Statement Printing

There is a way to save money on a direct mail campaign that some businesses are turning to as a great option for saving on costs. With direct mail pieces that have the same specifications, business can group their orders together to get better pricing. I have seen this work in the case of plastic, 4/4 card mailers. Each company agrees to pay their portion of a versioning fee so their group of orders qualifies for larger volume discount pricing.

This option is also a great one for someone looking to test a new direct mail piece. They can add their smaller volume to an existing run and share the savings with the other business. Both companies benefit in a situation like this.

It is not common that one business does not want another business to know what they are doing for marketing but this type of agreement can work in a situation where your vendor handles the details. Each business does not need to know the specifics of the others order, just that they can combine their order to save money.

Really, going through a vendor is best for this type of direct mail option. The vendor can coordinate and manage everything and you, the customer, get the benefit of saving on your direct mail campaign.

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Many businesses want to use a direct mail piece that is innovative and high quality. The problem always seems to be that these type of mail pieces cost more per piece than a traditional paper post card. So, how can your business get more from a direct mailer that costs more than a traditional paper post card mailer?

One solution is to use the mailing for more than one offer. I have recently seen one restaurant owner use one mailing for both of his restaurant concepts. He extended two different offers to his potential customers. Another option is to include two offers- one valid now and one valid in the future. A business can essentially complete two marketing campaigns in one run when they opt for a program like this.

In order for a marketing campaign like this to be successful, the business needs to clearly explain all conditions so that potential customers are not confused. Also, having a magnetic strip or bar code on the mailer for tracking within the business can help to prevent misuse.

It is worthwhile for your business to check into all of your options and compare several different scenarios before your next direct mail campaign.

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There is a big difference between unsolicited, unaddressed mail and carefully targeted direct mail campaigns. It is the first category of unsolicited, unaddressed mail that led to the term “junk mail.” If you send potential customers, who you have carefully targeted your marketing message to, an offer that fits their needs or wants, they will not see it as junk but rather a valuable piece of mail.

It is not about quantity of pieces sent out, but rather creating a relevant campaign tailored to your prospective customers. As an example, let’s compare two campaigns:

100,000 mail pieces of untargeted message at the average direct mail redemption rate of .5%= 500 redeemed.

10,000 mail pieces of targeted messages with a redemption rate of 5%= 500 redeemed.

So, as you can see, the value of targeting your message is clear.

There are several ways to target your piece:

• Rent a targeting mailing list that filters the recipients according to the demographics you chose
• Target your customers with personalized messages
• Make sure your art work will capture your customers’ attention
• Have a call to action that will impel them to act.

Many print and mail companies will provide assistance with targeting your campaign, so make sure you ask your vendor.

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The New York Times recently ran an editorial called “Saving the Post Office”. The editorial discusses the fact that in this era, USPS must cut some services, close some offices, and make other changes. Many Americans rely on six-days-a-week delivery and having a post office right around the corner, but that may be a thing of the past.

Since 1970, USPS has paid its own costs and it was able to make a profit until 2006. Since that time, declining mail volumes and the demands of its retiree health benefit system have caused losses for USPS. In order to avoid bankruptcy, USPS is asking Congress permission to launch an ambitious plan to cut services and costs.

Changes include:

• Ending mail delivery on Saturday
• Closing certain post offices and opting for kiosks and postal windows at supermarkets and other retailers.
• Raising the rates on some services

These changes do seem reasonable, but need to be done in a way that Americans are not inconvenienced or lose confidence in the postal system. These changes will be a solution for part of the gap, but the Postmaster General also believes they can find other savings and add new profits by expanding product offering and cutting labor costs. Americans will always need mail services for packages, legal documents, and even letters, so Congress and USPS will have to find solutions that work for everyone.

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