Services
Branding
When the term “branding” is mentioned, interpretations can differ greatly. Our brand studies conduct a thorough examination of your brand story, attributes, mission, vision, tagline, and all visual elements. Our deliverable typically includes 50–60 pages of meticulously researched data, meaningful copy, deep insights, and unexpected sparks of creativity that can redefine your brand. To truly appreciate the value of our branding projects, we encourage you to explore the results we’ve achieved for other clients. We would be happy to walk you through some compelling examples.
Direct Marketing Strategy Audits
A complete audit of your (direct) marketing strategy can reveal many opportunities. Most brands we work with are doing some form of direct marketing, but really, a multifaceted approach offers the best ROI. Whether it’s email, social media, SMS, catalogs, postcards, etc. it’s always a smart idea to review what you’re doing and how each channel is performing on an annual basis. These strategy audits nearly always bring several “aha moments” to the brands we work with and, like a perfect recipe, combining them in just the right proportions can be the difference between a 2X and a 10X+ ROAS.
Process & Team Efficiency
How do you assemble a cohesive and efficient team of marketers and creatives? What does your current team structure look like? Are the right individuals in place to handle the tasks at hand, minimizing overlap while celebrating the expertise you already have? What does your production process entail, and how are your project schedules organized? How can we enhance efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility? What strategies can be employed to foster effective collaboration with creatives? If you need assistance with recruitment, we conduct comprehensive evaluations of teams, meeting with each member to ensure they are satisfied and positioned to excel. This process often reveals valuable insights, enabling us to provide recommendations that streamline your operations and enhance team satisfaction.
Merchandising & Pricing
Partnering with one of our most trusted and effective merch consultants, we can help ensure that your merchandising and pricing strategies are optimized for success. Ultimately, a customer will either make a purchase or not. The key factors? Regardless of how attractively you showcase your merchandise or the channels you use for advertising, if you lack the right products at the right prices and at the right time, you’re likely to miss the mark. Selecting, pricing, and presenting the right merchandise requires a deep understanding of your customers, categories, and the competitive landscape. Unfortunately, many merchants overlook this critical analysis. As we like to say,
“It’s all about the stuff.”
Customer Data Optimization for Targeting & Reactivation
We are consistently surprised by the number of brands that lack a comprehensive understanding of their customer data. One of the most effective strategies you can adopt is to gain a solid grasp of who your customers are, including what, when, and how they purchase. Key metrics to consider include the ratio of one-time buyers to repeat customers, identification of gateway products, and the intervals between multi-buyers’ purchases. This data should be leveraged strategically, as it is often more valuable than any other insights at your disposal.
How can we convert single buyers into repeat customers? How can we elevate smaller purchases into significant sales? How can we reward your most loyal customers to enhance their commitment? This is a favorite area of focus for us, as many brands overlook these opportunities, yet they can deliver exceptional value to your business.
Creative/Copywriting/Photography/Production
With a rich history dating back to the late 1980s, we have extensive experience in direct mail, primarily catalog creative and production, for brands across the United States. Our expertise in this area remains unmatched, and our passion for it endures, which is why—although most of our current work focuses on consulting and advising brands—we selectively take on a few clients each year for full creative and execution of direct mail campaigns.
When working with clients in this capacity, we guide them through every step of the process, including scheduling, staffing, vendor selection, and participating in the review, proofing, and post-mail analytics. Our deep industry connections encompass leaders in creative, copywriting, list acquisition, photography, pre-press, paper, and printing, allowing us to negotiate on your behalf and assemble the ideal team tailored to your brand's needs.
Vendor Selection & Management
If you are considering launching a direct marketing program, it's essential to address numerous decisions upfront to ensure you are well-prepared for the process ahead. The selection of outside vendors can significantly impact your program’s success. You will be best served by bespoke teams that are assembled for their specialization within your product vertical, including photographers, assistants, stylists, hair and makeup artists, and models. The choice of copywriters is equally critical. With countless writers available, it’s vital to find one who possesses the expertise to craft compelling copy specifically suited to your product categories. Additionally, while using a local printer may seem convenient, many brands fall into the trap of prioritizing proximity over capability. In fact, printing capability is not the most important criterion when selecting a printer!
The right vendors can truly make a difference in the effectiveness of your campaign. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we have established relationships with top-tier professionals and are well-equipped to guide you in assembling a team that delivers exceptional results.
Budgets, Roadmaps & Campaign Planning
Finally, how do we bring all of this together? Achieving effective results hinges on having a solid budget. Conventional wisdom suggests that companies in growth mode allocate around 30% of their revenues to marketing efforts. Once a business stabilizes, this figure typically adjusts to 20%. Are you prepared to invest at this level to maximize your business's potential?
We also need to consider the overall timeline. Are we planning for a rollout over six months, a year, or perhaps three years? Whatever the ideal timeframe, we can collaborate with you to make it a reality.
Ultimately, while we can guide you toward success, it is essential to have a well-defined plan, a clear roadmap, and an appropriate budget in place. If you're interested in discussing how we might work together, we invite you to reach out. There’s no pressure, no expectations, and no commitments—just an opportunity for a constructive conversation to determine if we are the right fit for each other.