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One Machine, One Customer
Thanks to Aflac and others, Dove Mailing now bills $10 million.
by Mary Welch
May 30, 2008
W
hen Joyce Newton started Dove Mailing Inc. in 1987, she had “one machine, one labeler and
one customer.”
Today, Newton has sales of $10 million, more machines than she can count off the top of her
head and lists as clients Aflac, SunTrust and J.C. Penney, among others. In fact, Dove Mailing Inc.
is one of the largest fully automated presort bureaus in Georgia, specializing in letter
shop/fulfillment services. The Atlanta company handles the mailing of magazines, catalogs,
circulars, brochures, bulletins, statements, invoices, annual reports, newsletters and mail order
items for a variety of corporations. In fact, most of Aflac’s outbound mail goes through
Dove.
Newton and her husband started Dove after she had spent several years working for the IRS
and the Department of Education. She wanted her own business and, as she says, “Through hard work
and dedication managed to hang in and grow our business. We did what we had to do to get to the big
arena.”
The “big arena” is corporate America, and what Newton did was go through the process to get
certified and put herself and her company in front of potential suppliers. “We got certified, which
is invaluable, and then joined all the necessary organizations, the chambers of commerce as well as
the organizations for small and minority-owned businesses. We wanted to meet people and let them
know us and know that we were a viable female- and minority-owned business. We went to all the
meetings, all the seminars. That’s how we met Aflac – through a meet and greet."
Columbus, Ga.-based Aflac gave them a small assignment to “see what they could do,”
according to Eric Seldon, vice president for Aflac’s account implementation and management and
support services. “Not only did they handle the assignment well, but they kept up with our needs
and we’ve grown with them. In fact, we’ve helped mentor them so they could handle the growth."
Newton readily admits that the relationship with Aflac was vital to her company’s success. “
Once we got that business, then we got work from others. That new business, plus the increased
business from Aflac, allowed us to invest in new equipment and keep up with the technology. We’ve
gone from mailing to some printing and other services.”
Newton says the key to success is to “pray hard and then listen to your customers. Listen to
them and see what their needs are. Then gear yourself up to meet their needs. Once you’re
part of their organization, even as a supplier, do your part to be a valuable entity to them."
As for future growth, Newton just invested in a new Xerox printer that will allow the
company to expand into a new revenue-generating business – printing and trimming books and
brochures.
Why did she decide to buy the new machine and offer the new
service?
Quite simple, she says.
“We listened to Aflac.”
