We know #MailMatters …
- It’s personal.
- It’s physical.
- It’s trusted.
- It’s emotional.
- It’s remembered.
But your budget matters, too.
In January, postal rates changed.
How do you save on postage and still run a powerful and effective print campaign?
We’ve dedicated this #StrategySession to walking you through our Top 5 Ways to Save on Postage with lessons we’ve learned over our 20 years persuading and motivating targeted groups of voters, constituents and consumers through print.
1. Folds are your friend.
Large direct mail pieces that finish and mail at 8.5×11 flat certainly do stand out in the mailbox, but the USPS charges extra for these size pieces. You don’t need to mail flats to catch your audience’s eyes. Creativity should do that job for you. A well-written and designed direct mail piece that includes good photography, a powerful tagline and concise text will create a mail piece that not only stands out, but is remembered.
2. Drop ship.
What is drop shipping? In the early 1990s, the USPS began offering discounts on postage when the mailer shipped mail pieces to the regional postal facility closest to the mail pieces’ delivery addresses. Basically, if we save the USPS a step, they save us on postage. On top of the postage savings, those mail pieces also skipped steps in the USPS system, meaning faster delivery.
3. Remember there are two sides to print.
Double up and ensure your print work goes the distance. For those with a limited budget, double up and use a mail piece as your door-to-door literature. Include a perfed reply card on an introductory piece to encourage engagement and signups instead of sending a separate mail piece for that goal. A creative, well-planned direct mail plan will make the best use of your dollars so your postage goes farther.
4. Target better with superior data.
Target better with superior data to create mailing universes that are both efficient and effective. Don’t talk to people you don’t need to, including those who can’t be persuaded or motivated to support your campaign, issue or brand. Make sure you are sending the right message to the right people at the right times and spend those postage dollars wisely.
5. Make a plan.
We know the benefits of repetition of message. That’s where a strategic targeted direct mail plan can help. Everything revolves around that plan: from the data and targeting of specific universes to scheduling production time needed for printing, mailshopping and that beneficial drop shipping we talked about. The plan is your key to saving on postage and ensuring your message is delivered.
Print is certainly an art form, but so is targeting and developing the strategy behind who to talk to, when to talk to them, what to say to them, and how that message is best delivered.
Give us a call today to get started on your print campaign.