CARLSBAD, CA — 02/22/10 — In today’s challenging economy, businesses are looking for an advantage to help them pull out of the recession and avoid losses, layoffs, or worse. Companies are focusing on a single task — increasing sales. To help businesses in Texas learn how to quickly implement powerhouse direct mail marketing campaigns proven to sell, Modern Postcard is providing an exclusive opportunity to learn the tools, tricks and techniques behind capturing better leads for new customers and driving increased revenues. The Direct Mail Crash Course, a national seminar series, will be presented for the first time in Texas in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) where attendees will receive new and proven strategies to increase business leads and revenues.

Direct mail is one of the most effective types of advertising a business can do today. According to the Mail Moment™ research gathered by the USPS, 98 percent of consumers bring in the mail the day it is delivered; and according to the Direct Marketing Association, direct marketing yields an average return on investment of over 1100 percent based on the lifetime value of a new customer. Attendees will learn how to make these numbers a reality in the own marketing.

With the new technologies available in direct marketing, today’s smart marketers are learning how to better integrate new media and social media marketing, including Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, with traditional mass media, print and direct mail campaigns to maximize the effectiveness of their advertising dollars. Lead generation and customer acquisition is one of the most coveted aspects of marketing, but it must be successfully targeted to the right customers. Direct marketing can bring a company excellent results — quality lead generation for increased sales and revenues.

These unique seminars will include a complete buffet breakfast and commence in Dallas with additional stops in Austin and Houston as follows:

— Dallas: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel, 2222
Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207, from 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

— Austin: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at the Courtyard Austin Downtown, 300
E. 4th Street, Austin, TX 78701, from 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

— Houston: Thursday, March 4, 2010 at the Houston Marriott at the Texas
Medical Center, 6580 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, from 7:30 a.m. –
12:00 p.m.

In three powerful sessions, this interactive learning opportunity will show attendees how to use direct mail to boost sales and start generating revenue immediately.

According to the U.S. Postal Service’s Household Diary study released in August 2009, advertising mail spending was at $59.7 billion in 2008, accounting for 22 percent of all advertising spending and ranked only below television.

Presenting will be a group of top direct mail experts with over 50 years of combined experience in the direct marketing industry. Keith Goodman is a 20-year direct marketing veteran who has helped companies such as IBM, Hughes and Amway increase their direct mail profitability and achieve greater return on investment for their marketing dollars. Dan Anglin, a list development expert, has 10 years of data experience and has worked with Fortune 500 firms such as Microsoft, AOL and Time Warner. Arnie Cohen has assisted businesses in effectively executing mailings for 23 years and will focus on improving mail delivery and reducing postage costs. Cohen is active in various industry groups and heavily involved with new US Postal Service technological advances.

“Many marketers don’t realize how critical data is to the success of their direct mail campaigns,” said Dan Anglin, a seminar co-presenter, “and there are so many new data products available on the market that it is hard to understand when to use the different solutions. We walk the attendees through everything they need to know to tackle even complex projects such as modeling their existing database to identify prospects that most resemble their best existing customers.”

In addition to a breadth of information, there will be a special presentation from the USPS that will also provide attendees with insight into what the postal service can do to help local businesses with their mailing and shipping needs.

“Typically a recession drives small businesses to evaluate, re-design and refine their product offerings and marketing processes as they focus on cash flow, costs, customer retention and survival,” said Keith Goodman, vice president of corporate solutions for Modern Postcard. “Our goal is to help business marketers learn how to be innovative, send the right message to the right person, and create new opportunities for increasing their revenues despite the economic climate.”

Attendees will learn insightful direct mail information about understanding list opportunities, improving mail delivery and reducing postage costs, including:

— Why you should use direct mail — the numbers, benefits and expectations
— How to design a business marketing plan that will turn expectations into revenues
— How to write compelling copy targeting recipients and maximizing responses
— Using offers and a call-to-action to increase conversion rates and return on investment
— Testing and tracking direct mail successes for increasingly effective campaigns
— Identifying the right prospects
— How to enrich your customer base for better results
— How analytics can help target prospects most likely to do business with you
— Choosing from more than 40,000 available lists to get the best response rate
— Maximizing on-time mail delivery through effective address hygiene
— Identifying the “money wasters” in your mailing lists
— Taking advantage of postage discounts for mailings
— Using drop shipping to enhance delivery and cut costs
— Tracking your mail through the mail stream with Intelligent Mail Bar
Code™

Direct marketing and direct mail services can be a very powerful and cost-effective sales tool when done properly, whether you are a small business, medium-sized company, or a large corporation. The Direct Mail Crash Course is a half-day seminar that costs $59 to attend. As a special incentive, all attendees will receive $250 in free printing for their first direct mail campaign, easily recouping the cost of the seminar. Registrations are limited and can be made at: www.modernpostcard.com/seminar or by telephone at 800.959.8365 ext. 2135.

About Modern Postcard
Located in Carlsbad, California, Modern Postcard is a full-service direct marketing provider high quality printing, direct mail, email deployment, as well as emerging direct marketing applications and Web-based solutions to efficiently manage and execute campaigns.

With more than 25 years of experience, Modern Postcard manages all operations in-house from its 75,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility. The company provides additional services including creative services and design, variable data printing (VDP), pURL campaigns, digital imaging, and color editing, account management, mailing lists, and mailing services. Visit www.modernpostcard.com or call 800.959.8365 ext. 2500 for more information.

Future Locations:
San Jose, CA
March 23, 2010
Santa Clara Marriott
2700 Mission College Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95054

March 24, 2010
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
55 Fourth St
San Francisco, CA 94103

March 25, 2010
Radisson Hotel
500 Leisure Ln
Sacramento, CA 95815

April 27-29 – Mid Atlantic – Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC (Northern VA)
May 25-27 – Southeast – Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans
June 22-24 – Midwest – Kansas City, St. Louis, Cleveland
August – Pacific Northwest
September – Midwest
October – Southwest
November – Southern California