During a discussion on LinkedIn last week about Partially Addressed Mail (PAM) case histories, I threw our SMART-Drop service into the mix.

PAM is still a relatively new final mile service and whilst many service operators provide and promote the service, I believe there is an underlying feeling with many clients about its true value, based upon discussions with them.

Of late there has been a consistent call for PAM case histories. To the best of my knowledge they are few and far between, but to be fair, clients tend to be reticent about sharing successful door drop case histories.

Case histories are a direct marketing wide conundrum.

Everyone would like to see some, but few are prepared to share them.

TLC can provide PAM as a service and our client experience extends to a level of success for charities, but it bombing for retail, with clients cancelling the final stages of tiered activity. But others may have success stories.

So, the only way to determine if PAM works for your brand or service is perhaps to test it. But at TLC, we will recommend any test stands alongside a SMART-Drop test.

The planning currency for both options is postcode units – clusters of 15 households.

Via PAM, the clusters in the mailing plan can be the result of their MOSAIC classification and/or because you already have an existing customer in that unit (who can be omitted from the mailing to avoid cannibalisation if necessary).

Through SMART-Drop, the unit selection process can be exactly the same, but the door drop service cannot really guarantee to omit nominated single households, though we will try if required to do so!

But the biggest difference is cost.

SMART-Drop, dependent upon the areas to be covered and the size/weight of the distribution item will be a unit cost of 8-10p.

PAM will be in excess of 20p, so at least double the cost, thus requiring the process to work that much harder to be cost effective for you. That is of course quite possible to achieve, but only testing will tell you the answer.

And as Jicmail data continues to prove through Q3 results now available, the stay at home world we now live in has shown increased levels of engagement with all  “mail” as its generically increasingly called, but in some business sectors, door drops are the stand out performer; even in comparison with fully addressed mail.

Far from being a new kid on the block, SMART-Drop celebrated its 10th birthday earlier this year and for our clients, regularly takes its place in the door drop media schedule alongside its peers. And it consistently delivers.

Again it’s a situation where you completing a test will provide the knowledge you seek, but our vast experience as market leaders in sub-sector targeting, will guide you through all the stages.

So the next time we plan a postal sector drop for you, consider a SMART-Drop test alongside and measure the response and returns.

Written by: Graham Dodd