How do you create successful direct mail in 2013?

The United States Postal Service postmaster general, Patrick Donahoe, recently told The New York Times that the postal service is in a financial crisis today because of an inflexible business model.  Many legislatures believe that there are options to cut costs and increase revenue while still preserving the postal service.  Reports on the current state of the United States Postal Service are a bit chaotic.  It is predicted that in 2013, the United States Postal Service will undergo changes that it has never previously experienced.  This includes postage rate increases, new piece specifications, and a reduction of the network that delivers the mail.  It is hoped that these shifts will create significant savings for the United States Postal Service.  If direct mail continues to be a profitable medium for marketing, brands must find the most cost effective solutions in light of the USPS transformation.

Postage rates for folded self mailers

The rate increase percentage is based upon produce and service.  The overall average rate increase across all classes of mail is capped at 2.1 percent.  There are a variety of common mail formats that are considered folded self mailers that currently mail at standard letter rates.  The 2013 changes now categorize these letters into a higher postage rate.  Paper modifications can also offset the impact of postage rate changes on folded self mailers and unenveloped mail pieces.  If marketers begin to understand all of the new specification changes, they can then modify and test formats that comply with new regulations without losing any impact.

File optimization

Analytics can identify a variety of items.  Two of the most important being prospects and response.  By understanding these categories of an audience through analytics, marketers will experience gains in responses and improved campaign results.  These file optimizations are another way of testing your campaigns.  Putting your database into a third-party system will help define postage rate and shipping methods to get your mail to the intended recipients on time and budget.  

Production and logistics

Marketers must execute their mail campaigns on time and on budget once their format is designed and their data files are set up.  To enable marketers to determine the in facility dates, they should work backward from desired in-home dates.  These dates also assist in driving production scheduling, from manufacturing dates to artwork and data file due dates and even material ordering dates.      

There are several options to move mail pieces in the USPS delivery system  

• Presorting - arranges the mail file according to delivery scheme by zip code  
• Benefit: determines campaign postage rates and cost

• Co-palletization - combining trays of mail going to the same entry points on the same pallets
• Benefit: similiar to destination entry, "co-pal" offers discounts for moving the mail further downstream in the USPS network

• Comingling - Groups together pieces of mail from multiple clients/customers or one client's multiple mailers.  
• Benefit: affords businesses and organizations even lower postage rates through deeper penetration of high volume mail into the delivery system.

• Destination Entry - Often referred to as drop ship, this involves shipping pallets of prepared mail directly to the USPS sectional center facility
• Benefit: provides discounts for moving the mail further downstream in the USPS network

• Logistics planning - determines the best load and delivery patterns
• Benefit: optimizes transportation costs

Facility closures

Through 2015, roughly fifty percent of United States Postal Service facilities face closure.  This is due to an effort to cut more than $22 billion in costs.  Ten years ago, letter carriers delivered 202.8 billion pieces of mail.  In 2011, only 168 billion pieces were mailed.  If a marketer routes a direct mail campaign to the wrong location, it will result in major delivery delays.  As the USPS moves forward with their plans to close hundreds of mail distribution centers and post offices, it is crucial that marketers understand the timing and impact of individual facility closures.  

Direct marketers must stay focused on finding postage, processing and logistics savings to maximize mail delivery.  By understanding the "new" USPS, along with optimized mail piece design and processing, this is achievable. 

Ready to kick off 2013 with a great direct mail campaign?

  Let SYNERGY help!  

Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 to speak with a sales representative.  

Or visit http://www.synergyvxpromotions.com for your FREE quote and chance to win a 1,000 piece mailing!   

Synergy University: Direct Mail & The Environment

This post is part of a series called Synergy University. Think of it like a 4 week course you take in school except that we will not be assigning homework or exams and we promise not to put you to sleep.  Follow our posts on Twitter with the hashtag  #SynergyUniversity!

We are keepin' it short and sweet today.

Let's debunk some direct mail myths.

Myth: Trees are being destroyed to produce direct mail.

Truth: North America practices sustainable forestry.  Trees are harvested and replanted continually.  Plus, the marketplace is now able to produce paper with a logo that certifies it is from sustainable, forested lands.

Myth: People don't recycle their direct mail.

Truth: In 2007, the federal fair trade commission gave direct marketing businesses and organizations clearance to include “recycle please” messaging on catalogs and direct mail, encouraging readers to recycle.

Myth: Americans throw away ALL their direct mail, without even opening it.

Fact: The average United States household receives less than three pieces of direct mail advertising per day.  According to the United States Postal Service Household Diary Study, sixteen percent of households choose not to read their mail while 81% of people read their mail.

Interested in more information on Synergy and how we can help your business? Maybe you're ready to take your marketing up a notch with direct mail. Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 and speak with one of our friendly, knowledgeable Sales Representatives who can answer all your questions.

The USPS Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion

The Postal Service provides an opportunity to add value to Direct Mail and increase Sales.

Understanding changes in consumer behavior will help marketers remain relevant and improve ROI.  To maximize reach, invest in a mobile-optimized web experience and look beyond a single marketing channel.

The Demand Exists

1. Smartphone ownership in the USA is 46%.
2. Smartphone adoption is on the rise in nearly every corner of the globe.
3. Since Christmas 2011, the tablet market has grown 19%.
4. Smartphone users are more likely to buy from retailers with mobile- optimized sites.
5. When faced with mobile site difficulty, 40% of consumers said they will go to a competitor’s website, and 19% said that a negative mobile site experience leaves the user with a very unfavorable impression of the company.
6. 62.4 million Americans access Facebook via their mobile device each month, with 38.2 million of these respondents stating that they use their phones to connect to social media almost every day.
7. Nearly 60% of respondents use Facebook via their mobile device to read updates of organizations, brands or events.

USPS Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion

Recently, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC)  approved the 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion scheduled to run November 7 – 21, 2012, with registration beginning in September.   The  holiday promotion is designed to spur mobile purchasing by putting mobile-optimized promotional offers, coupons and catalogs into their customers’ hands in time for Black Friday-Cyber Monday shopping sprees.
As technology changes the marketing landscape, the Postal Service must ensure that direct mail continues to be a relevant part of the marketing mix. This promotion is intended to show how direct mail combined with mobile technology can be a convenient method for consumers to do their holiday shopping. 

Discount and Rebate Amounts
The Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion will provide business mailers with an upfront two-percent postage discount on Standard Mail® and First-Class Mail® letters, flats and cards (presort and automation) that include a mobile barcode or print/mobile technology that can be read or scanned by a mobile device and leads the recipient to a mobile optimized shopping website.  The technology must lead the recipient to a website that allows the recipient to purchase an advertised product on the mobile device (the sale of services will not qualify). 
Mailers may also qualify for an additional one-percent rebate on the postage of their qualifying mailings if a portion of their orders are fulfilled via Priority Mail® between November 9, 2012 and December 31, 2012. 

The USPS is Expanding use for Political Ads!

The U.S. Postal Service is expanding the use of Tag 57 to include political message mailings from Political Action Committees (PACs), Super-PACs, or other organizations engaging in issue advocacy or voter mobilization. We want to ensure that this volume receives visibility within the U.S. Postal Service mail stream. 

Expanded use of Tag 57

Tag 57 can be used for any political campaign mailing by a registered political candidate, campaign committee, and committee of a political party, or political message mailing by a Political Action Committee (PAC), Super-PACs, or other organizations engaging in issue advocacy or voter mobilization.

Tag 57 is a red container tag designed to provide visibility to political mail while it’s in the mailstream.

Political Campaign Mail is any piece mailed for political campaign purposes by a political candidate, a campaign committee, or a committee of a political party to promote political candidates, referendums, political campaigns or political message mailing by a Political Action Committee (PAC), Super-PACs, or other organizations engaging in issue advocacy or voter mobilization.

Official Election Mail is any mailpiece created by an authorized voting registration official that is mailed to or from a citizen of the United States for the purpose of participating in the voting process. It includes:

• Mail-in ballots            

• Ballot materials

• Voter registration cards

• Absentee applications                                                             

• Polling place notifications.

Election mail does not include political campaign mail.

Save 2% off your postage from the USPS in July and August!

Bringing 2% off postage,
Now that's good news!

The Summer is a great time of the year to send out a direct mail campaign. People are out and about and looking for exciting businesses and sales that meet their wants and needs. Right now the United States Postal Service is offering a discount on your direct mail postage from July 1, 2012 until August 31st, 2012. When you send a direct mail campaign with a QR code, you'll receive 2% off the cost of postage!

How It Works

There are 2 requirements in order to get the discount. The first requirement is that you must have a QR code on your mailer that takes you to a mobile optimized site. However, any marketing campaign using QR codes is worthless unless your site is mobile optimized, since most people don't scan QR codes on their desktop computers. So the requirement makes sense.

A QR code (like this one)
is all you really need for the discount!

The second requirement is an option. You can either have your QR take you to an "e-commerce" site as it is called, or you just need a personalized landing page. Now for those of us who aren't the most tech savvy, this might seem like a lot of work to get 2% off postage. However, using a personalized and mobile optimized landing page in your marketing campaign is extremely beneficial and will increase your return on investment and conversion rate from your direct marketing campaign. Not to mention, it'll make your company look pretty cool. To learn more about personalized landing pages and the benefits and analytics involved, check this out!

The other option is to have your QR code take someone to an "e-commerce" site, where they can make a direct purchase from your company or donation to your organization. For example, if you send a catalog, your QR code must take someone to a site where they can directly purchase an item from your catalog, not just your company webpage.

It's that easy, so what are you waiting for? Call Synergy and Let Us Save You 2% on Postage and Increase Your Sales This Summer!

Get 2% off postage on your next direct mail campaign

Contact Synergy at (877) 466-0635 or get a FREE quote online!

By: Will Pearlman

 

Every Door Direct Mail

A great new service offered by the United States Postal Service is called Every Door Direct Mail. This service is a great and cost effective way to use direct mail to market your business. Here's the short explanation of how Every Door Direct Mail or EDDM works: Each zip code has a specific postal routes. With EDDM you pick which routes you would like your mail delivered to, and the post office delivers it to every door without exception. And, you can send up to 5,000 pieces a day without purchasing a postal permit. Saving you money!

This service is ideal for small and local businesses who know what neighborhoods to advertise in and probably do not have a large budget for direct marketing campaigns. It is more difficult to target specific customers with this service but it is extremely cost effective. No need to purchase expensive data lists and sort through endless qualifiers. The USPS has made it simple to pick your area and send a mailer. All you need to do is call a print shop, make a mailer, and send it! Here are some ideas for making a mailer.

If your interested in direct mailings, but need help with design, no problem. Synergy can help with that, get a free quote online or call us at 877-466-0635.

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By: Will Pearlman

Converting Low Activity post Offices