Help support OKC Public Schools via the Team Up OKC School Supply Drive by bringing school supplies to the November 10th AMA meeting. The agency, in-house marketing/PR department and marketing individual who each brings the most supplies will receive a trophy, a gift card and bragging rights for a year!

Categories:
1. Agency (Advertising, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Web Design)
2. In-House Marketing/PR (Working for a specific company or organization)
3. Individual or Freelancer

Rules:

• During the AMA meeting on 11/10/11, attendees can bring school supplies (a complete list of needed materials is here) to be donated to The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools. Foundation staff will calculate the value of the donations collected. The largest donation (in calculated value) for each category will be named the winner, receive a trophy for their office and a gift card. Winners will be announced at the end of the meeting, on teamupokc.com and via social media. Must be present to win.
• If AMA members wish to support Team Up OKC but cannot attend the November meeting, they can drop off school supplies to any of the metro area donation points (click here for a location map).
• Complete information about the Team Up OKC School Supply Drive, The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, Teachers Warehouse and other associated materials all can be found here. Also on Facebook (teamupokcdrive) and Twitter (@TeamUpOKC).

Any questions can be addressed to Michael Morrison, Comtech CEO or Kyle Golding, Comtech Director of Marketing and Public Relations at (405) 843-3185.

The Metro 50 is a list of the metropolitan area’s fastest growing, privately-owned companies, based on their percentage of annual growth. Metro 50 companies demonstrate positive growth in revenues, number of employees; creativity/entrepreneurship and business development through the expansion of facilities, customer base or markets. Qualified companies are required to have revenues of at least one million dollars.

Comtech is a full service, one-stop mail house providing a multitude of associated services such as postal processing (CASS, PAVE, NCOA, IMB) design, printing, mailing data list, addressing, fulfilment and marketing. Comtech is fully capable of handling any marketing project without sacrificing quality, turn times or (most importantly) customer services.

The positive reputation and solid sales numbers Comtech enjoys is based on top notch customer service, problem solving, postal regulation expertise and personal attention. Most Comtech clients repeat business on a regular basis and most new business comes through referrals or recommendation. Comtech is also a 5 time “Best of Business” winner by the OKC Biz magazine. The Journal Record newspaper named Comtech a 2011 Beacon Award finalist in the Charitable Influence category.

Comtech helps businesses deliver their message. Congratulations to all of the other Metro 50 companies.

Contact Kyle Golding, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at 405.843.3185 for more information.

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Organizations in the Charitable Influence category demonstrate a company culture that encourages and supports volunteering, charitable giving and community involvement by its members.

Through all of Comtech’s community programs March of Dimes Workplace Campaign, Assist in March, Dropping Dimes for Healthy Babies, Team Up School Supply Drive as well as other organizations supported by Comtech such as YWCA, Junior Achievement and the Huntington’s Disease Society our aim is to better the next generation of Oklahomans. By helping reduce early childhood complications and domestic violence while increasing access to eduction reduces immediate cost and lose of opportunities. In the long term, we ensure Oklahoma City will have better prepared leadership.

The leadership at Comtech understand that community investment is more than writing a check once a year. By engaging our non-profit partners and business community peers, we know the impact in the community will be greater and longer lasting. By increasing awareness, bringing new entities to the mix and leading by example, Comtech becomes a true community partner with those who make our city and state a better place to live.

For more information about the Comtech community involvement and support policy, email us at info@accesscomtech.com

For a limited time, you can get a postage discount for adding a two-dimensional barcode to your direct mail.

The USPS is offering a Mobile Barcode Promotion July 1, 2011, through August 31, 2011. During this limited time, business mailers can get an additional upfront 3% discount on First-Class and Standard Mail letters and flats that include a mobile barcode. The following rules apply:

• Mobile barcodes must be two-dimensional and readable by a mobile smartphone (One-dimensional barcodes do NOT qualify)
• Mailing documentation must be submitted electronically, and mail must be sent with postage paid through a permit imprint
• Participating mailers are required to affirmatively claim this promotion in electronic postage statement submissions, certifying each mailpiece contains a mobile barcode either within the contents or on the outside of the mailpiece
• All mailpieces in a postage mailing statement must contain a mobile barcode
• With the exception of the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) full-service discount, only one incentive per mailing will apply
• The objective of the two-dimensional mobile barcode on eligible mailpieces must be to initiate interaction with consumers via mobile smartphones to market, promote, or educate
• Two-dimensional barcodes used for other purposes – such as internal corporate operational processes or postage evidencing – are not eligible for the discount
• Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2011, through August 31, 2011
• Nonprofit mail IS eligible for the discount

Call your Comtech Account Manager or Sale Professional today to get your additional 3% discount on direct mail with a mobile barcode in the months of July and August.

To qualify for Full Service Certification, Comtech submitted to a rigorous validation process analyzing our intelligent mail capabilities and ability to interface effectively with the USPS. Comtech mail processing meets and exceeds the highest standards set by the Post Office.

Only Full Service Certified providers can offer:

• Seasonal and special USPS promotional discounts
• Faster mail entry via electronic submission
• Deepest postage discounts available
• Maximum mail tracking capabilities within the postal system

Call Doug McClure at (405) 843-3185 for more information about how Full Service Certification benefits you.

Comtech, OKC Thunder Make BIG Donation to the March of Dimes

Oklahoma City’s business and sports communities have teamed up to support the March of Dimes. On Thursday, April 7th Comtech and the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation presented a check for $7,304.32 to the Oklahoma Chapter of March of Dimes. The funds were raised by two joint promotions.

During the first promotion Assist in March, Comtech and the Oklahoma City Thunder made a $20 donation each time a Thunder player mead an assist during any home or road game in March. The Assist in March campaign began on March 2nd with the Oklahoma City Thunder beating the Indiana Pacers inside the Oklahoma City Arena.

For the Dropping Dimes for Healthy Babies promotion, Thunder fans were encouraged to bring their spare change to the March 29th home game for March of Dimes. A basketball assist is also known as “dropping a dime” and fans dropped dimes, nickels, quarters and bills in the March of Dimes purple buckets before the game and at halftime.

Together, the two promotions raised a grand total of $7,304.32 for the March of Dimes. These funds go to important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives.

The March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in communities across the nation. The money donated during Assist in March and Dropping Dimes for Healthy Babies will support lifesaving research, community services, education and advocacy that help premature babies, newborns with birth defects and research to prevent infant mortality.

The March of Dimes will hold the 2011 Sports Headliner Banquet on April 18, 2011 at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel to honor athletes, coaches and teams who have taken center stage and brought national attention to the state of Oklahoma. This years Sports Headliner of the Year is Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks, the 2010 NBA Coach of the Year.

Comtech is a full service, one-stop mail house providing a multitude of associated services such as postal processing, design, printing, mailing data list, addressing, fulfillment and marketing consultation. The Oklahoma City Thunder is dedicated to creating programs and partnerships that make a positive impact on the greater Oklahoma City community.

Contact Kyle Golding, Comtech Director of Marketing at 405.843.3185 for more information.

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Oklahoma City Thunder Fans Asked to Assist the March of Dimes

The March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The month of March is known for basketball with NCAA March Madness and NBA road to the finals. Plus, a basketball assist (passing to a player that scores) is know as “dropping a dime”. Put all this together and you have Dropping Dimes for Healthy Babies during the Tuesday, March 29th Oklahoma City Thunder home game.

Fans attending the game are asked to bring their dimes, nickels and quarters to the section 119 concourse and drop them in the purple buckets of the March of Dimes volunteers. Oklahoma City’s business and sports communities are also coming together to support the March of Dimes.

Comtech, an Oklahoma City mail service provider, and the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation have teamed up in the month of March to raise funds for important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives. With Assist in March, Comtech and the Oklahoma City Thunder are donating $20 each time a Thunder player makes an assist during any home or road game in March.

The money donated during Assist in March and Dropping Dimes for Healthy Babies will support lifesaving research, community services, education and advocacy that help premature babies, newborns with birth defects and research to prevent infant mortality. The March of Dimes will also hold the 2011 Sports Headliner Banquet on April 18 at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel to honor athletes, coaches and teams who have taken center stage and brought national attention to the state of Oklahoma.

The Sports Headliner of the Year for 2011 is Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. In his second season as the Thunder head man, Coach Brooks was named the 2009-10 NBA Coach of the Year. Previous Sports Headliner of the Year winners include City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, University of Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winners Sam Bradford and Jason White.

The success of the event helps the March of Dimes continue to successfully save babies lives. The money raised goes to funding March of Dimes programs helping premature babies, newborns with birth defects and research to prevent infant mortality. “The funds we raise at this event help Oklahoma families have healthier babies” says 2011 Headliner chairman Michael Morrison, Owner of Comtech Direct Mail Solutions. “88¢ of very dollar raised in Oklahoma is spent on research to prevent infant mortality.”

Emcee’s for this years event will be WWLS radio personalities Jim Traber and Mark Rodgers, News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins plus Tulsa News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb. The Keynote speaker is Lance Barrow, Coordinating Producer and Lead Game Producer for The NFL on CBS. Barrow is a 10-time Emmy Award winner with credits that include the Masters, NCAA men’s Final Four, Dayton 500, U.S. Open and six Super Bowls.

The March of Dimes Oklahoma Chapter carries out their mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save young lives. For more information, call (405) 943-1025 or click www.marchofdimes.com/oklahoma. To purchase tickets for the Sports Headliner banquet or information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kristie Gore at 405-415-1265 or kgore@marchofdimes.com or Kyle Golding at kgolding@accesscomtech.com.

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The best way to justify cost and measure success or failure is tracking response rate. But how do you know it was direct mail and not radio/TV/print/ect… that did the trick? By using a trackable device in conjunction with the call to action.

The advantage of printed items is the end user (potential customer) can keep it, give it to a friend or bring it to your location to redeem for a discount, special offer or attend an exclusive event. This is how a trackable device works.

If someone needs to show a postcard, coupon or invitation to get the deal – they will. Now you have proof of response rate. You can’t just look at the sales numbers to know if your direct mail work because part of that equation is up to your salesperson. Closing a sale opportunity created by direct marketing is conversion rate, not response rate. Walking in the door with direct mail in hand is response rate. Direct mail will only get the sales process started.

Once you know response rate and cost, you can track which advertising medium provides the best return on investment for your budget. More often than not, you will find direct mail with a tailored recipient list, call to action and trackable device is highly effective and easy to track success.

Comtech and Oklahoma City Thunder Assisting the March of Dimes

Oklahoma City’s business and sports communities are coming together to support the March of Dimes. Comtech, an Oklahoma City mail service provider, and the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation are teaming up in the month of March to raise funds for important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives. With Assist in March, Comtech and the Oklahoma City Thunder will make a $20 donation each time a Thunder player makes an assist during any home or road game in March. The Assist in March campaign begins on March 2nd when the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Indiana Pacers in the Oklahoma City Arena. All games in the month of March will be televised on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

The March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in your community and across the nation. The money donated during Assist in March will support lifesaving research, community services, education and advocacy that help premature babies, newborns with birth defects and research to prevent infant mortality. The March of Dimes will hold the 2011 Sports Headliner Banquet on April 18, 2011 at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel to honor athletes, coaches and teams who have taken center stage and brought national attention to the state of Oklahoma. Last years Sports Headliner of the Year was Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant.

Comtech is a full service, one-stop mail house providing a multitude of associated services such as postal processing, design, printing, mailing data list, addressing, fulfillment and marketing consultation. Comtech and the Oklahoma City Thunder also teamed up in November of 2010 to collect school supplies for local public school students. The Oklahoma City Thunder is dedicated to creating programs and partnerships that make a positive impact on the greater Oklahoma City community. The team’s dedication to education includes programs such as Teacher of the Game, the Rolling Thunder Book Bus and Read to Achieve. All of these programs are presented by American Fidelity Assurance Company. For more information on the Oklahoma City Thunder, log onto thunder.nba.com.

Contact Kyle Golding, Comtech Director of Marketing at 405.843.3185.

Make sure your mail service provider has the hardware and software to continue offering you automation discounts by through use of the IMB. If they are not in compliance, YOU will pay more in postage (potentially a lot more). Under these new regulations, the USPS will be validating the following on each mailpiece:

- Unique Barcodes

- By/For

- Mailer ID

- Service Type ID

- Customer/Supplier Agreements

How can use of the IMB be incorporated into your multi-channel marketing efforts? Timing and tracking. Use of the IMB creates a unique identifier for each mailpiece. By using the USPS Conform service, you can track exactly when your targets receive marketing material. This allows the sender to study response times or follow up with each prospect via phone or e-mail.

The Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) is a 65-bar code for use on mail in the United States. The term “Intelligent Mail” refers to services offered by the United States Postal Service for domestic mail delivery. Intelligent Mail is intended to provide greater information and functionality than its predecessors PLANET and POSTNET. The Postal Service will require use of the Intelligent Mail barcode to qualify for automation prices beginning May 2011.