Welcome to “Brand Champions,” where we dive deep into the art and science of building unforgettable brands. Join us on Advertising Champions TV as branding gurus share their secrets to creating brand loyalty and driving impact. Discover the strategies behind iconic brand stories and learn how to stand out in a competitive marketplace. Today, our host, Howard Wolpoff, spoke with Evan Stewart of Direct One.
Evan Stewart
CEO of Direct One
Website address: https://www.directoneinc.com
Short company description:
Direct One, a leading direct mail and commercial print organization, specializes in crafting highly personalized, data-driven campaigns. Our innovative approach to integrated communications redefines the direct mail experience, utilizing in-house automation and a dedication to customer service. With a national reach, we drive results through hyper-targeted strategies, ensuring excellence in every aspect of a direct mail campaign.
How do you help a brand maintain consistency across multiple channels and platforms?
We are direct mail first, so our approach usually means understanding what the client is trying to do across mediums and then crafting a direct mail strategy that fits within the overall strategic framework.
Can you share a rebranding project that taught you valuable lessons about brand identity?
I actually bought Direct One in 2023 and most of the marketing tactics and strategies were from the early 2000s. In short, we had to update and modernize our approach, our branding, our channels, all of it. I’ve learned a lot over the last 32 months about how something as simple as a logo redesign can communicate something completely different to your core audience and to your internal team.
What strategies do you use to build and maintain brand loyalty in a competitive market?
It’s about standing out without deviating from the core message. For instance, in direct mail, you want to have repetition, but you don’t want to send the same exact mail piece to the same mailboxes every time. You have to be creative in how you deliver the message, even though it is the same message.
Transcript:
Howard:
Welcome back to Brand Champions. I’m Howard Wolpoff, your host. This show is brought to you by Teal the Agency. I’m very excited to have Evan Stewart of Direct One with us today. Evan, welcome to our conversation.
Evan:
Thank you, Howard. Thanks for having me.
Howard:
Thank you for being here. I’m excited to learn more about the work you’re doing for your clients and their branding. When you meet with someone for the first time, what kinds of questions are you asking? What are you trying to learn about what they’ve been doing so you can find the right direction for their target audience?
Evan:
Absolutely. One of the first things we do is a historical analysis of what they’ve done, typically looking at the last five years or so and the history of the company. From there, it becomes an education process, because we specialize in direct mail.
If you look at the last 20 to 30 years, the focus has really shifted to digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and now TikTok. For us, it’s about educating clients on how direct mail can work alongside the rest of their marketing mix.
Howard:
That insight is important. Direct mail was a major part of marketing for many years, and while it’s slowed down, that’s actually what makes it powerful now. Everyone is doing social media. When the right postcard lands in someone’s mailbox and catches their eye, it creates an interruption you don’t always get while someone is scrolling on their phone.
Evan:
Absolutely. Over the last five years, there’s been a strong push toward one-to-one communication. We specialize in variable digital imaging. That means we can run a million-piece campaign where every single postcard can be different.
It’s similar to digital targeting. If you’re targeting dog owners or cat owners online, you show them relevant images. We can do the same thing with postcards and direct mail.
Howard:
That really does help campaigns stand out. Everything is so saturated now, yet I’m actually getting less mail than I used to. When something truly connects to me personally, it captures my attention. If you’ve learned something about me and used that in a postcard, it works the same way targeted content works online.
Evan:
That’s true. It’s interesting you mentioned getting less mail. The cost of mail continues to rise, largely due to postage increases. Because of that, customers are demanding a higher return on investment.
That’s where personalization comes in. We add QR codes, phone numbers, and vanity URLs to mail pieces so we can track engagement. That data feeds into our client’s CRM, allowing them to see who interacted with the postcard, who visited the website, or who engaged through social media. Tracking that information is very important.
Howard:
ROI is critical. What kind of reactions do you get from clients who initially say mail won’t work and that they need to be on TikTok? When the phones start ringing and the website traffic increases, how do they respond?
Evan:
There’s sometimes surprise, but we do a good job of setting expectations upfront. Direct mail isn’t something you do once and forget. It takes time, effort, and investment. But once you find a rhythm and understand what you’re trying to accomplish, it really starts to pay off.
It’s twofold. We set expectations properly, and then we execute. When we do that, it works, and our clients see it.
Howard:
That’s great to hear. It’s always encouraging to hear success stories like this. Evan, thank you so much for joining us, and congratulations on the great work you’re doing for your clients.
Evan:
Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Howard:
And thank you all for joining us as well. It’s not just about video, video, video. It’s about interruption. How are you interrupting the flow of your prospect and getting their attention? Postcards can do that. The right postcard, the right letter, any way to capture attention matters.
Listen when people tell you that direct mail still works, because it does. You can see strong results and excellent ROI. Have a great rest of your day, and we’ll see you next time.
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