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.

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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

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Royal Mail has made it easier than ever to start a mail campaign with their network of highly regarded Mail Made Easy experts.

MarketReach was launched in 2015 to promote the effectiveness of mail and improved ROI for companies such as Hive, Ikea and Kit Kat.

A resounding 87% of recipients went to their newsagents to claim a free Kit Kat [1]

Sharp Cat is proud to be one of Royal Mail’s trusted partners with established credentials, on standby with all the support you’ll need such as robust data security, high quality print and fast mailing.

What Can a Mail Made Easy Partner Do for You?

Choosing a Mail Made Easy partner can help you with the mailing process by finding the right target audience, developing your designs to drive response, delivering your campaign and reporting on the results.

Covering catalogues, direct mail or door drops, Mail Made Easy can help you with the entire campaign or a small part of the process.

Mail Made Easy can also help with integrating existing marketing activity with direct mail. Having each platform of communication build on the previous one, to maintain continuity plus break up the expected routine of some marketing campaigns.

Why Does Mail Cut Through the Noise?

In our digital world, it’s never been easier to target customers. However, we receive up to 10,000 marketing messages a day[2], so it’s never been harder to cut through the noise and stand out as a brand.  With 51% of emails being deleted within 2 seconds[3], brands must demonstrate that they value their customers. Sending a tangible piece of mail that your customer must physically interact with is more likely to grab their attention.

The physicality of mail is the perfect opportunity for your customers to feel valued and is memorable too; 80% of people say then can remember mail advertising sent to them in the last 4 weeks[5].

How Do Mail & E-Mail Complement Each Other?

Email is quick, easy to read, informative and can be responded to instantly. It’s most appropriate for quick messages such as order confirmation or acknowledging an enquiry. People recognise its informal feel, making it perfect for following up on enquiries, requests and offers.

Mail can immerse the customer and hold attention for a lot longer. This makes mail suited to communications to contemplate for a while, such as catalogues or brochures.

The main challenge brands face is evolving a transactional relationship into a strong, loyal, personal relationship. Use mail to take the time to tell customers more about the brand, products and services on offer.

The crucial differentiator between mail and e-mail is how mail can make us feel valued.

We believe that attention to detail at the beginning of a mailing makes for success at the end. Our comprehensive mail services give you all the support needed for a strong mailing campaign.

 With a reputation for high-standard mail services, we welcome fast turnaround mailings, always meet tight deadlines and welcome your call.

[1] KitKat: D&AD, 2012

[2] American Marketing Association, 2018.

[3] Litmus Email Analytics, 2013

[4] Royal Mail MarketReach, 2014.

[5] TGI, Kantar Media, 2014.

[6] Royal Mail MarketReach, 2014.

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At Sharp Cat, we aim to deliver more for your money to ensure you are getting the best value mailings. Following our last article, where we highlighted just a few of the perks that can make your campaign worthwhile, we still have some unique services that you need to know about before choosing your mailing house!

Account Managers

Have you ever found it troublesome to get in contact with your supplier? As standard, every client receives 2 Account Managers so you will always have someone to communicate with throughout your mailing.

Double the Account Managers also means double the expertise; with continuous communication, they’re available to provide their insights through every step of your project to help you reach your marketing objective.

Mail Opt Out & Returns Handling

A cluttered office means a cluttered mind! Don’t let returned mailings affect your productivity when we can provide a painless return handling process that is GDPR complaint and maintains good customer relations – all without you lifting a finger!

Simply opt-in to return management and we will handle undeliverable or returned mail. We supply monthly updates where you can see what has been sent back and the reason for return.

Pallet Recycling Scheme

Sharp Cat operates a unique recycling scheme offering delivery pallets to the community. Repurposing everyday items gives you a unique piece of furniture that can be sized to fit any nook or cranny, so you’ll finish with something that’s tailored to you.

Sharp Cat has a wealth of print and mail information to share plus a variety of added value services. To find out how we can tailor your campaigns to meet your marketing needs, email mail@sharpcat.co.uk or give us a call on 0333 772 0946.

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In a digital world, businesses are torn between e-marketing or direct mail. It’s apparent that social media and emails reach a wide audience, but we are exposed to at least 4,000 ads each day![1] Have you engaged with your customer? Have you cut through the noise?

To make marketing campaigns as effective as possible we work with you to advise how to target the right audience. We can help you…

• Produce powerful messages and designs
• Print and produce engaging marketing material
• Measure the success of your campaign.

1.    Eye Tracking Technology – scientific analysis of your creative

Eye tracking provides an insight into how customers are looking at your advertisement and how slight modifications to the creative can increase its effectiveness.[2] Following a reader’s eye movements through eye tracking technology explains how a mailing grabs our immediate attention; giving marketers that crucial insight into the customer’s perspective.

Heat maps provide a visual representation of what someone may be drawn to within the essential first few moments of your communication. Simply using different visuals or arrangements can have a significant effect on your customer’s response.

2.    Trees for Life – rewilding ancient forests

Sharp Cat makes it easy for everyone to be green! With each mailing sent out, a new tree is planted in the Trees for Life UK forest restoration project on your behalf.

We’ll keep you posted by giving you annual updates on the number of trees you’ve planted to show how your organisation is contributing to a better environment.

3.    Postal Information Reports (PIRs) – posting confirmation

Following your mailing, we provide a full postal information report as a permanent reference of the important statistics relating to your campaign. All PIRs will include:

• A description and image of what was mailed
• Valuable facts and figures about the data collected in your campaign
• A visual map of the households and businesses receiving your mail
• The number of trees you have indirectly planted
• The option to add your own branding, so you can present your PIRs to clients

Click here to have a look at our sample PIRs!

The Catters team are here to enhance your marketing strategy through mail and aim for your campaign to get the best results possible; providing reports, case studies, statistics and research tools so you can produce mail that will engage with your customer. Best of all, all these services are free of charge!

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/#295f249d626e

[2] https://dma.org.uk/article/focus-on-eye-tracking

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Confronted by the evident repercussions of decades of neglecting our environment, every business and individual is encouraged to take an active role in recycling.

Why should businesses monitor their environmental performance? Identifying and controlling your impact whilst demonstrating your commitment to protecting the environment will not only strengthen your brand, but also save costs through improving efficiency, productivity and reducing waste.

So, is direct mail a sustainable, communication resource to use? Yes! The reason being that paper is one of the most recycled products in the world, with recycling rates meeting 70-75% in most regions – generally the maximum recycling rate.[1]

To help maximise sustainability we’ve established some simple, straightforward approaches that can be implemented to make your mailing campaigns even more eco-friendly.

1. Re-Evaluate Plastic Envelopes

Plastic has become the most common form of marine debris and one of the central concerns we see pop up on our news feeds. Businesses are facing more pressure than ever to evaluate whether their plastic packaging is a necessity for their products. But how can you use plastic whilst minimising the consequences of the environment?

Sharp Cat has adopted a compostable and biodegradable polywrap – produced from potato starch. It’s a responsible alternative protecting your mail without leaving harmful toxins, whilst providing a robust and high-quality finish. At the end of its life, it can be thrown into the green bin or compost bin, allowing an enhanced customer experience where they can easily dispose of the packaging.

2. Have Your Data Cleaned

Whilst clean data is critical for the success of any kind of mail advertising, it can also reduce your environmental impact. Segmenting your audience by targeting interested recipients reduces the physical volume of direct mail pieces sent out, lowers costs and increases ROI.

Partially Addressed Mail is another responsible and GDPR friendly way to acquire new prospects, without using their personal data. Offering a solution to cold data lists, it applies data sources such as geo-demographics in order to identify postcodes and households with a strong match for new potential customers.

Personalise your marketing strategy towards those who have expressed interest. Use a returns handling service, such as Mail Opt Out. This provides a simple option for customers to choose to opt out of unwanted mailings whilst keeping your office space uncluttered. Visit mailoptout.co.uk for more details.

3. Only Work With Sustainable Paper Sources

Have you thought about where your printed paper originates from? Deforestation devastation is associated with unsustainable paper stocks. To ensure that your stocks are planted and harvested for paper use all you need to do is choose a printer that buys sustainably sourced paper stocks. Look for print and mail companies with PEFC and FSC papers.

It’s the small changes that add up to big differences in our environment.

[1] Two Sides 2019, Myths & Facts

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Address only mail is good for advertisers prospecting to new customers. It’s also ideal for geographically based mailings such as consultations. A good example of one of these mailings is HS2 high-speed rail where communities have been contacted about structural proposals. Address only mail enables companies to carry out geographically targeted direct mail marketing without the use of personal data. It does this by addressing households using geo-demographics at postcode level (c.15 households).

Sharp Cat provides address only data that covers the whole of the UK via Geolist. Geolist works with Royal Mail PAF, Ordnance Survey and the ONS to provide household and business addresses without Personal Data. This mail is addressed to a household or a business instead of to individual people.

Royal Mail refers to address only Geolist data as ‘partially addressed mail’.

Royal Mail has carried out some testing on address only mail at a lower postal price than Advertising Mail. The result found is that for marketing purposes the ROI is just slightly higher than sending mail to addresses with personal names. Because of this Royal Mail is launching the trial of Royal Mail Partially Addressed Mail™. This has a price benefit of up to 4p per item discount as well as the usual Advertising Mail discount.

This new price started 8 November 2018 and a year-long trial is planned.

What are the rules for Partially Addressed Mail with the lower Royal Mail pricing?

To produce a Partially Addressed Mail posting, clients can use PAF data. They must exclude all personal data (i.e. Roberts’ household) and must mail complete postcodes (e.g. all of the addresses within EX5 7AW). Geolist  There is a minimum posting requirement of 10,000 items.

geolist.co.uk meets all of the requirements of partially addressed mail.

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