Direct Mail Outlook — Better Days Ahead

Jim Andersen, president and CEO of Chanhassen, MN-based IWCO Direct, felt direct mail printing campaigns shifted from growth mode in early 2007 to a weakened state due to factors that included postal rate increases, upticks for energy and raw material costs, a shrinking paper (supply) market and the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage industry. While IWCO Direct’s strategy has allowed customers to temper and eliminate the impact of the postal boost, pricing pressure continues to build as faltering market conditions impact overall demand and marketing budgets.