Pennington, N.J. – March 5, 2007 – Direct Group, a full-service provider of high-volume, high-quality direct marketing services, announced today the launch of its Postal Optimizer product line, which provides significant cost savings to direct mail marketers facing the postal rate increase expected to take effect May 6. Postal Optimizer is the industry’s most comprehensive package of postal-cost-savings solutions. Postal Optimizer will deliver the greatest savings impact on mail campaigns processed through the United States Postal Service Bulk Mail Centers (BMC) and Sectional Center Facilities (SCF). Direct Group’s use of “intelligent mail” technologies – in collaboration with the USPS – will play an important role in achieving these cost reductions. Postal Optimizer provides multiple opportunities to secure cost savings for direct mail marketers, whose postage expenses can represent up to 75 percent of total project costs. Postal Optimizer features proprietary software that analyzes customer data and generates comprehensive solutions for entry-point deliveries, commingling and other logistics strategies including optimal packaging, targeted in-home delivery dates, load planning, reporting, and standardized interfaces that determine the most efficient trucking and transport options. “We’re now moving into an annual-CPI-rate-increase environment,” said Kevin McPhillips, Vice President of Strategic Planning for Direct Group. “Going forward, it will be even more critical to partner with our clients and the USPS to cut cost-per-piece, increase ‘speed-to-market,’ and enhance overall mailing campaign effectiveness.” McPhillips is also a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of PostCom, and the Chairman of a USPS Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) Workgroup. By accessing Postal Optimizer’s Web-based program, clients and service partners can submit their data files for analysis and view a summary cost savings report. Direct Group then works with the client to create an optimal, multi-pronged, direct mail delivery plan that goes well beyond traditional entry-point planning tools. “We have already tested Postal Optimizer with a number of clients, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive,” said Chris Ryan, Direct Group Executive Vice President. “We also plan to analyze data files for prospective clients with significant postal expenses and provide them insight on the potential savings we can bring to their campaigns.” Direct Group is an industry leader in the development of effective mailing solutions for direct marketers due to its significant investments in leading-edge equipment, state-of-the-art facilities and joint efforts with the USPS. The company is one of only a small number of direct marketing services providers with the resources and industry experience to provide clients the benefits of the latest intelligent mail technologies. These automated or Web-based processing and interface systems help the USPS process mail more efficiently and result in cost savings to mailers. Direct Group’s intelligent mail initiatives include Postal One! (a USPS electronic interface system), Seamless Acceptance, Intelligent Barcoding, and Surface Visibility, which tracks trucks by radio frequency interface (RFI). “Our new Postal Optimizer system delivers powerful, value-added solutions that are very appealing to any ROI-conscious direct marketer,” said Robert “Kam” Kamerschen, a renowned industry expert on postal issues and a member of Direct Group’s Board of Directors. “Direct Group has always been committed to helping its customers achieve the maximum yield possible from their direct marketing investments.” For more information about Postal Optimizer, visit www.postaloptimizer.com.