The Challenge

A leading national home warranty provider had tried direct mail before — but it flopped. Results were underwhelming, and the channel was dropped. Still, competitive research suggested direct mail had untapped potential. With other marketing channels maxed out and growth goals looming, the team decided to give direct mail another shot.

They needed a partner who could rethink their approach and deliver better results. After a competitive RFP process, they chose RPM to build a smarter, more effective direct mail program—one that could outperform their current customer acquisition channels.

What We Did

Phase 1: Crack the Code with Smart Testing

We kicked things off with our proprietary Rapid Performance Method—a structured, high-velocity testing approach. Instead of guessing what might work, we tested a wide variety of creative concepts, copy angles, and offers through multivariate campaigns.

Phase 2: Predict the Perfect Prospect

Next, we leveled up by building a predictive targeting model based on the top-performing test results. We wanted to see just how far we could push performance by mailing to the right people—not just more people.

To do this, we ran a head-to-head test of two predictive models:

• One built using an advanced A.I.-powered platform that rapidly created and optimized dozens of potential models in real time.
• The other built the traditional way, by a well-known data provider using a manual, human-statistician approach.

Both models aimed to find lookalike prospects who resembled past buyers—but the results weren’t even close.