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When Sue Owen launched SOLO Mailing Services 25-years-ago, the world was a very different place. In 1988, 'mobile' phones were the size of bricks, the Ford Escort car was the best seller and the first of Bruce Willis’ Die Hard movies was launched. Fast forward to today’s instant communication via text, Twitter, Facebook and email and you could be forgiven for thinking that times may be a little tough for a direct mail house still using paper and post. Not a bit of it says Owen – we found out more
20-year insights
Sue Owen: Silver celebrations put the shine on direct mail
“Even 10 years ago, people said ‘you will be out of business because of email’, but the reality is many companies who switched to email campaigns have come back to direct mail because it works,” said Owen. “People receive so many emails that they end up in a junk mail box or they simply aren’t read.
“Today’s direct mail is much more tailored and creative than it used to be and therefore more successful. We know personally addressed letters will be read, and the response rates for direct mail are much improved. Companies are now using a mix of both email and direct mail and that works really well.”
SOLO has also acquired a document scanning company. It means the business now handles electronic data capture, such as scanning paper customer satisfaction surveys or registration forms from events. These forms are turned into easy-to-read online files and the address data is used for direct mail and email campaigns.
“There’s no doubt it has helped expand our customer base. The business was originally a client of ours but it fitted perfectly with our range of services and we’ve both maintained its customer base and built a new one too,” said Owen.
Today, SOLO turns over around £1.5 million across its core sectors of direct mail, fulfilment and electronic scanning and has a team of 13 staff, plus contractors. Clients range from major utilities, brands and universities through to local firms of solicitors, estate agents and marketing and event companies.
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work, sourcing the print and packaging, as well as the fulfilment and mailing itself. We also offer online services with our web and technical design team working closely with clients to deliver new sites which capture customer data and offer mail order products.
“Software and screening tools are much more sophisticated and we can now select very small neighbourhoods, sometimes as few as 50 or 100 homes, which is important if someone such as a developer wants to elicit responses from a local community.”
With her husband working alongside her, and her sister as the accounts manager, Owen takes great pride in being at the helm.
“It definitely feels like a family business. Everyone here has a very personal interest in what we do, we have a very low staff turnover and they are very proud of our achievements,” she said. “I like the fact we are a small company still. We can make decisions very quickly and we can adapt and be flexible with changing client needs.”
What’s changed in 25 years?
“Many of the mailings are smaller, but they are much more carefully targeted, bespoke campaigns. We find that luxury brands in particular have come back to direct mail, it’s very hard to promote a top end car via email; customers want a glossy brochure to thumb through,” said Owen.
“We also do a lot more ‘total campaign’ work for clients – many of them ask us to handle everything from the data cleansing, to some of the creative
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2013
SOLO now employs three full- time account managers who work closely with their own set of clients, a far cry from the days when Owen used to handle everything herself.
“Our account managers each have their own skills and specialities and each one is carefully matched with clients so that we can offer the best service possible,” she continued.
“Many more clients are using us to handle customer giveaway campaigns or product sample mailings and we also manage client loyalty programmes; sending out a hand-packaged free gift to customers has a very different impact than an email.”
Fulfilment programmes have become a larger part of the business and Owen says people
are being ever more inventive – last year’s Olympics sparked a run on foil-covered chocolate medals, while double ended wine bottles with a personalised wax seal proved one of the most challenging campaigns.
A member of the Strategic Mailing Partnership and the Direct Mail Association, Owen is passionate about reducing waste and increasing recycling. As well as supporting green charities, the company has its own in-house environmental policy with ISO14001 accreditation, uses responsibly sourced materials and works hard to encourage clients to choose more environmentally- friendly options, instead of expensive and harmful laminates and varnishes.
One thing that has hasn’t changed is SOLO’s emphasis on high-end bespoke and the personal touch. Even now, after 25 years, the company’s reputation and quality is so good that, despite the “on time or it’s free” guarantee, it has never yet had to make good on that promise.
It has achieved the ISO9001 quality standard for the past 12 years and continues to employ a good number of local, flexible contract workers, while still trying to put back more than it takes from the local community.
So, while direct mail may be here to stay, will email still be around in another 25 years?
If Bruce Willis’ track record sets the example, it just might. This summer he was back in the cinema with 'A Good Day to Die Hard' – some things never change.
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