Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/679176
R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 3 3 M o n d a y, M a y 2 3 , 2 0 1 6 DIRECT MAIL BY THE NUMBERS An interview with Cliff Rucker, Vice President, Sales for the United States Postal Service ® . RDN: Many companies are using digital marketing as their primary marketing channel. Why should they consider using direct mail as part of an overall market- ing strategy? CR: Over the past decade, digital mar- keting has exploded. Internet users are bombarded by email, banners, text mes- sages and more. Yet even as digital mar- keting increases, companies are relying on direct mail to gain results through a trusted medium. In fact, a recent study by Epsilon found that direct mail was the single most trusted communication channel chosen by consumers. RDN: What about marketing to Gen Y and Millennials? Does direct mail work with so-called "digital natives"? CR: Studies show 90 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds consider direct mail to be a trustworthy medium and 87 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds say they like getting information and offers in the mail. Most importantly, 65 percent of consumers surveyed by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) say they have made a purchase as a result of direct mail — which is why companies invest in advertising in the first place. You know, John Wanamaker, a 19th cen- tury American retailer said "Half of the money I spend on advertising is wasted — I just don't know which half." Unfortunately that's still true for many digital-only marketers. With a carefully targeted direct mail plan integrated with a digital campaign, marketers know their advertising ROI because it's directly tied to sales, not just response or click- throughs. RDN: How much of an ROI can mar- keters expect? CR: The average ROI on direct mail is 37 percent. Compare that to email at 31 percent, telemarketing at seven percent, and social media marketing at six per- cent, so you can clearly see the value direct mail adds to any marketing cam- paign. RDN: What about those who say mail is obsolete? CR: Our Mailing Promotions reward customers for combining innovative direct mail methods with their digital marketing campaigns. Rather than mak- ing mail obsolete, these promotions encourage customers to add digitally enabled technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and near field communica- tion (NFC) to mail, which just increases customer engage- ment. By integrating digital technologies onto a printed mailpiece, companies can guide customers to their website, social site or other digital property in a way that a search engine or email just can't com- pete with. Combining direct mail and digital technology also increases the shelf life of your message. Studies show that 63 per- cent of consumers keep their mail for at least two days, increasing the chance they will take action and respond. RDN: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know? CR: Be sure to visit us at booth #1040. You can also find more information at powerofdigitalmail.com For more information, visit www .usps.com or stop by booth #1040. H.C. VALENTINE: 'LET'S HAVE TEA' Tea isn't a new drink. It's been around for thousands of years, but as the adage goes, what goes around comes around. In other words? Tea isn't just for the Queen of England anymore. H.C. Valentine is shaking it up – sometimes literally, over ice – with its 12 specialty loose leaf teas. Consumers are showing more than ever that they're looking for a "safe adventure," and nowhere is that school of thought more prevalent than in the world of tea. So, what exactly is a "safe adven- ture?" For the consumer, it's a product that they can relate to, but still offers them a unique and flavorful experience unlike tea they've tried before. For the retailer, it's something that requires little investment or equipment but packs a big punch when it comes to profit mar- gins. H.C. Valentine teas were cre- ated to tap into the cravings of the new consumer. Stop by the Royal Cup booth #1125 in the South Hall to learn ways to use H.C. Valentine loose leaf teas. For more information, stop by booth #1125 or go to www.royal cupcoffee.com. RENAU MOBILE PROCESS TIMER APP Renau's intuitive mobile process timer applications allow foodservice operators to easily monitor the freshness of ingre- dients, temperature and humidity, all while adhering to your processes and procedures. Available for a variety of mobile operating systems, the mobile process timer apps are designed from the ground up to be simple, reliable and scalable. They can also interface with Renau's complete line of Single Wire Communication Network devices, as well as the powerful Smart Kitchen Manager (SKM) software for added functionality and flexibility. Whether monitoring timers or active recipes, remotely checking equipment status and functionality, logging and accessing HACCP data, automating operating processes, analyzing usage to identify wasteful processes or simplify- ing equipment troubleshooting, Renau's mobile process apps are designed to save foodservice operators time and money by substantially lowering labor, training, compliance and service costs. Renau's mobile process apps are highly customizable to your specific processes, but also offer powerful stan- dard features regardless of the application. The Renau mobile process apps can even provide equipment operators and kitchen staff with equip- ment operation information, food prepa- ration instructions and cleaning direc- tions. Most importantly, they can walk users through a series of simple, effective steps that can help restore equipment functionality. This can signifi- cantly reduce equipment down-time and eliminate many unnecessary and expen- sive service calls. Available for Windows, Android and iOS devices, the Renau mobile process apps offer multiple levels of access including User, Manager, Service Technician and Main Office. For more information about Renau Electronic Laboratories' products and services, visit www.renau.com, stop by booth #4454, or call 818.341.1994.