The holidays can be a tricky time for businesses to navigate. It’s easy to come off as too aggressive and promotional – no one really wants that around the holidays. Especially not previous customers you already have a relationship with. The same is true if you’re in an industry that doesn’t really work for the holidays. 

The question is, how can you make the holidays work for you?

Think of your customers as you would a friend. The holidays can be stressful, it’s also been a very stressful year for everyone, much more than usual. A good approach would be to offer a supportive helping hand through your words, offers, and your actions. The holidays are supposed to be a season for giving.

The long-term goal is to build a strong connection with your brand. We can do that by putting our customers’ needs first and being sensitive to all the season represents. We can send good wishes and bright feelings their way, just as we might do for our own family.

It’s these types of seemingly small and unimportant actions that are crucial to building and maintaining a solid relationship with past and future customers. Remember, our clients are one of our most valuable assets – even if they are not buying today.

Let’s take this example, a business that sells barbecues and outdoor furniture for outdoor living might feel as though they have no business reaching out during the Winter holidays. No one wants to buy a barbecue to use in the snow, right? This frame of mind couldn’t be further from the truth. Those summer months come around quicker than you know, and by then, if you’ve worked on maintaining brand awareness the rest of the year, you will be the first one that customer thinks of when they need a shiny new barbecue for a hot summer’s day. This tried and true method has been proven over and over again.

Selling is based on authentic relationships built over time. It takes time, investment, and regular communication to build a strong brand (customer bond).

A Cost-Effective Solution

You might be thinking… that’s all very well but what do I NEED to do as a business. Here are some simple actionable steps you can take right now.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, just the gesture is often enough. 

Try sending a holiday postcard, but not just any postcard, drop the postcard in an envelope to create a festive greeting card. This technique is a fraction of the cost of a traditional card and the goodwill is every bit as powerful.

With Zairmail this type of campaign is super-fast and easy to launch.

Greetings cards are a staple of the holiday season, but they are also an expensive option. Postcards in envelopes act in a similar way but at a fraction of the price. You can send a postcard for as little as $0.99 including postage and mailing costs! All our postcards are barcoded and pre-sorted which means we can meet super-fast delivery targets.

We have ready-to-go designs for the holidays or you can add a fully customizable design of your own; add a company photo, personal design, logo, or signature. Zairmail can even supply a mailing list if you want to send a Season greeting to a list of potential clients. 

Our cards are UV coated to add a polished professional look and you even have the choice to include a premium in the envelope or a coupon/offer on the back.

First, sign up for a free Zairmail account or call us at 1.888.898.0066, and let us know you would like to send postcards with envelopes. We will support you from start to end and have your message in the mail within 24 hours if required. 

Direct mail is one of the most effective forms of promotion available. Direct mail returns, on average, $12 for every $1 spent by advertisers. When done right, the response rates and returns, are far greater than other digital channels and targeting is much more accurate.

There are still some simple tips that can help us increase response rates and return on investment (ROI) even further. Here are five that you can use to improve your results.

Use the right class of postage.

The two primary types of postage used for direct mail at First Class postage and Standard A. Standard A used be called bulk mail; the USPS is now re-naming it Marketing Mail. First Class postage is the fastest – it can usually reach any household or business in America in ~3 days. There is also a return service, so if the postcard or letter is not deliverable, the USPS returns it so the original list can be updated. On the other hand, it is much more typical to see delivery times of 7 – 10 days with Standard A postage. If the mail piece can’t be delivered with Standard A, the USPS will recycle it (e.g. no return service).

The trade-off in service level does come with a price. The retail price for First Class postage is $.55/piece and there are size/weight restrictions. The price of Standard A varies based on mailing (carrier route) density; however, a savings of ~$.10/piece over First Class rates is typical. The response rates for Standard A can also be slightly lower if recipients view the use of discount postage negatively (e.g. appears to be unwanted junk mail). Over a long period of time, with regular mailings, the postage savings can add up. In many cases, the difference in response rates between First Class and Standard A when using an indicia (see below), are negligible.

One simple trick, when mailing on a regular basis, is to start out sending both First Class mail and Standard A for the first couple of weeks. Then in week three, just cut over to Standard A postage. The First Class mail will help generate near-term responses, while the Standard A fills the funnel for future responses. Once there is a steady stream of responses from the Standard A mail, it will not matter if it takes 7 – 10 days, it is just topping off the funnel, and the postage savings should start to accumulate.

Try to mail at least 500 pieces when possible. 

70% of the cost in direct mail can be traced to postage. There are two ways to save money on postage for short-run mailings. The first comes from using an indicia rather than a stamp. A postal indicia is the box (message) printed where you would usually place the stamp on a personal letter. An indicia allows the USPS to charge the mailer or direct mail service provider electronically. The indicia is printed directly on the envelope and avoids the labor (cost) associated with placing a stamp on each envelope. A mailing must have 200 pieces or more to use an indicia.

The other way to reduce the cost of postage is by pre-sorting the mail. Pre-sort is a work share program offered by the USPS to mailers who pre-process the mail to assure accuracy and efficiency. The mailer (service provider) must process the list to assure accuracy. Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) software is used to standardize addresses and assure they are deliverable. The list is also processed using the National Change of Address (NCOA) database. An Intelligent Mail barcode is assigned to each piece to speed automated processing and allow for tracking. The mail is then sorted and bundled depending on its 5-digit or 3-digit zip code, each tray is inserted into a sleeve, and then the tray is strapped and tagged based on USPS rules. Pre-sort requires 200 pieces for Standard A (bulk mail) or 500 pieces for First Class postage.

Start small, find a winning formula, then step on the gas.

It can be frustrating to send out a mail piece you know is a winner, and then there is nothing but the sound of crickets – the phone just doesn’t ring. It is even more frustrating (and expensive) if this first campaign is 10,000 pieces or more. 

Creating a winning mail piece usually requires testing and tuning. The best way to do this is by sending out smaller batches, experimenting with the variables (e.g. list, creative, call to action, mail format, …), and finding a piece that produces reliable results. With that formula in hand, you can start increasing campaign size, being careful not to overwhelm your capacity to service responses. In other words, if you have a call center with 4 agents, you probably don’t want/need 200 calls at once. In an ideal world, demand would be regulated so that each response can be serviced at the moment it arrives.

It is usually best to start testing with small campaigns of 500 pieces (or more) to take advantage of discount postage rates. Several different concepts (A/B testing) can be mailed at once to speed the testing cycle. The results of each campaign need to be tracked. This can be done by using a response code, tracking the names from the lists used, or using a different toll free number for each campaign. The results should be analyzed to identify those that pull the best, and then the winning concepts should be used as the foundation for the next batch. 

Once you have a reliable formula, you can start to systematically increase volume. Still, testing should never really stop, we should always be on the lookout for techniques that will do even more.

Avoid features that don’t produce a return.

Creativity is often essential to break through the clutter. However, the goal in direct response marketing is to maximize return on investment (ROI). ROI is calculated as (sales produced – costs incurred) / costs incurred. Anything that increases expenses without growing sales reduces ROI.

One example of this is full bleed artwork. Digital printers require a small white (clear) space around the edge of a print piece. This allows the press to grab the material for printing without damaging the print. In order to produce full-bleed materials, the mail piece has to be printed a larger size and then trimmed to fit. This increases the number of production steps and the cost of the piece. Creatives or artists often insist on full-bleed artwork to preserve the integrity of “the design”. Based on the experience of our clients over two decades, we have seen no measurable increase in response rates from full bleed art.

There are other tradeoffs that should be considered as well. Should you use color or black and white printing? Color costs more, and there are studies that say the use of color increases response rates, but how much of an increase will you get with your target audience? Does it really pencil out?

Note: Personalization has been shown to increase response rates. Personalization does not cost extra with Zairmail (www.zairmail.com). Personalize away and enjoy higher response rates for no additional cost.

How about the trade-off between First Class postage and Standard A? There are studies that say First Class postage produces slightly higher response rates. Is this true for your audience?

How do we know? Well, …

When in doubt test. 

See our earlier tip (above). Don’t leave it chance, when in doubt test it. 

When you think you have it all figure out, then test some more.

Continue to look for ways to improve response rates.

Continuous improvement is your friend.

Zairmail (www.zairmail.com) is the fastest and easiest way to send (real) postal mail. Give us a call anytime at 888.898.0066, we would be happy to help with your direct mail needs.

The best practices associated with political campaigns have changed dramatically over the last decade. The emerging role of digital media is profound. Campaigns must embrace tools such as websites, email, social media, mobile, and more daily. The landscape has become much more technical and complex from a marketing standpoint.  Still, one thing that has not changed is the importance of direct mail (yes, good old USPS mail) in the campaign mix.

The US mail reaches every voter in America unencumbered by SPAM filters. 

The US mail has the potential to add legitimacy to any campaign. A campaign piece in the mail makes any candidate/cause “real” in the eyes of voters.

US mail has the ability to target voters by age, income, gender, party affiliation, and a hundred other attributes. It is possible for campaigns to target the exact voter they want to embrace and persuade. 

41% of Americans of all ages look forward to checking the mail each day (mail moment).

When using the mail, just as with digital tools, there are some things to consider.

The majority of cost with direct mail (~70%) is postage. We want to minimize the cost of postage, while still reaching our target voter, at the precise time required to influence their vote. With the rise in mail-in ballots, which have only become more prominent based on Corona quarantine rules, we need to reach voters early and often.

There are three basic types of postage we can use: First Class, Standard A (Marketing Mail), or EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail).

First Class mail is the most expensive form of postage and is usually associated with the fastest delivery times (3 days anywhere in the continental US is pretty common). If the USPS cannot deliver the document they will return it so the database can be updated. This is the class of mail most often associated with bills, statements, notices, and personal letters. Pre-sort discounts are available for larger mailers – to assist our political customers, every job that goes through Zairmail is pre-sorted for accuracy, deliverability, and postal discounts.

Standard A is usually less expensive than First Class mail. The savings usually runs ~$.10/piece. However, it takes a little longer for delivery (7 – 10 days in the US is common) and there is no return service if the piece is not deliverable.  If we can plan in advance, it often makes sense to use Standard A, and save on postage.

With campaign mail there is one more important benefit to consider. If campaign mail is sent using Standard A, and it is flagged when submitted, the USPS will treat it as time sensitive mail and prioritize it. That means faster delivery times, at lower cost to campaigns and candidates.

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a program that allows campaigns to blanket entire region or neighborhood with an identical message. The campaign selects (postal) carrier routes, produces a campaign advertisement (usually a flyer or postcard), and delivers it to the post office. There is no addressing required. The USPS will deliver the campaign piece to every household on the carrier route(s) selected. This is very similar to the old “door hanger” campaign piece.

This approach can (greatly) reduce the cost of postage; however, the number of printed ads required is usually much greater, which increase printing costs. The formats available with EDDM are more limited and personalization is not possible. The information that is sent will also be available to every voter on the carrier route – there is no privacy or targeting.

Given these options, what form of postage should we choose? 

If you are reaching out with a personal communication to a close group of supporters (e.g. an invitation, a newsletter, a personal letter, …) then First Class postage can be an ideal choice. The quality of service is exceptional (predictable) and the touch can have a personal feel to it.

If you are trying to reach a larger group of targeted voters who may still be undecided then Standard A (campaign mail) is probably the way to go. The cost of postage is lower, campaigns receive priority delivery, and targeting/personalization is still possible. 

In the case of primary elections, where voters may be required to select a candidate based on party affiliation, there really is no reason to touch every voter – it only makes sense to touch voters who can support your cause. This can still hold true in a general election campaign. If you know that voters will not step across the aisle to vote for a candidate or cause, no matter what you have to say, then it is better not to exhaust your resources on them. The best bet is to focus on the voters that are most likely to support you.

Finally, if you are trying to reach a larger group of voters, regardless of party affiliation or demographic, and they align with a carrier route, then EDDM can make sense. However, it will need to be a generic message that plays well for every voter along the carrier route. 

We all want to get the biggest bang for our buck, and the best possible outcome for our cause.

Choosing the right form of postage can minimize the cost of putting ballots in the box.

We are currently offering a Free Zairmail Analysis of the most cost-effective mailing programs for your individual circumstances. So whether you’re a political candidate running for the vote, a new small business or a large established firm, we can advise the best approach tailored to you. Within this, we will look at EDDM, First Class, and Standard A as well as making the best suggestions for the type of mailing campaign that would work most effectively. There is never a one-size-fits-all when it comes to marketing and much less when we consider direct mail marketing specifically. 

If you choose Zairmail to support your campaign we can promise to give you that edge. Our pricing is the complete ‘in the mail’ price which includes, processing, printing, addressing, mailing, postage, and tracking. There are no other setup charges or hidden fees. If you are sending postcards, we apply a UV coating for no additional charge to give a real professional feel and prevent scuffing in the mail. 

If you can tell us exactly what you would like to mail, we would be happy to work up a quote for you. We also have a price match guarantee, so if you can send us an invoice or quote, we can work from that for you.

Zairmail (www.zairmail.com) is the fastest and easiest way to send (real) postal mail. Give us a call anytime at 888.898.0066, we would be happy to help with your direct mail needs.

There are some modern marketers who have never considered postal direct mail.  This is often because digital marketing is seen as less expensive and more immediate.

Direct mail, email, search engine marketing, print ads, and even water closet media, are all forms of advertising.  They are tools that we can use to interrupt, inform, persuade, and call to action. We need to understand the capabilities and limitations for each of our tools to select the best one for the job.

Digital marketing can be a very effective tool for maintaining a rapport once you have a relationship with a current or potential customer. It can also be extremely effective if a prospective customer is actively searching for the product or service you sell. 

However, if you need to find a new customer, especially if they are not actively searching for your product/service (they may not even know it exists), then direct mail has several distinct advantages.

Direct mail is active communication. The customer does not have to look for it, it is delivered to them.  

The delivery (open) rates are close to 100% – especially for postcards. Compare that with delivery rates for email which can be less than 30%.  A client can’t open or act on a message they don’t even receive.

Direct mail can reach every household and business in America. The US Postal Service is changed with making sure your mail is delivered.  

The average American has 2.5 email addresses. This can include a work address and a personal address.  Consumers quite often have multiple personal email addresses. They may get one from their Internet provider, one from their smartphone provider, and email accounts are still free from Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and many others.  How will you know which address to use?

Demographics are very well defined for direct mail prospects. Reaching the right person, with exactly the right message, is the key to producing results.

If we want to find the mailing address for renters in Union County, Oregon, with an income of more than $24,000/year, with at least two children in the home, that list is available. We might even be able to tell what type of car they own or how they voted in the last election.  Of course, we have all seen, there is lots of data online. There has been no shortage of high profile data breaches over the last several years. However, it is still a challenge to link this data to a specific electronic delivery address.

Sharpening your tools.  Direct mail is not all created equal.  

The mail format you choose should depend on your goals.  A postcard can powerfully deliver an immediate message.  It is like a mini-billboard in the mail. Postcards are designed to stand out, grab attention with an eye-catching visual, and secure a spot on the fridge!  Direct mail is kept for an average of 17 days, so staking out a spot on the most popular appliance in the house is a solid accomplishment.

A snap-pack, also known as a pressure-sealed mailer, is an impossible to resist format when used to reach consumers.  This package requires the recipient to peel off the edges in order to open it, just like they might open a paycheck or PIN number. Snap-packs stand out in the mail because they are not as common, and they are (mentally) linked to a specific type of mail that people may have received in the past.  The sender can put private information for the recipient on the inside and add teaser copy on the outside.

A standard letter, or course, is another good format to consider.  A letter allows the sender to include more detailed information and it all remains private. The envelope used can be a double windows, single window, or closed face (no window). A letter in a double window envelope looks just like a bill, so most recipients will open it, just to make sure. This gives the sender the open they need to tell their story (in detail, if required).

Use a Reliable Partner

Zairmail has been helping organizations just like yours, deliver winning direct mail campaigns, for over two decades. Zairmail has a complete automated platform that allows customers to upload their document, upload their list, and approve a proof in real-time. That is all there is to it, Zairmail takes it from there.  The mail is printed, inserted, addressed, mailed, and tracked.

Zairmail can also help with marketing advice, campaign design, or direct mail lists.  Zairmail provides free postcard templates, access to thousands of specialized mailing lists, and specialized online software to automate your sales team.

The process is faster, easier, less expensive – and stress free

Zairmail (www.zairmail.com) is the fastest and easiest way to send (real) postal mail. Give us a call anytime at 888.898.0066, we would be happy to help with your direct mail needs.