Gunderson Direct

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project director for a nonprofit focused on integrative health.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were trying to increase the number of doctors who took our course on integrative approaches to chronic pain.

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was mainly a direct mail campaign that went to 200,000 doctors. The scope of work included coming up with concepts and design for the campaign, as well as supplemental materials such as email campaigns, social media ads on Facebook and LinkedIn, and art graphics. They handled the content.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mike (Founder) who was our project manager. We also had 2–3 creative people, one writer, and one art person.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

I worked with them 10 to 15 years ago, and I wanted to use them again. I think they’re experts at direct mail.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000, which includes direct mail cost as well. That doesn’t include postage.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August to November of 2020.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were quite pleased with what they came up with. We felt listened to throughout the process. They understood the messaging hierarchy and the complicated product that we were trying to sell. Doctors are a challenging audience to reach, one of the most expensive. Yet we got a couple of hundred folks to take the course, and we’re quite pleased by that.

We loved the work. They were very quick, giving us six different directions, we could go in almost immediately. It was nice having that choice since they were all strong.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

They mainly communicated over email. They were great with communication, they had a lot of methods where we could communicate electronically.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really listen and think outside the box.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was quite pleased.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them. They have a lot of experience in the area.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the associate director of an online insurance marketplace. We’re a one-stop-shop for personal finance products and protection.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were using them as a full-funnel direct mail vendor for creative and audience. The objective was to drive qualified insurance leads to our site that’d we then sell via traditional methods.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Gunderson Direct with brand guidelines and assets, and they handled the creative aspects themselves. They utilized our font, logo, and other visuals we thought were appropriate as well as created custom icons for the mail pieces. The mailings went out in batches, and we’ve done about 3–4 big mailings with them.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two different account reps; it’s currently Mike (President). We also work with Jeff (VP of Account Services) and Alexa (VP of Data & Strategy). In total, there are about 5–6 people we’ve worked with.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

It was a referral through an internal team member.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement ran from June 2019–July 2020.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

From the very beginning, I was happy with the way the creative process was executed. After they sent the assets and guidelines, Gunderson Direct walked us through what they had created for us. They presented good work and implemented the feedback from our creative director and CMO.

Once the mail went out, they were very communicative about when we’d expect to see things and set expectations for how results would come in. When we received the results, we exceeded our goal for cost per customer acquisition. We were able to match customers who applied and became leads to those we sent mail to.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was great. I rarely had to ask for things; they proactively gave me what I needed. Their team is communicative via email and Slack. They did what they could to add value. They were great at providing and updating timelines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with the process and how knowledgeable they were in the domain. This was something we hadn’t done before, and we wanted to find the right partner. During our first predevelopment meeting with stakeholders present, I breathed a sigh of relief because they did what they promised. That made me feel confident about the product even before we had results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The struggle is figuring out how direct mail plays into our other customer acquisition efforts in terms of net impact. We can match the addresses to applications but we’re running other media types so we can figure out the crossover between direct mail and other efforts. That’s something Gunderson Direct tried to assist in but wasn’t able to really solve.

We're unsure that the direct mail is what drove the conversions. That’s a question we still have to answer. However, this isn’t their fault and it’s as much on us as it is on them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Pay attention to the timeline and make sure to provide the needed information. Any delays will affect the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the product marketing manager at an insurance company. We sell life and health insurance policies. We also offer supplemental insurance and group employee insurance.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We hired them for the creative development of our direct mail efforts, specifically on our guaranteed issue life insurance product. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gunderson Direct team's creative development package involves copywriting, design, and specs for the production of the files.

What is the team composition?

I work with Mike (President). I also collaborate with their creative director, senior account manager, account director, and designer.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

I was doing research early in the spring on agencies that specialized in direct response and I found Gunderson Direct through Clutch. After that, I decided to reach out to them about potential projects.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first project together started in September 2020, and the work is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The quality of their service has been truly exceptional. It has been terrific working with Gunderson Direct.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate primarily via email and phone. They have been extremely responsive to us. 

The team also has been flexible when it comes to scheduling. They communicate upfront about the expected development time they need to finish a deliverable. So far, they have not missed a deadline yet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their industry knowledge and direct response advertising experience impress us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think they have any areas they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you are looking for an agency that knows direct response advertising and has the experience to back it up, this is an agency that you’ll want to look at. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a regional-based insurance company in New England, but we run nationwide personal line services. I’m a marketing specialist tasked with direct mail works.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We already had a relationship with a direct mail agency then, but we wanted to see what other vendors could do for our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company sent them a proposal regarding what we were looking for at that time, then they sent us the information about the deliverables. Gunderson Direct specified the needs and the timeframe of the direct mail kits to us. Our teams hold 1–2 calls to discuss the creative and they produce them promptly.

In order to help them know more about our brand and message, we gave them examples of our previous direct mail kits. We directed the team on what we wanted but also gave them the creative freedom to work on some things.

To date, Gunderson Direct’s team has already provided three direct email kits that we’ve initially requested. The team also gives us feedback on our targeting. Although I’m not sure whether they handle that for us, they still provide valuable insights for our kits.

What is the team composition?

About eight people from Gunderson Direct are involved in this engagement. We have a direct contact person from their end. Our team has also had several conversations with Mike (CEO) for the project. 

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

We searched for direct mail agencies online and selected the top three among the options. Our team gave those three a project brief and asked them to write samples based on that. Upon comparing the results from the companies who sent us their creative ideas, our team unanimously agreed that Gunderson Direct stood out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve already invested around $40,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing engagement started in October 2019. We’ve already recommended them to our life company who is now working with them, too.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

One of the kits they’ve provided us worked well but one didn’t. So far, we’ve only used one of their direct mail kits in our production. Our teams also did an online survey and found mixed results on our end users’ preference regarding the envelope and the copy. We’re going to try to combine what the respondents’ preferred and retest that kit.

The direct mail kit that worked well impressed our colleagues and even the other agency that we’re also working with. That kit was well done, sharp, and creative. 

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

Gunderson Direct is great at sticking to timelines, a reason why our life company also decided to continue working with them. The team understands what we want them to do even without directly asking us.

As for communication, we keep in touch through emails, phone calls, and Zoom meetings. They’re very quick to respond and easy to work with. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that they’re very knowledgeable and easy to work with impresses us. Gunderson Direct’s team is always eager when working with us and their CEO himself even jumped in on our initial calls — something we’ve never experienced before with other agencies.

Unlike other companies, Gunderson Direct doesn’t make us feel like we’re just another client or a number to them. Instead, we feel a genuine partnership with their team and we’re forming a great connection. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We can’t think of any criticisms about them now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is the key. You should clarify what you’re looking for so they won’t just grasp at vague instructions. But since they’re easy to work with, we find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn’t work well with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the assistant marketing manager for Amica Insurance, which is a national company. We primarily sell auto insurance, but also home insurance and life insurance as well.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We have an agency that does most of the soup to nuts work for us in the direct main channel, but occasionally we want to get additional third party ideas and services; that includes the writing and design of what we put in the direct mail pieces.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We explained to them who our audience is and what they want. They took all of that, gave some suggestions of their own, and came back to us with letters they wrote and designed for our direct mail campaign. The technology programs they used were InDesign and file transfer protocol (FTP). We also use them for creative services including design and writing.

What is the team composition?

We spoke with Mike G. (President) when we first reached out. After we engaged with them deeper, he involved Mike I. (Sr. Account Executive), who has been our main point of contact ever since. Their designers and writers also hop on Zoom calls with us.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

We were looking a couple of years ago for some new creative services for direct mail. After getting recommendations and browsing online, we came across Gunderson Direct. We were looking for people who had experience in the insurance world and they did, so we reached out to several agencies and had conferences with them. After talking with the agencies, we decided on Gunderson Direct because they were easy to talk to and certainly knowledgeable.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2019 and the project wrapped up in January 2020.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We really liked the work they delivered, and we have a lot of picky people in our department. We measured one of their letters in our campaign and we tested it against a regular controller, which is a regular letter. It didn’t perform quite as well as the control, but that’s not surprising because that almost never happens; however, the letter did pretty well and we really liked working with them.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

Mike I. is a pretty responsive person and he’s not pushy at all. They come up with suggestions and don’t try to force anything. Outside of Zoom calls, we also communicated through phone and email. They’re great at following schedules and are very professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they’re experienced and laid back. We appreciate their knowledge. It’s nice to have the confidence of talking to someone that knows what they’re doing. We also consider them to be pretty affordable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have a fallback person if Mike I. takes the day off or is out. That hasn’t really been an issue, but it might be good to have multiple contacts there.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a shot and see some of their samples. It doesn’t hurt to talk to them, see how it goes, and get an estimate.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a non-bank personal loans institution. We focus on subprime loans, both secured and unsecured. I'm the vice president and managing director of marketing strategy. I specifically focus on direct mail.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were trying to redevelop our direct marketing messages. The goal is to develop a messaging platform and redesign our direct mail creatives. What we were trying to do is tailor our direct mail and define our messaging to be consistent with who we are as a company and to resonate with our prospects beyond the immediate read of that letter.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gunderson Direct has helped us identify a number of different messaging pillars that we're now staying consistent with. They’re working with us to lay foundational groundwork for us to build off of. In addition to the messaging pillars, they’re working with us to develop some creative elements for the production of the direct mail work we’re doing.

What is the team composition?

We primarily communicate with six people, but I think more have worked on this. A lot of my primary interface was with Mike (President) and Jeff (VP, Account Services), one of his lead strategists. Since then, we've worked more consistently with some of the working team there.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

We set off to find a primary creative agency partner earlier this year and put that out for RFP (request for proposal) across a handful of other agencies. I first came across the company as we were exploring some innovative ways to market to our customers.

Gunderson Direct has this proprietary technology called VACTA (Voice Activated Call to Action). It’s similar to Alexa, you say a key phrase and you ultimately get a text message from our company highlighting the offer.

They sounded like a company that really was proud of direct mail. A lot of agencies out there treat direct mail as secondary and they're not particularly proud of it. While Gunderson Direct has some ability to do digital marketing, they know their roots are in direct mail and they know the power of it. At the end of the day, through the RFP process, they won us over and they are our primary agency right now.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in early July 2020 and our engagement is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The work they've done is just being implemented now. With direct mail, there is somewhat of a long runway from the development of creative selections to mailing it and reading the result. We're just seeing a lot of the initial creatives being responded to now.

As a result of the work with Gunderson Direct, we've identified a number of different messaging pillars that we're now staying consistent with. Aside from that, this is a long-term evaluation in terms of messaging development. From an actual KPI perspective, I simply don't have enough data to comment on that, but overall we’ve been very satisfied with their work.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been very engaged partners. We have a very open dialogue we do on a weekly basis. I feel like I'm getting their best from some of their lead copywriters. They have been patient and collaborative with us as we come back on some of the creative versions and concepts to ultimately land on what we're most comfortable with. From a working relationship standpoint, I'm very pleased.

Sarah (Account Manager) is our day-to-day contact person and she has been very clear in what their needs are and the timeline. She interfaces a lot with my team and some of the specifics that require getting a creative developed and approved.

There's a lot of communication back and forth; they're responsive and they are meeting our needs from that standpoint. We have a working session every week where we get together and that's been helpful and engaging.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like the simple approach they take — they're grounded in their approach and sticking with messaging pillars. They are truly committed to understanding who we are and listening to what we have to say in the development of the messaging platform.

We've been working together for a few months now, we see a lot of that original work that they developed going into the market now. For everything that we've asked of them, they're delivering on that.

I don't feel the work we're getting is like an assembly line of regurgitated work that they give to everybody. I truly feel it's customized to who we are and they've done a lot of the things framing up what will be the messaging platform.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have a lot of constructive criticism for them yet. I'll be able to answer this question in six more months after we've seen some more results and how we adjust from the results we see.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It's about trusting their process and their testing strategy. They have a nice approach and, at the end of the day, they adapt to whatever the client wants. However, without that direction, they generally have an assertive approach to testing and messaging and it's the right balance between being aggressive and conservative.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of growth at an auto insurance company. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were looking for help in building our direct-mail acquisition program.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gunderson Direct was responsible for organizing our mail outreach strategy. They spearheaded our communications campaigns and made sure they were executed without error. The team used OPEX Mail Matrix, a mixed mail sorting system, to manage our mail speedily and accurately.

What is the team composition?

My point of contact was our account manager. There were 3–4 people who worked on the project that I didn’t interact with as often.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

Having been in the marketing industry myself, I’d heard of them before. We decided to go with them because they had good references, and we liked the fact that they were local.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted between July to December 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

They ensured flawless campaigns and always delivered on time. They’re a great direct-mail resource for companies that don’t have the internal capacity or necessary skills.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

I was very satisfied on this front. We had weekly meetings but were in constant communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by their proficiency in project management.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While we didn’t hire them to do creative design and content, I feel that they could improve in this area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re the agency of choice for companies that don’t have the internal resources, because they offer a specialized skill set. In the long-term, companies should aim to develop those skills internally so they don’t have to rely on external service providers.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior integrated marketing manager at CreativeLive, an online education platform.

What challenge were you trying to address Gunderson Direct?

I’ve worked with Mike, the president, at several different companies. Primarily, he led direct mail campaigns. Mike also provided supplemental services for paid advertising and creative services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

For one project, they did market research for a startup’s insurance product, which protected homeowners against real estate market devaluation. We wanted interstate demographic data to target specific audiences. We also targeted affinity groups, including food, lifestyle, and travel. Next, we collaborated with Mike to brainstorm creative concepts.

Direct also did staggered A/B testing to incorporate changes during multi-month campaigns. The slow nature of direct mail made this approach necessary for implementing modifications and successful techniques.

What is the team composition?

Mike was my primary point of contact for each project.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

Mike already worked for my employer when I joined that company.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we have spent between $200,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in 2006 and the most recent project ended in 2017.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Mike’s undertaking for one campaign experienced positive ROI every month. Campaigns for two different startups didn’t get a positive ROI. However, I don’t fault them because we believed in direct mail channels for both projects. At another company, we realized direct mail wasn’t the best fit.

Overall, he assembled compelling mail packages that resonated well. His A/B testing matrixes were thoughtful. They advanced our programs in a timely and cost-effective manner.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

Mike was responsive, accessible, and highly creative. His team set realistic expectations to build long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. They didn’t accept work if they couldn’t make the project successful. We communicate primarily via email, but also phone and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, Mike delivered on his promises. He was one of the few local vendors that truly understood the direct mail space. He knew segmentation and marketing.

Rates have increased since the first engagement, but their performance justified the costs. Gunderson Direct limited services to their most effective channels. They were transparent and honest; Mike cared more about relationships than making money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. I loved working with Mike. As a vendor, they skillfully under-promised and over-delivered. I was lucky to meet them and would happily engage them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Direct mail has become more popular. Lean on Mike’s experience to understand if his services match the scope requirements. The project will be successful if they accept the work, but trust them if they decline.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing for a financial technology company that offers wealth management and software tools for individual investors.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were looking for new ways to reach our target audience through direct mail services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gunderson provided several services. Initially, they consulted us and made recommendations on how we could best get started with a direct mail campaign. They then connected us to a list broker and helped with the creative assets, from production to printing and mailing. We've progressed from mailing a couple hundred thousand to several million pieces of mail per quarter.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with an account manager, as well as Mike (President, Gunderson Direct) and a few others.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

Our company was working with them before I came onboard, but I was told my predecessor researched a few different companies and ultimately felt Gunderson was the best option.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested under $200,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with Gunderson since the fall of 2015.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We've been very pleased with the results of the program, which is why we continue to increase the work we do with them.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

They're highly efficient and thorough in their work. I'm confident in their project management capabilities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very hands-on, responsive, and collaborative. I consider them a part of our own team—they're always willing to help us in any capacity. I also find them to be transparent and fair in their prices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I don't have any complaints.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former senior marketing manager for One Medical. I was responsible for direct mail, field marketing, and partnerships.

What challenge were you trying to address with Gunderson Direct?

We were spending an absurd amount of money on direct mailings. We had a very poor response rate and knew we could do better. We wanted a company to help improve our rates and reduce our costs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We reviewed our prior direct mail pieces and built a testing strategy. They put together a bunch of options that we vetted. We came up with a metrics dashboard and segments to target. Every time we went through a test, the Gunderson piece was always the winner. The “Gunderson Package” was the one to beat. We tested lots of other mailing options, but none was as good as Gunderson.

What is the team composition?

I took the lead on my side, and worked hand-in-hand with Mike (President, Gunderson Direct) and their account manager. Mike came in once a week and the account manager was there for me on a daily basis. Their forte is creative, but they also partnered with me in strategy.

How did you come to work with Gunderson Direct?

I heard about Gunderson at a prior company. They had rave reviews, so we included them when we sent out the RFP. We chose them for their budget and their prior work. We knew they could take us to the levels we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent at least $1,100,000 on their services and printing costs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged them in September 2016. One Medical still maintains a relationship with them.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They had a huge impact. When we started, we were spending $4,000,000 with a .05% response rate. Within six months, we cut our spending by half and increased the response rate to 1%. They were instrumental in that.

How did Gunderson Direct perform from a project management standpoint?

They were outstanding. We might have been a difficult client, but they made us successful. Their management was one of their best skills. They were always on top of emails and they documented every text or conversation. They responded quickly in every conversation and were absolutely stellar.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I liked how involved Mike was. He didn’t try to pawn me off to a project manager and had a vested interest in my success. They never tried to expedite things or trap us in a sales ploy. Everything was on my terms and they were really good partners.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice to have them visit more often for face-to-face meetings. We had telecom meetings via Zoom, but meeting in person is always a positive.