influence?

2011-04-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

How was everyone's weekend? We had some really great weather!

I must confess that I am addicted to Twitter!

I read an interesting article in The New York Times Magazine called A Better Way to Measure Twitter Influence. As the article states, the number of followers you have is "how people keep score on the site and compare themselves with friends and colleagues."

"But it turns out that counting followers is a seriously flawed way to measure a person's impact on Twitter." Which makes me feel better about DMI's Twitter account. (You know what will make me feel even better? If you follow us!)

So how do you measure your influence on Twitter? An independent research firm created something called the Influence Index. "It counts the number of times somebody's Twitter name is mentioned by other users (including retweets, which occur when one user rebroadcasts another's message)." So what they found was that it's not about how many people follow you but how many people are mentioning you.

So why does this all matter? If you were using Twitter as part of an overall marketing campaign, the main goal shouldn't be to attract tons of followers (granted that is important), but it should be to have people who support your organization or company mention your Twitter account to create the type of buzz you're looking for.

Do you agree with this article? Are followers just as important as your Influence Index? Is your organization or company looking to launch Twitter accounts?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Bakesale Edition

2011-04-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

After much contemplation, I have decided to discontinue this blog.

APRIL FOOLS!

Were there any good pranks pulled at your work places today? We were pretty good here at DMI. No pranks...at least that I know of!

Today's edition of Community Weekend is about something that I love...baked goods! There is a nationwide Bake Sale for Japan this Saturday.

100% of the proceeds will go to Peace Winds Japan "whose mission is to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in the Asia Pacific. Right now, 100% of donations to Peace Winds America and Peace Winds Japan supports relief efforts for Japan."

There will be events all over the country and there's one right here in San Jose. Roy's Station Coffee and Teas on Jackson Street will be hosting an event from 10am-2pm. As a bonus they will also be holding an evening event from 3pm-6pm that will benefit the Japanese Red Cross.

So go out to Roy's Station Coffee and Teas to support these great events for a good cause!

--L

Better Know a DMI Employee!

2011-03-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite segments on The Colbert Report is the "Better Know a District" segment. I thought we could have our own DMI version!

So here's my interview with head of our Graphics Department, who we'll call GD.

L: How long have you been working at DMI?

GD: 2 years. Time flies when you're having fun!

L: So speaking of fun, what do you do when you're not working?

GD: I like to pump iron!

L: That sounds impressive!

GD: But seriously I really like to stay physically active in my personal life. I stay in shape by going to the gym, snowboarding, dancing, rock climbing, and paint balling.

L: I wish I could be that active. Do you have any pets?

GD: Yes I have 2 house cats named Ace and Sheba.

L: Nice! Any funny stories about your cats?

GD: They're full of personality. It's like living with 2 other roommates. One acts like a toddler and the other seems to have a bipolar personality.

L: Sounds like a handful! I know what it's like to have a crazy pet. Were you always creatively minded or was it something that developed over the years?

GD: It actually runs in the family. My mom is a florist and a craft maker, my dad is a photographer and my brother & sister are both artists. It's something that just came naturally.

L: A family of artists. That's really interesting! Thanks for a great interview!

I hope you all had fun getting to know a DMI employee!

--L

Benefits of Barcodes

2011-03-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a good weekend! I was on the road when Earth Hour happened and was curious to see how dark it would get around me but unfortunately nothing happened. Granted turning off your car headlights would not have been a good idea!

Last month we had written a post titled, Love and the 2D Barcode. It was about those little bar codes we see on advertisements.

Well these 2D bar codes (also called QR codes) are gaining more momentum. In a recent article from Advertising Age, QR codes are being pushed to the forefront by some large companies. Companies like Target, Best Buy, Macy's, and Post cereal are doing large marketing campaigns not only by using these bar codes but emphasizing how to use these bar codes.

Macy's has a nationally running video that "shows shoppers how to use codes and explains what they'll get access to when they scan one with their phone." They have "in-store signs and employees that are armed with more than 100,000 lanyards containing instructions on how to use the codes."

I think educating the public is the most important thing. If people know how to use it and why they should use it, it allows people to embrace the technology more.

This type of marketing can be used as part of a direct marketing campaign as well. Creating a buzz about your company or organization in multiple channels is vital in making your overall direct marketing campaign successful.

Has anyone tried scanning any of these 2-D bar codes? What do you think about this type of marketing? If you knew more about it, would you be more willing to try it?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Earth Hour Edition

2011-03-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Let's hope the rain stops so we can enjoy the weekend.

For today's Community Weekend, I wanted to talk about an event that you can attend in your own home! This Saturday (03/26/11) is Earth Hour. Earth Hour is a "worldwide collective display of commitment to protect the one thing that unites us all - the planet."

In order to participate, all you have to do is turn off your lights at 8:30pm (local time) for an hour! While the lights are out, take a minute to think about what you can do to conserve the environment and make it more sustainable.

For more information about Earth Hour check out these links:

http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx

http://www.worldwildlife.org/sites/earthhour/index.html

http://www.beyondthehour.org/

Join the movement and turn off your lights!

--L

Maximizing ROI

2011-03-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today we have another post by our guest blogger. Take it away!

Here at DMI, we employ statistical analysis to select the best targets for our clients, review campaign performance, and even evaluate our internal production and data processes.

But here is one we hadn’t seen before - One of my favorite bloggers, Nate Silver, recently wrote an article on how to use statistics to select the best salad: maximizing Return on Investment (ROI) by component/ingredient evaluation.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to get the most for your money out of a salad bar or a prospecting campaign, ROI component evaluation can be a quite a useful tool.

We can more broadly apply this idea to meet our clients’ needs by having them evaluate their internal data resources from an ROI perspective. Instead of going out and purchasing an expensive, heavily detailed prospecting list, we might advise them to consider going back to lists of lapsed customers or donors, or reaching out to those who are affiliated with their organization in some other capacity. This information may also be added to a less expensive prospecting list option and then incorporated into a statistical modeled solution.

--B

Mail Delivered Via Missile?

2011-03-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

What a rain filled weekend we had! My borrowed poncho was my favorite clothing item over the weekend, and I don't think I'm going to return it anytime soon.

So did you know that the Postal Service used a missile to deliver mail? Well they did!

"On June 8, 1959, in a move that Postmaster General Arthur A. Summerfield heralded as 'of historic significance to the peoples of the entire world,' the Navy submarine USS Barbero fired a guided missile carrying 3,000 letters towards the naval auxiliary air station in Mayport, Florida. Racing along at about 600 miles per hour, the guided missile traveled the more than 100 miles from the deck of the submarine off the coast of Florida to the air station in about 22 minutes."

Wouldn't it be cool to get your mail delivered to you in minutes, instead of days? Maybe not your bills but all the fun stuff like packages or magazines.

Unfortunately this experiment didn't stick and was a one time thing. Granted, I can see where some issues and concerns would arise.

You can read the entire article here: http://www.usps.com/postalhistory/_pdf/MissileMail.pdf

Can you imagine if this option was available today? Direct mail would be a completely different concept.

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Save a Life Edition!

2011-03-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

How was everyone's St. Patrick's Day? I had a wonderful traditional Irish dinner last night and of course some Irish beer to go along with it.

Due to many recent events, for this week's Community Weekend I wanted to talk about a great event called Save A Life Saturday by the American Red Cross and hosted by Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The event will offer "the basics of hands-only CPR, the treatment of shock and how to treat wounds." These classes will be given all over the country in over 100 locations.

Luckily there will be a class held at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library from 4:30pm-6:00pm on Saturday (03/19/11). Best of all, it's a free class!

This is a great opportunity "to promote awareness and preparedness in an emergency situation in our community."

So get out in the rain and get to the library to learn some life saving skills!

Try to stay as dry as possible and be careful out there. Looks like a wet weekend in the Bay Area!

--L

P.S. Choosing all cinderella teams isn't working out so well for me in my NCAA bracket! Grrr!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Eve!

2011-03-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I am a total holiday person. I love every holiday!

Since I don't usually blog on Thursdays, today will be my St. Patty's Day post.

St. Patty's Day is all about the color green. I always make sure I have a green shirt to wear, or that I have a green marker handy, so I can draw green shamrocks on my hand to avoid getting pinched.

DMI also loves the color green!

We are Green e-certified and a recognized Green Business in Santa Clara County. So what does this all mean?

Our energy usage is offset by purchasing renewable energy credits
We use energy efficient lightbulbs in all of our light fixtures
We use recycled paper for all of our office needs
We encourage our clients to mail less and use recycled and/or FSC certified materials
Our production floor recycles, reuses, and re-purposes all materials
We use soy based ink for our printers
Our new office was designed with lots of windows to take advantage of natural lighting
Even our soda machine is green! There is a censor that shuts off the machine when people aren't walking by

What are some ways you or your business are being green? What are some ways you or your business are celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

--L

P.S. Someone get me some green beer!

You can do everything with a smartphone!

2011-03-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

How was everyone's weekend? Did everyone remember to change their clocks yesterday? I love that our smartphones change the time for us automatically!

Speaking of smartphones, I was given an article from BBC News Technology titled Denmark to swap stamps for texts. People in Denmark are now allowed to send a "text bearing the word 'PORTO' to the 1900 number" and "will get in return a code that must be written on a letter in the place they would usually stick a stamp."

It's pretty cool that the Denmark Post Office is embracing technology. The more accessible the Post Office is, the more people are inclined to use it. But don't worry, this service will not replace stamps in Denmark. They intend to "keep the Danish stamp tradition alive as the stamp adds qualities to a letter." This just gives people another option.

I think it's great that we have the ability to use smartphones to do more and more. I was able to donate to the Red Cross for the Japan relief efforts just by sending a text. If I can buy a stamp doing the same, I'm on board.

What do you think of this service? If this was available here, would you be willing to use it? As always, all comments are appreciated!

--L

P.S. Did everyone fill out their NCAA brackets? I'm rooting for Cinderella teams all the way! :)

DMI's Community Weekend - Women's History Month Edition

2011-03-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

Our thoughts go out to everyone in Japan who was affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Click here for information on how you can help!

As many of you know, March is Women's History Month and SJSU Women's Studies is hosting many events all month long.

One of the events is a screening of the documentary "Sowing the Seeds of Justice: The Story of Cruz Reynoso." This film describes the life of Cruz Reynoso, who was the first Chicano Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. The documentary was written and directed by Abby Ginzberg, an award winning documentary filmmaker who focuses on issues dealing with racial or gender discrimination and social injustices.

After the screening of the documentary, there will be a conversation session with both Cruz Reynoso and Abby Ginzberg.

All events are open to the public so I urge everyone to attend one of the many events.

Have a good weekend everyone!

--L

A look at trends of charitable giving

2011-03-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today we have a guest blogger from our Research department to tell us about trends in giving! Take it away!

In late 2009 and again in late 2010, DMI commissioned five poll questions to be conducted by the Survey Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University. The questions were asked of respondents in the Silicon Valley area of California.

The results for the 2009 Survey can be found here, and the results of the 2010 Survey can be found here.

So what did we learn from the surveys? We inferred that the likelihood of a significant donation decreased between the end of 2009 and 2010, mostly for church based organizations, and that the public perception of the importance of Food Banks decreased more than any other type of organization listed, while the public perception of organizations promoting environmental issues increased slightly.

More people in 2010 say that they are donating to national organizations, perhaps driven by political considerations, or even specific issues like the BP oil disaster. There also appears to have been a shift in preference to Email solicitations at the expense of Postal mail, but Postal mail is still the most popular form of solicitation; there has been an increase in the None of the above option, indicating the emergence of a new solicitation method, perhaps social media driven. We can also see that more donors say they are restricting their giving to known organizations, indicating perhaps the increasing importance of loyalty.

In all, people still open their mail, and still want to be mailed, but appear wary of giving to new organizations, or to donating in general.

If you want more information about these surveys and our results, contact us!

--B

Selfless Creativity

2011-03-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

How was everyone's weekend?

Most of my weekend was spent hanging out with my dog which may sound boring, but he is like the Tasmanian devil x 100! Besides chasing my dog around, I saw a Cinequest movie on Sunday. As I said last Friday, it's definitely a must!

Today's post is about an article from The Wall Street Journal. The article is titled Week In Ideas, which is a montage of various topics from the week. The topic that peaked our interest the most was from the psychology section. It touched upon ideas from an abstract in the "Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin" which found through various surveys that "people are more creative when they're thinking on someone else's behalf."

So what does this study mean for direct marketing? There is a benefit for getting creative input from other people and/or agencies, such as DMI. Internal creative teams are wonderful but having another opinion is definitely a bonus. We at DMI pride ourselves in being able to work with our clients' creative teams to produce a cohesive message. We are also a great resource if your company or organization does not have a creative team because we become your off-site team.

Please Contact Us if you want to know more information about our creative capabilities!

Also, don't forget to subscribe to our blog by entering your email address in the box on the right hand side!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Movie Edition!

2011-03-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you guys but I am so ready for the weekend!

For today's Community Weekend, I wanted to talk about the Cinquest Film Festival. It is an independent movie festival that is right here in San Jose. "Cinequest remains one of the last big festival bastions for the discovery of new and emerging film artists."

It's a great opportunity to support our local art scene and see some quality movies! It is a 13 day event (started on March 1st) and movies are shown all over downtown San Jose.

Their website has a great interactive schedule/calendar so you can plan out all the movies that you want to watch. There's also movie info, trailers, and you can even buy your tickets online.

I've already purchased tickets for a movie this weekend and excited to see more!

So check out the website: www.cinequest.org

Have a great weekend!

--L

An insider's view into DMI!

2011-03-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

Happy March everyone! Where is the time going?

It seems that we have finally settled into our new office (minus a few finishing touches).

One of the departments that changed the most was our Production floor. We streamlined the layout of the machines in order to increase efficiency. So what kind of machines are we talking about?

Let me introduce you to our "Winkjet!"

This inkjetting machine:

Can inkjet 10,000 mail pieces per hour
Handles stock sizes from 3"x3" to 11"x17"
Not only inkjets but stamps envelopes and tabs mailers
Requires only one person to operate the entire machine
Prints variable data as well as simple graphic images
Almost all of our projects run through this machine

This is just one of our many reliable machines that help make DMI...well DMI!

Leave a comment if you would like to know more about our Winkjet or our other machines, or if you would like to come by for a visit to learn more about DMI.

--L

Blogger Influence

2011-02-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

When the idea of having a blog for DMI started floating around, there were a lot of questions that we had to consider. Who would be our resident blogger? What would we blog about? How much did we want to reveal on our blog? And the most important question...who would read our blog?

A recent article in The New York Times Magazine titled, Queen of the Mommy Bloggers got me thinking about how much influence a particular blogger may have. The article talks about a couple popular blogs (we're talking about 100,000 visits per day) that have yielded influence amongst its readers. One of the featured bloggers, Heather Armstrong from www.dooce.com, complained about her washing machine on various blog posts and because of all the press her blog was receiving, she "fielded frantic, apologetic calls from Maytag and not only got her washing machine fixed but also had a second one donated by a different company to a nearby women's shelter."

She along with many other bloggers also have turned blogging into a lucrative business with ad placements and product endorsements. Has this turned off readers? "Being powerful on the Internet is an odd and contrary state. 'Influential' can mean strangers love you but it is just as likely to mean that they hate you."

With or without ads, people read blogs for various reasons. It's a window into someone else's life, they may share a particular interest or hobby, or they can be a resource for information. We wanted our blog to be a combination of all those reasons.

Why do you read blogs? What blogs have appealed to you? Does a blogger's opinion help influence yours?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Pet Edition!

2011-02-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

TGIF! I'm always excited for the weekend but I'm especially excited because rumor has it, there's going to be snow in the Bay Area! I have heard some reports that it won't be at ground level but I will be crossing my fingers (and toes) that those reports are not true.

In other exciting news, there is a Bay Area Pet Expo this Saturday at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds this Saturday! And don't worry about the cold because this event will be held indoors so you and your pets (who are welcome!) will be nice and warm. Did I mention that it's free admission as well?

There is a variety of events scheduled for the day such as:

Discounted vaccinations, microchipping, and grooming
Huge Adoption event
Pet costume contest, fashion show, and talent show
Dog agility course
Tons of pet related booths with all kinds of pet products
and so much more!

Check out the website for all details: http://www.bayareapetexpo.com/

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and make sure to bundle up! Brrrr!

--L

Celebrity Endorsements

2011-02-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

I was given an article today from the San Francisco Chronicle titled "What causes you to get behind a cause or nonprofit?" that I found to be very interesting. The article asked 5 people various questions about their personal activism and involvement in organizations. However, the question that peaked my interest the most was the last one: "Do celebrity endorsements of philanthropic causes affect you?"

With the rise of Twitter and other social media websites, celebrity endorsements are becoming very common. For example on Twitter, a lot of celebrities are using it as a personal platform to discuss various causes and organizations that they feel passionately about.

Personally, depending on the celebrity, I may be more inclined to check out a certain cause or non profit but I would never just blindly support it. But the article got me thinking...have I subconsciously started believing in a cause because a celebrity was associated with it?

Celebrity endorsements are powerful; almost every advertisement features one. So why not use that power to promote something good? So maybe it's not necessarily a bad thing if I support a cause that's promoted by a celebrity.

What are your thoughts? Are there any causes that you have supported because of a celebrity? Are there causes that you were turned off against because of a celebrity?

--L

DMI has your marketing secret weapon!

2011-02-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

Hopefully everyone had a good President's Day weekend! Since yesterday was a holiday, I've decided to post Monday's DMI's Insights, today.

Today's article, Marketers' secret weapon: direct mail, from Direct Marketing News hits close to home because it aligns with what DMI believes in. Direct mail is a powerful resource and tool for any company or organization. Not only is direct mail spending expected to increase, "mail remains the largest channel in terms of direct marketing spending."

Also direct mail is "highly customizable, it enables marketers to communicate more information in a single package, it's trackable and it can be particularly effective when integrated with other media channels." You never want to mail to everyone and pray for the best. You want to make sure to customize your direct mail campaign by targeting and selecting the best possible prospects for your particular objective. Also, by tracking results, everyone is able to learn what worked and what didn't. This helps the campaign to be a circular and dynamic process instead of just a linear process. Using other media outlets such as television, radio, email, etc. is key in increasing the effectiveness of your direct mail campaign.

To learn more about DMI's approach to direct mail, visit our website Data Marketing, Inc. or feel free to fill out the Contact Us form!

I would love to hear your feedback on our comments section below on what your thoughts are about direct mail. Have you received any interesting direct mail lately? Does your company currently conduct any direct mail campaigns?

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - President's Day Edition

2011-02-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

I'm back from vacation! Can you guess where I went?

I want to thank our guest bloggers, Z & B, who filled in while I was gone. They had some really interesting posts!

I realized I came back from vacation just in time to enjoy a 3 day weekend. Yay!

Unfortunately the weather hasn't been so nice the past couple of days but if you don't mind the rain, there's a great event going on this Saturday at Santana Row that benefits the American Heart Association (AHA).

Santana Row's Wine & Dine Around is an event to "raise awareness of the impact of heart disease and stroke on women." The event runs from 2pm-5pm and tickets are $30 each and all proceeds of ticket sales will go straight to the AHA. "More than a dozen Santana Row shops and restaurants will host exclusive in-store events featuring complimentary wine tastings, plus all participating retailers will offer 15% off available to ticket holders." You even get your own Santana Row wine glass!

Click here for more information.

Enjoy the long weekend everyone and head out to Santana Row to enjoy some shopping and wine!

--L

Digging into the Archives: A Look Back at DMI’s History

2011-02-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday we bring you a blast from the past – a research project conducted by Data Marketing. In the 1970s, after a consensus was established that cigarettes negatively impacted health, DMI ran a series of studies on a nicotine-free and tobacco-free cigarette alternative called “Free”.

With a smell reminiscent of burning chocolate due to the fact that it was derived from cocoa beans, “Free” was field tested in June and September of 1977.

The ad campaign for “Free” ran in the Mercury News in late 1977 through the beginning of 1978. The brand was bought out before a full-scale roll-out

It is interesting to note that the focus on cigarette alternatives in the past was primarily on removing nicotine, while today’s focus appears to have shifted into the smokeless, electronic alternatives, while continuing to incorporate nicotine.

So the question we’re left with - is it the smoke or the nicotine?

--B

Love and the 2D Barcode

2011-02-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

You see them everywhere – small pixilated boxes on advertisements, newspapers, and even on walls! With just a simple scan of this barcode from your smartphone, you can instantly connect to movie trailers, news articles, nutritional facts, and a whole lot more.

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority has come up with a novel way to test the potential use of the 2D barcode by asking riders “Share the Love” by ‘shar[ing] a story about a praise-worthy RFTA driver or employee of the transportation agency.’

In this tech savvy region, it is important to stay on the cutting edge of communications technology.

2D barcodes – scan them with someone you love today!

Check out the article here!

--B

DMI’s Community Weekend

2011-02-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

The Year of the Rabbit is now officially in full swing, and if you never had a chance to enjoy any Lunar New Year festivities (or just haven’t gotten your fill!), you can stop by one of these events hosted by the San Jose Public Library:

Saturday, Feb. 12^th 2-3pm: The Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra will be performing at the Almaden Branch Library and Community Center, featuring traditional Chinese music and instruments.

Saturday, Feb. 12^th 2:00pm: ‘Chinese/English bilingual storytime’ at the Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library

Saturday, Feb. 12^th 2:30pm: ‘Far East Dragon Lion Dance’ also at the Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library

On a similar note, I’d highly recommend bookmarking the event pages at the San Jose Public Library and SJSU/SJL websites, as there is likely to be an event/exhibit in your area quite often. Currently, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is featuring artwork from all over the world in the Dream Rocket exhibit until March 1st!

For more information, as well as directions to these branches, please visit the following:

San Jose Public Library - http://www.sjpl.org/news

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library - http://library.sjsu.edu//events/events-listing

--Z

Bon Voyage!

2011-02-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I'm not leaving for good, but I will be leaving for vacation today!

However, you are all in luck. We will have a couple guest bloggers posting while I'm away. So make sure to keep reading the blog and offer them any suggestions/comments.

Until I return...

--L

Data Analysis + Messaging = DMI

2011-02-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

Wasn't there a petition going around somewhere to make the Monday after Superbowl Sunday a National Holiday? Well in any case, it's just a regular Monday (for now) and that means another installment of DMI's Insights.

Today's article is from The Wall Street Journal called "Avoiding the Road to PowerPoint Hell" which talks about keeping presentations simple. It's a humorous and editorial article that discusses how to make PowerPoint presentations less cumbersome.

The author of the article, Nancy Duarte, believes that "when the right visuals and words are used together, they create a third kind of experience, one that operates by unifying mind and emotion." This is especially important in direct mail. Placing the right image along with the right messaging will compel more people to donate, buy, etc. The design and layout of the package is crucial in developing a successful mail campaign.

There is also a sample of a PowerPoint presentation that Ms. Duarte had done for Cisco Systems which I thought was very interesting. She was able to transform "typical technology-industry slides" into something approachable. DMI uses the same approach. We are able to transform data, which is often an intangible thing into something tangible. Not only because we produce physical direct mail, but we are also able to analyze the data to show the intangible in a concrete way using analysis and modeling.

You can read the full article here: Avoiding the Road to PowerPoint Hell

Make sure to visit our website or contact us to get more information on our experiences with messaging and analysis.

What are your thoughts on the article? Do you have any PowerPoint or direct mail horror stories? Feel free to share them in the comments section below!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend - Superbowl Edition!

2011-02-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

I love Superbowl Sunday! It's a great time to gather with family and friends, eat junk food, drink beer, and scream at the television. If the big game isn't your style, there's something else on TV that might even be better. The PUPPY BOWL on Animal Planet! Quite possibly one of the cutest things I have ever watched.

However, if you want something else to do this weekend, I suggest the Tech Museum. The first full weekend of every month (which is this weekend!), if you are a Bank of America cardholder, you get one free admission to all the regular galleries when you show your Bank of America credit or check card and a photo ID.

There are lots of things to see and do there, such as the Invention of Play exhibit. This exhibit was "developed by the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History." This is a hands on exhibit that allows people to play with traditional toys that have been infused with 20th century technologies.

There is also a traveling exhibit called Body Worlds Vital. This exhibit requires separate admission. Prices for this and the hours of the exhibit can be found on the website (link below). If you have never seen a Body Worlds exhibit before, it is definitely a must. I have yet to see this particular exhibit but I went to one a few years ago and I must say that it was quite the experience. It may not be for everyone however, so check out the information on the website for details.

Visit the website for information on these exhibits and everything else at The Tech: http://www.thetech.org/

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and takes advantage of the wonderful spring like weather! Granted, I'll be indoors aww-ing at the puppies and cheering for the Packers! ;)

--L

Who is DMI?

2011-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Our office, like many others, are full of characters. We are all different in our own unique ways. I wanted the readers to get to know our cast of characters so today's post will list an interesting fun fact for some of us here at DMI (including me!).

Since some people are shy, I wanted to provide a sense of anonymity, however, next time you talk to any of us at DMI, try to guess which fact belongs to whom!

I have a daughter who loves to eat lemons

My all time favorite TV show is Newsradio

My favorite thing to drink is coconut juice

I am a practicing Buddhist

I am an adrenaline junkie

I am a member of the 1906 Ultras

I love watching scary movies in the middle of the night

I used to teach Sunday School at church

I have 2 grandchildren

I love to ride bicycles

When I was in the Air Force, I once screamed at a Major and got away with it

I have been a vegetarian all of my life

I was the House Manager for the Shakespeare Festival

I coach kids soccer

I am a home brewer

--L

Being Confident

2011-01-31T17:13:00.000-08:00

For this Monday's edition of DMI's Insights, I wanted to talk about confidence. Specifically, our confidence in the economy. A lot of times, people's perception of the economy tells us a lot more than what is actually going on.

SPRI, the Survey & Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University, conducts various surveys to capture people's perceptions. DMI has worked with SPRI to conduct a couple of surveys as well. Hopefully those results will be released shortly.

Their most recent survey was to test California consumer confidence along with Silicon Valley's consumer confidence. Based on their results, they found that overall confidence had increased. "The upward trend reflects a more positive assessment of both current economic conditions and future expectations."

One of the questions that I thought was interesting was Question #2, which asked: "Now looking ahead - do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now?" 77% of those polled in California and 79% in Silicon Valley believed that they would either be better off or at least the same as now. This shows that people are definitely encouraged by our current economic state and are hopeful of what's to come.

This is a perfect opportunity to market. It is important to take full advantage of the positive view we have of our economy. People are willing to support causes and invest in services based on that confidence. Also, people understand that in tough times, there are more of those in need. From our experience, we have seen many of our Non Profit clients continue to receive a lot of donations and even increase their donations in the past two years.

Please take a moment to review the full survey and let us know what your thoughts are. Do you agree with the results? How has your organization done in 2010 compared to 2009? What are your expectations for 2011 and beyond?

SPRI Consumer Confidence Survey Results

--L

DMI's Community Weekend

2011-01-28T15:05:00.000-08:00

I thought Friday would never come! But here we are, embarking on another weekend.

For this edition of Community Weekend, I want to feature an organization that is near and dear to my heart...the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. I was just there last weekend to get a vaccine for my dog, and for those who know me, my dog is probably one of the most important people in my life.

In the month of January, the Humane Society of Silicon Valley is doing discounted microchipping. It will only cost you $30 instead of the normal $45. You only have a few more days to take advantage of this offer, so I encourage everyone who has a pet to consider getting them microchipped this weekend. No appointments are necessary so walk on in!

Even if you're not interested in microchipping, there are a variety of other services available such as spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, grooming, a member's only dog park, and even a doggie daycare! The remodeled facility which is right off Ames Street in Milpitas, is a great resource for all pet owners. Or if you want to become a pet owner, check out the adoption section of the website and take a look at the available pets. I know you won't be able to resist the cute animals!

Click on the link below for more information about microchipping and browse around the site for other fun stuff!

HumaneSocietySiliconValley

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

--L

Wednesday Already?

2011-01-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, there is a theme for each blog post. Wednesday's topic is to share something about DMI so you can get to know us better.

However, today I wanted to encourage the readers to get more involved in the blog. So, something that everyone here at DMI has expressed interest in, is getting more involved with our community. We all do things individually but I think it's more fun and makes a bigger impact if we can volunteer together as a group.

So once again, I need the help of the readers in giving us advice on what opportunities are available. We have resources and clients we can turn to, but why not try to expand our horizons.

All ideas and feedback is appreciated so don't be shy and leave us some suggestions.

--L

Monday do over!

2011-01-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

I know the thought of re-doing Monday is as bad as well...a Monday, but you will have to humor me, since I was out of the office yesterday at a doctor's appointment.

So since today is Monday (for me), it is time for DMI's Insights. A chance to discuss a relevant article in our industry.

Today's article is from Deliver Magazine's July 2010 issue titled "Alpha Mail." It sparked the interest of DMI, because it had to do with not just direct mail but targeted direct mail. The article focuses on Chris Newman, a "young advertising maverick" who was able to use web based concepts and apply them to dimensional mailings specifically for Sprint/Nextel.

My personal favorite was his peanut butter and jelly mailer. It was a box that contained a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly with the tag line "Not since PB&J has integration been so seamless." This was a business to business mailer to attract people to integrate their personal phones with their business lines. The thinking behind this campaign was to find a "concept of two things that are completely separate but really work well together as a whole." It's one thing to have a creative idea, but did it work? In this case, it did superbly! They had "exceeded the goal by more than 300 percent."

The reason I love this direct mail piece is because it is a simple idea that fit the client's theme and intent perfectly. Dimensional mail pieces can be fun (who doesn't like to open presents?), but you still have to be targeted and smart with the concept. Otherwise, you can invest in a campaign that does not produce responses.

DMI, along with Chris, strongly believe in developing a direct mail piece with the target audience in mind. This is at the heart of our direct marketing approach, where we start by modeling in order to gain insights on the customer's attributes and behaviors.

In our experience, we found that honing in on the target audience is the key component to any direct mail campaign. That's why we encourage our clients to mail less in order to increase their response rates and also reduce waste.

You can read the article here:
Alpha Mail - Chris Newman

What do you think about Chris Newman and his dimensional mailings? What kinds of dimensional mailings have you sent out? What were your results?

Feel free to contact us to discuss the dimensional pieces we have done and what our results and findings were.

Send along your answers and thoughts in the comments section below!

--L

DMI's Community Weekend

2011-01-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

Every Friday I want to feature a local event that is going on in our community so if anyone asks what you're doing over the weekend, you have an answer! Send in any events that you want to have featured on Fridays and I will happily blog about them. You can send them by clicking on the Contact DMI link under About Me and fill out the submission form with all the necessary information.

For our first installment of Community Weekend...Happy Hollow Park and Zoo!

They offer a variety of education classes and camps for children (and adults) of all ages. This Saturday (01/22/11) there is a Zoo Babies class, where you guessed it, you can see baby animals. It's a great way for children to interact with the animals and meet other human children as well. Also, parking and admission to the park is free for all class participants on the day of the class. What a great deal!

For more information on the Zoo Babies class or any other class and/or camp, visit the website:
http://www.hhpz.org/index.cfm/id/120/

Enjoy the lovely January weather we're having and I'll see you at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo this Saturday!

--L

Is it too late to make new year's resolutions?

2011-01-19T14:40:00.001-08:00

The new year brought along a lot of new changes for DMI.

The major change was our move. We relocated our office to a business park on Zanker Road. If you think moving from house to house (or apartment to apartment) is tough, imagine moving an entire office! There were a lot of logistics involved but we are finally settling into our new space.

Timing our move with the new year was perfect. It gave us all a chance to start 2011 fresh with a list of things we wanted to accomplish not only in our new space but as a company.

One thing we wanted to start in the new year was this blog. Many times, we only talk to our clients for the duration of a project, so we wanted to have a platform to convey information. Our blog will cover a variety of things such as relevant direct marketing information, updates on DMI, and a venue for clients to promote or discuss important issues and/or events.

So my first (of many) new year's resolutions is to make this blog useful and fun for the readers with regular updates and engaging topics.

I encourage everyone to leave a comment on what their new year's resolution is so we can all reflect at the end of the year on how we did!

Happy belated new year! Here's to a wonderful 2011!

--L