In the Face of Postage Hikes: Postcards Prove More Economically Advantageous

Clearwater, FL, July 23, 2007 – Catalogers seem to be the hardest hit of the May 14th postage increases when the new pricing structure took effect. As the Spartanburg Herald Journal noted, "…businesses that rely on catalogs and bulk mailings are grappling with postage increases of up to 40 percent."

Joy Gendusa, CEO of PostcardMania (www.postcardmania.com) is giving advice to catalogers to help them overcome the seemingly formidable barrier the postage hikes have created. Direct mail postcards. DM postcards have been the marketing staple for small to medium-sized businesses for years according to Gendusa. Her firm successfully markets for catalogers as their first line of promotion to their prospects. The benefit she said is better ROI (Return on Investment) for catalogers who find interested prospects before mailing expensive catalogs out.

Direct Magazine, a leading trade journal of the direct marketing industry (www.directmag.com), reported that postcard mailings are gaining favor all over the country as mailers try to save money switching to low-budget postcards in the face of increasing rates for other type of direct mail. Fred Morath, a direct marketing consultant, wrote in an article in the magazine's July 2007 issue, that postcard mailings are thriving and generating high cost-effective response.

Craig House, CEO of the Napa fine wine company Bounty Hunter Rare Wines and Provisions was quoted in the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group that small- to medium-sized businesses (direct marketers) are going to feel a direct hit from the postage increases. House estimates the changes will cause his company to spend an additional $100,000 this year to mail its 2 million catalogs to wine lovers around the nation.

In the same article, The Direct Marketing Association says many direct mailers are planning to cut mailings by 10 percent to 20 percent to make up for cost increases.

But Gendusa says entrepreneurs are noted for their ‘stick-to-it’ attitude and finding ways to innovate when regulations get in the way of profits. "We keep growing as more and more businesses realize the ROI they can get from direct mail postcards," she says. "The bottom line is that if catalogers cut their mailings, then their gross returns will be lower too – it’s as simple as that."

About PostcardMania:

PostcardMania is a full service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services with free marketing advice. PostcardMania employs over 140 people, has seen positive expansion every year since its inception and is currently on a 23 million-dollar-revenue run rate for 2007. They have won many awards for their creativity and marketing farsightedness, such as the MarCom International Awards, the Stevie Awards, the Inc 500 List, the Creativity Annual Awards and the Webmaster awards – all of which the underlying theme contributing to their accomplishments is helping companies all over the nation expand. They print 4 million and mail 2 million postcards representing over 350 business, finance and industrial clients each week. Visit www.postcardmania.com

If you would like to interview Joy Gendusa, CEO of PostcardMania, please email PostcardMania’s VP PR, Karla Jo Helms at karla_jo@postcardmania.com or by calling 800-628-1804 x 342.