Banking on Excellence in Direct Mail...

As a provider of innovative direct marketing programs, d.trio marketing group lives by the rules of its tagline:  Work Like an Agency. Think Like a Client.

The Minneapolis-based agency focuses on large financial clients across the country. Three years ago, a top-ten national bank approached d.trio with a short list of Grand Openings that they wanted to implement in the southeastern U.S. They asked the firm to design a program that would build brand awareness for their client and deliver a product-focused response vehicle.

What began as a test program for 20 branches quickly blossomed into an ongoing program. So far, d.trio has implemented the Grand Opening program in over 150 bank locations — and GLS has been part of this exciting journey.

Jolee Molitor is a vice president at d.trio. According to Jolee, having a solid printing partner such as GLS was crucial to implementing successful Grand Opening mailings.

“It was definitely a team focus,” Jolee said. “We had to produce the most efficient product possible, yet satisfy the client’s need for quality and flexibility.”

One of the challenges Jolee faced in leading this effort was that each branch had its own set of variables — different bank hours, maps, disclosures, and grand opening dates. In addition, each branch had its own budget.

Partnering with GLS, Jolee found that the process was more manageable than it seemed. “GLS makes it very easy,” she said. “They understand the timing and quality issues associated with these types of programs.”

"GLS makes it very easy...They understand the timing and quality issues associated with these types of programs." – Jolee Molitor, Vice President – d.trio marketing group

Working with GLS Account Executive Larry Douglas, d.trio devised a staggered mailing campaign to reach potential customers before and after each Grand Opening.

The first piece to drop was a Business/Consumer Postcard that mailed three days before the branch opening. This was followed by a Consumer Self-Mailer, complete with perforated coupons highlighting special offers and rates on mortgages, money market accounts and other financial programs. This was timed to arrive two weeks after the grand opening event. Finally, a Self-Mailer (to Business clients) and a Letter Package (to Consumer clients) reinforced the bank’s marketing messages and special offers just four weeks after the branch opening.

“These postcards represent a great example of how GLS was able to maximize efficiency and minimize cost using a two-step process,” commented Larry. First, the postcard shells were printed on GLS’ 6-color Heidelberg Speedmaster press. The attractive shells featured crisp lifestyle photos and a cool yet sunny color palette. An aqueous satin coating gave the artwork a more polished, sophisticated sheen. Then, as individual branches opened, variable branch data was imprinted on the shells by running the postcards through the same press in shorter runs, using only a black plate.

However, printing the postcards and self-mailers involved one extra step. After the four-color shells were printed, and the branch data was added, the postcards and self-mailers were personalized for each recipient using an Inkjet printer.

The results of this ongoing program have been very positive, in part because d.trio is such a proactive partner in the production process. “They are extremely helpful and informative,” remarked Lisa Conway, the GLS customer service representative who works behind-the-scenes with Larry Douglas and Jolee Molitor on all d.trio projects. “The people at d.trio are really in tune with what their clients need, and they know how to deliver results.”

Larry Douglas couldn’t agree more. He noted that Jolee’s management of the bank’s direct marketing projects is a great example of the excellence that fuels d.trio’s success.

“Working with companies like d.trio is a joy,” said Larry. “It is very fulfilling to partner with clients who place a high value on quality.”

For more information on d.trio, visit www.dtrio.com.