We spend a good deal of our marketing efforts incenting customers to be loyal to us; to be our brand advocates. But doesn’t loyalty go both ways? Don’t we, in turn, need to demonstrate our commitment to our customers? It’s a two-way street, after all—a dialogue. One way to display your commitment—or loyalty—to your customers is to show them you know them: who they are, where they are, what they buy, and what they want. We all experience this kind of dialogue daily online: ads served up to us reflect our searches from 5 minutes ago; recommender engines tell us what else we’d like based on what is in our baskets. These days, it’s expected. Ubiquitous, almost. But what about in print? I’d posit that sending a targeted, relevant print mail piece audience conveys a more authentic investment to your customer. The real impact comes from using data and understanding your customers’ behavior. Variable data printing allows us to create powerful, relevant direct mail that speaks to individuals on a truly 1:1 basis. Personalization allows us to move beyond mass mailings and “spray-and-pray” direct mail. Instead, we can create messages and offers based on customers’ demographics, preferences, and histories… and show them we know them. Let’s revisit a few ways to consider showing your customers you know them in print. I’ve written about them before: they are the Three Ps. read more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/show-them-you-know-them/

Are you headed to the NEMOA conference in Everett, MA April 4 - 6th? We'd love to see you and catch up. Join J.Schmid President & CCO Brent Niemuth as he hosts a hands-on interactive workshop on Creative and Content: Develop a look, feel and content that is clearly aligned with your brand and resonates with customers. But that's not all! J.Schmid EVP of Client Services, Michele Drohan will be leading an interactive Catalog Critique session where you'll learn the building blocks of an effective catalog, then work with peers to review and critique a catalog. If you're not registered, it's not too late! We'd love to see you there and we have a special discount to share with you. Use code BRD15 for 15% off your registration. Register now at: https://nemoaevent.org/?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=NEMOA&utm_campaign=website

In today's digital world, the importance of humanity marketing cannot be overstated. With so much competition for attention online, businesses must stand out by showing their human side. Join J.Schmid President & Chief Creative Officer, Brent Niemuth as he shares valuable insights on implementing the humanity marketing strategy for business success with Infidigit's Country Director - Americas, Shelly Singh. watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvVKkFPF3lA

So many businesses don’t do nearly enough to greet a customer warmly, and give them a brand hug at the all-important point of purchase. Every business should carefully examine how all of your customers are being exposed to your brand. “Consumers state that the post-purchase journey is the most emotional part of their customer experience, with 63% invested in the shipping, delivery and fulfillment process.” Read More at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/new-customer-journey/

Integrating a strategic technology-driven extension is more than just a trend in direct marketing. It can be a game-changer. Applications such as Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Virtual Reality, Voice Assistant, Near Field Communication, or Video enable your mail to captivate your audience for a longer period, making for a more memorable brand experience that can expand the campaign’s reach. Most important, it can drive greater response. Augmented Reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view often by using the camera on a smartphone. AR is more than QR codes. AR both heightens engagement with a mail piece and links it directly to the online channel to extend the sales process. Now, the USPS has made this even more enticing with the Emerging Technology and Mobile Shopping postal discount incentive which runs between May 1st — November 30th. This promotion provides a 3-4% discount depending on the complexity of the technology.

Along with “storytelling” and “authenticity” the word “community” gets tossed around a lot these days by brands and marketers alike. While all three of these terms, and the sentiments they carry, are often used as empty platitudes or attractive phrases to sprinkle in an ‘About Us’ page, in their best uses they come from a place of sincerity and real consumer ramifications. In a 2021 study from ebbo, ‘community’ was the second highest factor that contributed to customer loyalty after product quality. But what does community mean for a brand? How can it be grown and nurtured? What does it look like? To answer these questions I want to take a look at three different brands each instilling community with their consumers in vastly different ways. Some take place in online chat rooms, others in secret shopping opportunities, and some through in-person engagement. No matter how they approach it, each of these brands takes what people love about their products and their mission and create a space for that to flourish. read more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/creating-community/

Join J.Schmid President & CCO Brent Niemuth as he hosts a hands-on creative workshop at the Spring NEMOA conference April 4, 2023. If you're not already familiar with NEMOA, here's what you need to know: • It's the only summit for true omnichannel marketers, helping brands harness the power of print in the marketing mix. • The thought-provoking discussions and enriching sessions are 100% guaranteed to drive actionable insights. • This is the last week to get the very best prices on hotel rooms. • And one more thing...we can offer you a 15% discount with code BRD15! That's right, it's a perk we get as a board member. So if you're interested in going, register now! Register at: https://web.cvent.com/event/9a4bcadf-2109-4eb0-8ea6-305c5c036d05/regProcessStep1?_ga=2.221219032.1124295288.1677590315-614130158.1677590315