When one of our clients noticed that ticket sales were looking a bit thin for their 2025 pantomime, they came to Sharp Cat for some support. Because they had cleaned their data in the spring, their season brochure was posted to fewer addresses than usual. It was a challenge that Adam, from our Tech Team, really sank his claws into.

Using their current customer database, Adam created a heatmap to identify “hot spots” where households were most likely to book tickets.

The Strategy: Precision Targeting

The client had a budget for 1,370 properties. To ensure the mailing wasn’t just a shot in the dark, Adam narrowed the field with a tailored approach:

• Drivetime: Identified postcodes within a 30-minute radius of the theatre.
• Distribution: Sorted postcodes alphabetically and selected every other one to ensure an even spread across the region.
• Property Type: Prioritized detached properties, followed by semi-detached and terraced homes.

The results? The client was highly satisfied with the response rate and is already looking to use similar methods for future mailings.

“That’s great, thank you. I am really pleased with that result for a first go. We are looking at the possibility of doing something similar with the next wave of brochures.”

Round Two: Pouncing on New Opportunities

That same client soon returned to us with a similar challenge for another one of their theatres. To make sure they didn’t miss a whisker of an opportunity, Adam suggested a few ways to sharpen their targeting:

1. Lookalike Areas: Identifying “neighbourhoods of interest” where current ticket buyers live, as their neighbours are likely to have similar interests.
2. Win-Back Data: Targeting households that have purchased tickets in the past but haven’t booked yet this year.
3. Automated Reminders: Sending leaflet mailers to “Panto Regulars” who hadn’t booked yet to save the client the manual labour of tracking them down.

The client loved the idea of reaching out to those “missing” regulars. We mailed 2,239 identified customers, and the client was once again feline great about the results!

Is your mailing list looking a bit thin?

Don’t just scratch the surface of your data. Get in touch with Sharp Cat today to see how we can help you top up your mailing lists and find your next “purr-fect” customer.

The post Using Sharp Cat Data to Top Up Your Mailing Lists: A Purr-fect Case Study appeared first on Sharp Cat.

There are common misconceptions that the print and paper industry is unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly. This is further reinforced by financial organisations, utility companies, banks and other service providers encouraging their customers to “go green – go paperless”, suggesting electronic bills and statements instead. Whilst the potential cost savings of going digital are credible, the environmental claims are unsupported, misleading and have longstanding consequences on consumer perceptions on paper.

The Print & Paper Industry

Organisations sometimes encourage consumers to go paperless by prompting them to “save trees” but are statements like this based on facts?

The problem with these messages can misguide us into thinking that digital communications are more environmentally friendly than paper-based communications. Considering the whole product life cycle for both mediums can allow companies to provide transparent and accurate information about the environmental effects of these activities.

What is the Consumer Choice?

Many organisations opt to go paperless now; some even charge extra if their customers wish to receive paper-based communication. Many consumers appreciate the convenience of digital-based communication, but what about the vulnerable members of our society?

Older and disabled people, rural communities and those on low incomes are some of the people at risk of remaining disconnected, increasing the digital divide.

In a digital world, paper is also a sound green choice and complements communication strategies. A combined digital paper strategy effectively reaches out to a wider audience, recognising consumer choice whilst balancing the footprints left behind.

Read our Greenwashing Infographic to find out more information on how to recognise a greenwashing statement.

Sources

Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2018. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/Circular-Consumer-Electronics-2704.pdf

The post It’s Not Easy Being Green: Are You Greenwashing Your Company? appeared first on Sharp Cat.