Direct Marketing Solutions offers free Direct Marketing Tips and Direct Mail Marketing Tips.
Prepare NOW for the postage rate increase
The postal service is raising rates yet again in Spring 2007. The price of a first class stamp will increase to 42 cents. Standard Mail letters (both regular and non-profit) will go up about 9%. Standard Mail flats (pieces larger than 6 1/8" x 11 ½") are jumping as much as a whopping 23%! (For a complete comparison of proposed rates to current rates go to www.usps.com/ratecase/welcome.htm)
Mail more letters
Test new sizes. If you mail catalogs or booklets with a page count of more than 16 pages test a "slim jim" format (5 7/8" x 11"). Twenty-four pages of a slim jim has slightly more selling space than 16 pages of a standard 8½" x 11". Both formats use about the same amount of paper and production time for most printers - web or sheet fed. Note: You'll have to tab seal the edges to get the automation discounts, but it's well worth it.
Soft fold. If you use 8½" x 11" booklets of 16 pages or less, your printer should be able to soft fold that to 5½" x 8½" and tab seal it so you can mail it as an automated letter. Be sure to re-design your covers.
Clean your lists
Do it now! Have your entire database processed through any USPS licensed Zip+4 encoding software. For any names that fail the coding you have 4 options:
- the USPS "address element correction" process
- a manual look up and correction process
- mail a First Class postcard with and "Address Services Requested" endorsement
- discard the name
When this hygiene is complete have your list processed by any USPS licensed Change of Address processor.
Be diligent. You should repeat this process at least every six months. Drop ship
The postal service is increasing the destination entry discounts. Evaluate your mailer's drop shipment capabilities. Can he effectively ship mail to the postal BMCs and SCFs to which you mail?
E-mail
Are you using postal mail for marketing messages that can be sent via e-mail? Are you aggressively collecting your customer's email addresses - and permission to use them? Many of your customers will prefer to interact with you electronically. Ask them.
For more profit boosting direct marketing ideas call (319-378-3427) or email me today.
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