What to mail?  Typically people today open their mail over two containers, trash can and shredder.  If it doesn't have personal information, trash.  If it has personal information then it goes into the shredder.  Unless you're crazy like me where you buy a shredder that will eat phone book and CD's then you can avoid the two container method. :)  So letters don't work, I don't even open them, besides they have to be read and I have ePRO and RealTalk to read.  So postcards, even if they go into one of the containers have done what you want a mail campaign to do "make an impression" because they don't even have to be opened.  What do you put on it, it doesn't matter just remember less is best, white space sells, offer something to get their email, drive them to your website.

Cost and frequency, this is where my schematic takes effect.  For years we've been told once a month.  For years we've been given numbers like; 8 times to make an impression and 32 times to create familiarity...BUNK, buying and selling real estate is more of an act of impulse than we previously believed.  You cannot make friends and influence people with a mail campaign.  You can however 'make an impression', that's it. 
So here is what I've learned works: 
• When someone receives a postcard from you once a month for three consecutive months you have created 'Spatial Repetition'.  That is the person receiving the mailing three months in a row now has vague subconscious recall of your name, message, or what you do.  Once this is established, you at this point only have to touch them once a quarter to maintain and improve recall.  That's right, quarterly mailings.

Let's say you currently have a mail list of 333 names.  If you use http://expresscopy.RossiSpeaks.com(take advantage of the $25 off your first order) the cost of sending 333 addressed, first class posted, laminated, color both sides, post cards is $129.87 ($39/100).  Using my schematic you can triple your mailings (999) for the same monthly cost. 

Here is how it's done.  Send a postcard to 333 names (red) for three consecutive months Jan/Feb/Mar.  Now send the same postcard (or not, it's easy to change online) to 333 new (blue) names for the next three consecutive months Ap/May/June.  Next it's time to touch the first group (red) again (1/4 mailing) July.  Now another new group of 333 names (yellow) Aug/Sept/Oct.  It's time to touch the second group (blue) again Nov.  Stop mailing in December (that's a whole different post).  From now on it's red/blue/yellow.  You're quarterly mailing three groups a total of 999 names using a highly effective marketing technique called spatial repetition (used by Sharper Image, Victoria Secret, Front Gate, and others) for the cost of 333 mailing per month.

How much of your time does this take?  Well it's all done online in your PJ's with a cup of Olvaltine (OK Vodka) and expresscopy will even set it up to go on auto pilot.  Also check out their "appointment training", yup, no more waiting online to talk to a tech.