Insights from Polaris Direct

‘Tis the Season for Looking Back and Moving Forward

Every year around this time, we start thinking about the past year, and looking forward to the year to come. This year, Giving Tuesday inspired us to look back and reflect on some of the great organizations we’ve worked with over the past year, and since the company began. We’ve realized that each client we […]

hands

Every year around this time, we start thinking about the past year, and looking forward to the year to come. This year, Giving Tuesday inspired us to look back and reflect on some of the great organizations we’ve worked with over the past year, and since the company began.

We’ve realized that each client we work with teaches us something new—about who we are as a company, about our strengths, and about why we do what we do. As we approach 2019, we’d like to share a bit about what we’ve learned through our experiences, in hopes that you can take something from them as well.

We’re Always on the Lookout for New Ways to Provide Value

At Polaris Direct, we are continuously searching for new ways to engage customers in the products and services we have to offer. Sometimes the quest for innovation feels overwhelming, and at times it even seems impossible. And yet, just when we think there couldn’t possibly be any new avenues we haven’t yet explored, a new solution often presents itself.crumpled paper

Sometimes these solutions come from within our own organization, and other times our ideas are triggered by the actions or thoughts of an outside party. We can’t know when or where inspiration may strike, so we’re always on the lookout for possible opportunities to present themselves at any time. You never know when that perfect idea will come along!

We Enjoy Providing Out-of-the-Box Solutions

One example of an out-of-the-box idea is the story behind how we support charities that our client supports. It happened about three years ago, at an annual charity golf tournament and fundraiser where Polaris was one of the many sponsors.

think outside the boxOur enterprise client hosts a charity golf tournament every year to support charities nominated by their employees. Each employee votes for a charitable organization that is meaningful to them in some way. They narrow it down to the top three and raise funds for each, by offering various sponsorship levels for outside participants. Polaris Direct has been sponsoring the event for many years.

We are one of several large vendors that attend the golf tournament, some of whom can give lots of financial support. We really wanted to be able to offer more to the charities, so CEO, Judith Maloy and President, Joe Maloy brainstormed with their team to find a sustainable solution. Together, they came up with the idea of offering in-kind services, in addition to the financial support we were already offering—thus, allowing us to make a bigger impact.

Every year we offer a variety of multi-channel integrated marketing services to each of the charities, combined with our financial support. It’s been three years, and the results have been outstanding—both for the receiving charities and for Polaris Direct.

We’ve Gained a Lot By Giving

By offering in-kind services on top of our sponsorship, our client clearly sees that we are invested in their business on a deeper level, and our relationship has grown stronger as a result. While we continue to provide them with the highest quality of direct mail services, we have also drawn attention to some of our other integrated marketing services. We are now recognized at the event not only as one of many vendors (or “just” a direct mail vendor), but also as an integrated marketing services vendor with a commitment to supporting the causes our client supports.

We Enjoy the Work We Do

Most importantly, we’ve been able to help individuals in need—across the country and all over the world—just by offering a little more value. We’ve also gained a deeper understanding of each new charity we support, and we genuinely enjoy helping them spread awareness about the important work they do.

This year, Polaris Direct has been working closely with three wonderful charities to help support their year-end appeal campaigns. These charities include the ALS Association MN/ND/SD Chapter, Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina, and Gilda’s Club Twin Cities.

 

Gilda's Club doorsThe work we’ve been doing for Gilda’s Club Twin Cities is a great example of our multi-channel, integrated marketing capabilities. Gilda’s Club Twin Cities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the local affiliate of the Cancer Support Community, a network of more than 54 supportive, free and welcoming “clubhouses” providing individuals living with cancer (and their families) with a place to go for social, emotional and psychological support.

We developed multiple direct mail pieces and landing pages, along with email outreach and retargeting ads, all of which are designed to work together to create powerful year-end appeal campaigns. The stories are of real-life people living with cancer and sharing the many benefits of belonging to Gilda’s Club Twin Cities.

Working with each of these charities has been extremely rewarding, and the organizations’ staff members have been a pleasure to work with. While we’re proud of the work we’ve done, our contributions are small compared to what the organizations have accomplished thus far, and what they have planned for the future.

We Build Long-Lasting Partnerships

meetingSupporting the charities our client supports is just one of the many ways in which Polaris works hard to offer value beyond price.

Over the years, we have worked with many different nonprofits; from small, local chapters to national and international organizations. We’ve provided an array of strategic marketing services; from brand logo development to highly complex personalized integrated marketing campaigns.

Taking this approach has helped us acquire new customers. Plus, it has been a great way to connect with our existing client on a deeper level, helping us to build a more long-lasting partnership. At the same time, we’re able to help some incredible nonprofit organizations get closer to achieving their goals.

At the end of the day, isn’t that what running a business should be all about? This season, take some time to think about your past experiences and what they’ve taught you about running a better business. You may be surprised by what you learn.

At Polaris Direct, we offer direct mail services using advanced technology and equipment. We also offer strategic, integrated marketing services. Contact us today to find out how we can help your business grow.

 

About the author: Lisa Leslie is a Copywriter for Polaris Direct, a nationally acclaimed high-volume direct marketing services company in Hooksett, NH. A skilled writer and creative thinker, Lisa works to uncover authentic and inspiring brand stories to create content that drives customer engagement. Throughout her professional career, she has filled a variety of roles, ranging from marketing administration and project management to digital marketing consulting and content development. In each role, Lisa has remained committed to helping brands tell their stories in ways that capture audiences and encourage customer loyalty. Her intuitive listening skills, broad experience, and talent for writing make her a unique and valuable asset to the Polaris Direct team.