Mar

Direct Mail Software

By emily

Any time you can find a way to make your regular, routine tasks deal a little less brain damage – snap them up! Assuming you can afford to. When it comes to direct mail software, most solutions are simple and straight forward.

You can look for a full-service CRM software, or you can get a single purpose software that does the job well. There are even some programs, like Top Producer, that are industry specific.

Here are some important things to look for in a direct mail software solution:

Database management – can you easily access your client contact information to add or change it? Ideally the direct mail software should be connected with your regular client contact database program so you don’t have to make manual changes when you are ready to send your mailings.
Can the mailings be scheduled or staggered? Just like an email auto-responder, my goal with direct mail software was to find something where I could set it and forget it. For example, since I am in real estate, I will use a real estate example. Let’s say you have a series of mailers that you like to send out to people in foreclosure, offering to buy their house. Every week you get a new batch of names and addresses and enter them into your mailing system.
Are you printing labels/envelopes or sending mail? There are different levels of automation. In some systems, you can print an envelope, mailing label or a whole letter or postcard which is customized with the client’s name, and relevant contact information. (Ex. Thank you for ordering our Blue Wonder-Widget in May of 2008). The downside is you still have to stick labels, stuff and seal envelopes, and stamp everything. You also have to remember to do the mail-outs each week or each month. In other systems, you can push a button and the stamping, licking, etc. is done for you automatically.
Cost. Yes – we are in business and cost is always a factor.
Top Producer 8i: 39.95/month – Real Estate Investor – Specific
SalesForce.com – $99/year – Generic and customizable Direct Mail and CRM software
ePartner.com – $39.95/month – Real Estate Investor – Specific
Ease of Use – It’s great to have all the bells and whistles, but if the direct mail software is so complicated that you can’t figure out how to use it without wasting a lot of time, than the program might be a lot more costly than you originally thought. My theory is to have all the software you need, and no more than that.