How To Save Money On Direct Mail Postage In 2021

With the largest postage rate increase ever, scheduled for August 29^th, 2021, finding ways to save on postage for the rest of the year is very important! Do you have a planned strategy to not only save money on postage but really stand out and increase your response rate?

Direct Mail Postage Saving Promotions:

1. Mobile Shopping Promotion – This program runs August 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. This uses direct mail to highlight the connection between the mail piece and the digital shopping experience. It is designed to enable customers to conveniently go from the mail piece, directly to a mobile-optimized online shopping experience. You can us QR codes, imbedded digital watermarks, augmented reality or voice assistant prompts. By adding mobile technology to your mail that allows your customers or prospects to make a purchase or other online shopping experiences, you can qualify to save 2% on your postage.
2. Informed Delivery Promotion – This program runs September 1, 2021 – November 30, 2021. Use this program of Informed Delivery which will send an email to people with a color picture of your mail piece to let them know what is coming in their mail box that day. You can even provide a clickable link so that people can start purchasing right then. You can save 2% on your postage.

You can participate in both promotions, but only 1 per mailing. Each promotion requires registration to participate and reporting after the mailing is complete, but they are worth the savings. Get more info here: https://www.usps.com/business/promotions-incentives.htm We can help you qualify and register for these promotions.

Now let’s look at some other ways you can drive an increase in your response rates to offset the postage rate increase. Direct mail postage is like airline tickets. Some people pay more than others. The USPS offers significant postage discounts to mail pieces that are designed and addressed properly for processing on automated equipment.

1. SmartMail – Instead of just sending out a traditional solo direct mail campaign, SmartMail combines your direct mail with 7 digital technologies to create an omni-channel experience that increases your return on investment by reaching your target audience on multiple channels simultaneously. Old-school direct mail only operates on one. SmartMail is a seamlessly integrated system that maximizes your marketing impact. SmartMail consists of Direct Mail, Mail Tracking, Online Follow-up Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and Call Tracking.  Want to know more? Download the white paper. We can even incorporate Informed Delivery! Want to know who is visiting your website and get mailing addresses for them, you should try Lead Match!
2. Mail to the right people: by targeting your lists to reach only those people most likely to be interested in your product or service.
3. Target your messaging – Send the right message to the right person. Variable data printing really helps you create targeted messaging and offers so people are more likely to respond.
4. Clean In-House lists: Reduce undeliverable mail by updating your lists at least every three months. There are many data hygiene resources available to keep your list up-to-date.
5. Size matters: For lower postage rates, keep your mail piece at letter size. Which is minimum 3 ½” high by 5” long and a maximum 6” high by 10½” long. Mail pieces larger than that fall into the flats category and have a significantly higher postage rate. The maximum allowed is 12” high by 15” long. Flats can cost more than twice as much per piece as letters.
6. Watch your Aspect Ratio: Letter size automation mail must be rectangular. The aspect ratio (length divided by height) has to be from 1.3 to 2.5. Mail pieces that fall outside those ratios could cost twice as much.
7. Location, location, location: Make sure the address and barcode block on letter size mail fits into the USPS OCR read area. If it doesn’t fit, you pay for it with additional postage. We can provide you with a template to guide you.

An ounce of prevention can save you a pound of headaches. It is important to thoroughly check your mail pieces for postal regulations before you print. We can help you avoid direct mail postage surcharges which can get really expensive. Don’t waste money on postage. Are you ready to start saving? Contact us today. We are glad to help!