Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 1

Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 2

Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 3

Preparation Overview:

Use quality addresses.
Using a reputable database service whose goal is to help you reach your mailing objectives is key. When selecting one, be sure to ask these questions:
Is this a purchase or rental? What time period?
How often is your data updated?
Is there a guarantee on quality and address deliverability?
How often is the data cleaned and matched with the USPS National Change of Address (NCOA), ZIP+4 and Delivery Sequence File to standardize and keep the addresses accurate?
What format is the data in?
If purchasing labels, are the addresses properly formatted in ZIP+4 format with a barcode to ensure USPS scan ability?
If purchasing labels, are they in zip code order (useful in discount mailings)?
What data is included in the listing?
What is the record count and cost (based on your search criteria)?
Is there a market research report and/or preview available before purchasing?
Did the sales representative compare the SIC codes and/or descriptive codes to ensure accurate comparison?
Are there any additional fees beyond the per record fee?

Verify addresses with USPS using PC postage technology.
The mail pieces will be delivered faster if the addresses are complete and have been verified through the Post Office’s Zip Code verification system. A CASS Certification Report will be required by the post office to standardize and correct the addresses to include the ZIP+4 codes. This will minimize time-intensive, manual corrections to your database. Also, you will avoid the exorbitant postage cost of re-mailing these pieces. Printing the barcode above the mailing address is also helpful so the post office’s machines have room for any necessary markings.

Always test print on plain paper.
Avoid wasted card stock and postage before printing your entire mailing. If there are any changes to make, you will be able to do so prior to your full print.

Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 1

Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 2

Choosing a Mailing Service
We chose First Class. See pages 27-28 of “An Introduction to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations” and rate charts for all options.

Choosing a Postage Payment Method
We have used PC postage technology (prints postage directly on mail piece) and permit imprint (prints permit information directly on piece). See pages 14-15 of “An Introduction to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations” for all options. The permit application fee was $175 and the annual fee was $175. Permit imprint postage is paid for at the time of mailing, which is taken to the Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) at your local post office. Dazzle Express states that permit box printing is not available for label or postcard printing. However, you can create a text box with the permit information using Dazzle Designer (included in Dazzle Express). Specifications on the permit information that must be included is here: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/604.htm#wp1113553.

Read How We Saved At Least 15% on Postage: Part 1

What are you mailing?

It is important to consider which papers will work properly in your printer. We mailed Burris Four-of-a-Kind Premium Heavy Matte Postcards. You can see page 3 of “An Introduction to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations” for all mailpiece options. We printed our message using Microsoft Publisher (printing 4 at a time, on one sheet). The template we used to create our postcard can be downloaded for free Microsoft Publisher. The postage/content side was printed using Dazzle Designer (printing 4 at a time, on one sheet). Be sure to do a test print of which way to load paper, before printing your entire mailing.

Shapes, dimensions, address placement, and bar code placement matter. For help, consult the Mailpiece Design Analyst in your area https://ribbs.usps.gov/mda/mda.cfm and pages 16-17 of “An Introduction to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations“.

Here’s a great article on using postcards in marketing a financial service company that will save you money:

http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Postcard-Marketing-Tips-That-Can-Improve-Your-Mortgage-Business&id=645108

Businesses and Non-Profit organizations can save a significant amount of money on postage by utilizing the United States Postal Service’s Business Mail or Bulk Mail program. This program offers discounts on postage when mailers do some of the work for the USPS (such as sorting or transportation) and mail in large quantities (usually 150 pieces or more). We would like to share our experience as first-time business mailers, from start to finish. Our goal was to send out a mailing using about 6,000 of our Four-of-a-Kind Post Cards, hoping to maximize the postage dollars in our marketing budget. Honestly, learning this process was a challenge to get started, but became much easier as we progressed.

Supplies needed:
*4 up postcard stock of your choice (pcforms.com)
*Microsoft Publisher software (microsoft.com)
*Dazzle Express software (envmgr.com)
*Endicia account (endicia.com)
*supplies from the USPS (itemized later)
*bulk mail permit (locate and contact Business Mail Entry unit at your local post office)
*here’s a whole example board of different mortgage cards as an example

(BEST ADVICE: ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU DO IT!)

Here are a few articles that will give you an excellent start in designing, editing, and sending your next direct mail piece.

• Step-By-Step Guide to Direct Mail for Businesses (USPS)
• Four ways to raise direct mail response rates
• 10 Direct Mail Marketing Tips

• increase in the price of a first-class stamp to 41 cents and postcard to 26 cents
• issuance of the Forever Stamp (purchase at 41 cents now and will always be good on a one ounce letter in the future)
• implementation of shape based pricing

Anniversary: If your customers have been with you for several years, but you haven’t made a sale to them recently, send them a direct mail postcard celebrating their “anniversary” with your company. This could be a free offer to come back or letting them know about your new products and services.

Grand Openings:

Target your local customers with a grand opening mailing.Using direct mail marketing postcards can let your town know that you are open for business.

Announcement:

Let your customer know about your new products, services, or other news about your company.

Invitation:

Use a postcard to invite customers to your organization’s special event, or to a party. Good for museums, arts orgranizations, or for anyone extending invitations.

Ask for me:

Put your photo on a postcard and when your customer comes in to buy, they will already know you. This is especially good for real estate agents.

Lead Generator:

Bring in prospects for new homes, loans, or other BIG ticket purchases with postcards.

Birthday:

Send a birthday greeting, or a coupon to be used as a discount or gift when brought in on their birthday. Also, reminders to promote birthday facilities for birthday parties.

Mini- Newsletter:

Can’t fit an entire newsletter on a postcard? You’d be surprised how much you can get on a postcard as a mini-newsletter – and postcards always get read!

Bring a friend:

Bring a friend promotions work well for open houses of salons, fitness centers, fraternities/sororities.

Product Launch:

Let your customers know about your new product with a postcard, or better yet, send a postcard with a tear-off stub, and your customers (or prospects) can return the stub for more information.

Catalog requests:

Instead of sending out catalogs to a large list, send a postcard with a tear-off stub, and your customer can return the stub for a catalog.

Survey:

Customers like to know that their opinion matters to the people they do business with. Sending out postcards to get feedback shows that you want to meet their needs. They can either go to your website or using the postcard with a tear-off stub, they can fill out the survey and send it back to you.

Coupon Offers:

Another use for a postcard with a tear-off stub is a coupon that your customer can bring in for a discount on their purchase or other offers.

Thank You:

Customers also like to feel appreciated for doing business with a company. Following up orders with a “Thank You” postcard could encourage referral.

Website:

Drive traffic to your website by putting the address on your postcards. Also, let the customers know the benefits of using your site, whether it’s an excellent support/service section, or maybe “web only” specials that your company runs.