This is the second post in our new customer spotlight series. In it, we’ll hear from founders, marketers, communication specialists, and others who use Mailjoy postcards for their businesses and organizations. In this post, we’ll be chatting with Conrad Magalis, Marketing Manager at Advance Accept, a Minneapolis-based company that helps businesses finance equipment for their operations.
What’s Advance Acceptance?
Advance Acceptance is a national finance division of First Western Bank & Trust. We’ve financed equipment for nearly all Fortune-ranked businesses in manufacturing or production of goods – as well as 10s of thousands of small to mid-size firms. Our business works with manufacturers and dealer networks across the USA to provide B2B financing solutions. Advance Acceptance was founded in 1972, in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has seen record growth over the past four years.
Why do you invest in using direct mail? How does it fit with the rest of your marketing efforts?
Advance Acceptance invests in direct mail for many reasons. Our primary audience is 55-65 year olds who may not be as interested in technology or digital marketing as others. Although we invest heavily in marketing automation and digital, the power of high-quality print mail is still valuable to our bottom line.
Before Mailjoy, did you experiment with mail at all? If so, what were your experiences with it?
Before Mailjoy, we literally tried every type of mailing service imaginable. Most simply weren’t cost-effective or capable of creating the variable data (custom) high-touch pieces our company prides itself on. We’ve literally halved our print mail budget while doubling our output with Mailjoy. We still print confidential and compliant data in-house, similar to any bank, but for basic B2B marketing, postcards are a prime choice. Mailjoy is like email marketing for print!
Tell us about the latest postcard campaign you sent with Mailjoy. What was it for? How did you set it up?
Our latest campaign was our standard customer onboarding mailer. We reuse the templates from previous campaigns and change the teaser image (front image) on a regular basis to keep things fresh. Each piece is customized with a unique, variable greeting, contact information, and other elements. Every customer receives something based on their business and history with our company.
What’s your favorite Mailjoy feature?
My favorite Mailjoy features (because I have many favorites) are the ability to customize each print, design custom templates in minutes, proof our designs in real-time, and segment our mailing lists.
Do you have any advice for other financial companies who want to incorporate postcards into their marketing mix?
Postcards are a great way for financial services businesses to stand out from the crowd. Typically, banks and financiers use the “dreaded” window envelop that’s infamous for getting thrown in the trash without a second glance. Most people regard banking and finance mail to be “another offer” or junk mail. With postcards, you can see the content and message right away. If you utilize delight in your design process, customers will be more likely to read further.
How can people learn more about Advance Acceptance?
You can learn more about Advance Acceptance at AdvanceAcceptance.
