What's Hot, What's Not in Direct Mail for 2014

Out with the old, in with the new. In “direct-mail speak,” old means lessons learned. New or “in” trends may actually mean campaigns/techniques/formats/behaviors that have been tested and had great results by others, and now it’s your turn to try them.

Here are some trending behaviors and techniques I carefully observed and heard about throughout 2013. I came up with these two dozen hot and not-so-hot trends by scrutinizing award-winning direct-mail packages; having discussions with printers/writers/fundraisers; learning lots of best practices from conferences in the nonprofit and commercial industries; attending Direct Marketing Association of Washington lunch and learn presentations by direct-mail experts; meeting with my colleagues and our clients; and by looking at, touching and critiquing every piece of direct mail that crossed my desk.