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Time, Testing & Imagination

Why Marketing Testing Fails and How Imagination Bridges the Gap

by John Miglautsch, Published 10/2026 Direct Mail Insiders

For decades, the marketing industry has been obsessed with data — specifically, the promise that if we collect enough of it, we can predict the future. We build sophisticated models, run hundreds of tests, and rely on machine learning to tell us who will buy next. Yet, there is a fundamental, epidemic-level problem with this approach. We are operating as if data were a crystal ball, when in reality it is merely a mirror reflecting the past.

The missing variable in this equation — the one we ignore as if it were the air we breathe — is TIME. Continue reading “Time, Testing & Imagination”

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SAVING USPS – Update

The 73 page scenarios from the Office of Inspector General of USPS outlines 15 options for ‘raising’ revenue and reducing costs. Not one line of it even hints that mail decline is reversible.  If your business uses, produces or benefits from MAIL, understand that USPS cannot beg Congress for $100 Billion and reduced service change unless it continues (yes you read that right) to undermine mail volume. In fiscal 2024, USPS lost $9+ billion while giving almost a half billion dollars in postage credits to just 1,300 companies.  Mail is half of what it was in 2006 but employees are still 96% of what they were then.   In late March, the Postmaster General told Congress that they may face shutdown without more subsidies.

Casual conversation with WDMA friends – Join me to discover the one way USPS can solve this problem without continuous rate increases.

The video from the meetup presentation https://youtu.be/Ue2ZH03cax0

We’re going to talk especially about #dmail #testing

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WDMAY Meetup – SAVE USPS – Conversation about Case Pilot

In fiscal 2024, USPS lost $9+ billion while giving almost a half billion dollars in postage credits to just 1,300 companies.  Mail is half of what it was in 2006 but employees are still 96% of what they were then.   In late March, the Postmaster General told Congress that they may face shutdown without more subsidies.

Join me to discover the one way USPS can solve this problem without continuous rate increases.

Before you register, watch last week’s meetup presentation

Click Here to register and add it to your calendar

We’re going to talk especially about #dmail #testing

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SAVE USPS – update

In fiscal 2024, USPS lost $9+ billion while giving almost a half billion dollars in postage credits to just 1,300 companies.  Mail is half of what it was in 2006 but employees are still 96% of what they were then.   In late March, the Postmaster General told Congress that they may face shutdown without more subsidies.

Join me to discover the one way USPS can solve this problem without continuous rate increases.

Click Here to register and add it to your calendar

We’re going to talk especially about #dmail #testing

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AI in Direct Mail Marketing

In 2017, Gartner Group predicted that 87% of AI projects would never generate any ROI.  Their estimates have continued to suggest a 50% failure in the report, Gartner Predicts Half of Finance AI Projects will be Delayed or Cancelled by 2024.

What puzzled me was how have WE achieved decades of ROI success with machine learning while others continue to meet only failure? The answer shocked me… 

For the rest of the article, please subscribe to WDMA.org (FREE) and look in the members only section.

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Super Turn-Around Secret

Super Turn-Around Secret

“We don’t use consultants, so you better get us payback from your visit, right away… “ Arthur Crowley, Sr., Founder, Garon Products – B2B Catalog

When I started consulting, mainly for catalog companies, most had the idea that they should mail as much as possible to both their customers and prospect lists. One very successful catalog client admitted to mailing even their mere 1-time buyers every six weeks for 10 years. At the time, I was giving speeches suggesting different levels of cost/contact marketing for different value customers. When clients listened, we often improved their company valuations 500 to 1000% or more. I have 33 documented turn-arounds.

Continue reading “Super Turn-Around Secret”