Case Study
Channel: Direct Mail & Print Strategy
Role: Creative Strategist – Market Research, Persona Development & Multi-Touch Creative Testing
Still below 1% target, but
strong signal that creative choices matter
Results
(So Far)
Ongoing testing in
mailer size, tone, and benefit stacking
Constantly refining personas and targeting criteria to
reduce waste and increase relevance
Using blue/white grocery card: 0.2% response rate. Switching to red card:
0.6% Response Rate (3x increase)
Overview
To reach seniors who aren’t online, I led the direct mail strategy for MedicareInsurance.com.
I designed postcards, letters, and inserts, while digging into audience behavior, demographic data, and creative psychology to make print marketing clear, engaging, and effective.
Challenge
Print is different from digital. You get one shot: no retargeting, no scrolling, just a split-second decision at the mailbox. My key questions were:
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What makes someone not throw it out immediately?
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What gets them to open and call?
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How can we adapt our digital creative learnings to a physical format?
Every decimal point mattered and we needed a 1% response rate just to break even.​​
Strategic Approach
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Research-Driven Targeting: Cross-referenced internal and third-party data to identify counties with high Medicare Advantage enrollment and eligibility
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Persona Layering: Mapped demographics to Medicare Advantage plan types (DSNP, CSNP, INSP) to better target benefits and messaging
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A/B Print Testing: Tested different creative elements to see what resonated best:​​​​
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Bold, benefit-first headlines like “Get $1,200/year for groceries”
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Red grocery card vs. blue/white version
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Envelope phrasing and letter formatting
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Behavioral Triggers: Designed pieces for openability, using familiarity, color psychology, and perceived legitimacy.
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Simplified Copy: Streamlined later iterations to focus on main benefits, helping the mail stand out from the noise and spotlight the key selling point.
Takeaways
This case shows my deeper strategic process: it’s not just about what the ad should say, but who exactly we’re reaching, how they live, and what would truly move them to act.
Print became a lab for testing creative instinct against real-world behavior, and I led both the concept and iteration, turning insights into measurable results.