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Chapter 1

Chapter Sections:

How You Can Use This Guide Before You Begin There’s a Mail Type for You Why Direct Mail Works in a Digital World

How You Can Use This Guide

We created this guide with you in mind: marketers and/or business owners who are curious about mail.

All of the information, tools and resources you need to get started will be here for you, whenever you need them. But you’ll also have much more than that—with interactive learning tools, you can make your own mark on the experience or even print out the chapters that resonate with you most.

And at the end of each topic, you’ll find a Lesson Learned, so you’ll always have a key takeaway to keep in mind. Let’s start with the first lesson right now.

Lesson Learned

We’re here to walk you through all of the basics.

Before You Begin

What are your business objectives?

  1. First, think about what you want to accomplish:

    Think about where you hope to be at the end of your first mail campaign, what your biggest obstacles are and what marketing efforts are already in place that direct mail can bolster.

  2. Next, let’s look at the actions you want to take:

    Decide if you want to attract new customers, reconnect with existing customers, spread the word about an offer, or attract a specific audience that may benefit from your product or service.

  3. Lastly, keep in mind these key tips:

    Define your ultimate goal, find ways to drive people to your company’s digital presence through direct mail, and follow up to keep your business top of mind.

Exercise

Now that you know how to establish objectives, take the next five minutes to think through one or two that are specific to your company. Jot them down in the notes tab.

Lesson Learned

If you’re ever feeling lost or that the work doesn’t have a purpose, come back to the original objective—that’s what this chapter (and guide) is here for.

The Direct Mail Timeline

It’s definitely important to set expectations before you start creating a mail campaign. How long do they usually take? Up to 6–12 weeks to plan, create and produce a mailpiece (plus time for USPS® delivery). There are ways to speed up the process, but they depend on a few different factors, like quantity, rush charges, format and approvals.

Let’s break it down into four simple steps. Take a look at Figure 1.1 below.

Figure 1.1

PLANNING
approximately 1 to 2 weeks

Includes budget planning, researching and selecting a mailing list, developing an offer to include in your mailpiece, selecting a mail format, and identifying outside vendors and internal resources you’ll use.

CREATIVE
approximately 2 to 4 weeks

Includes creative strategy, idea development and selection, copywriting and design, and the approval process, including feedback and revisions.

PRODUCTION
approximately 2 to 4 weeks

Includes data processing, printing and personalizing, inserting additional pieces (if required), and preparing mail before it enters the mail stream.

DELIVERY
approximately 1 to 2 weeks

Depends on the postage rate you pay and the distance your mail has to travel (First-Class Mail® service versus USPS Marketing Mail® service—don’t worry, we’ll get into that shortly). The last step is measuring results.

Lesson Learned

Making a plan for each step of the process will help you stay organized and on time with your campaign.

There’s a Mail Type for You

As you work your way through this guide, you’ll see that there are several types of mail, called mail classes. There are a few things to consider when deciding which to use: different service standards (which determine how quickly customers will get your mail), postage prices and presort requirements.

Your mailpiece’s contents and postage will help determine which mail class you use. No matter what you’re mailing or what your project requires, there’s an ideal class for it.

The two types of business mail classes

The classes you’ll most likely use? First-Class Mail service or USPS Marketing Mail service. Read up on the basics below to help you decide which is right for your business and mailing needs.

FIRST-CLASS MAIL
You can use First-Class Mail service at discounted commercial pricing or at “regular” mail pricing (this is what you do when you stick a stamp on a standard envelope and put it in your mailbox). If you want this discounted pricing, you must obtain a business mail permit and mail a minimum of 500 pieces. Planning on sending handwritten or typewritten letters, or bills or statements? Then you’ll need to use First-Class service. At this service standard, mail will reach customers in 2–5 days.

USPS MARKETING MAIL (Formerly Standard Mail)
USPS Marketing Mail service requires a minimum quantity of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail—whichever is less. You’re paying for commercial prices and postage, so the prices are very low. As with any discounted commercial mail, this class also requires a business mail permit. If your mailing includes obvious advertising for a product or service, or is clearly asking for a donation, it would fall under the umbrella of Marketing Mail service. Mailpieces will reach customers in 3–10 days using this standard of service.

Nonprofit Mail is mailed using Marketing Mail service, but at a much lower price. In order to qualify for this rate, you’ll first need to get authorization from USPS. Keep in mind that Nonprofit Mail cannot contain anything that falls under First-Class Mail service, such as bills.

Lesson Learned

The size, amount, content and weight of your mail will all help you decide which mail class is right for you.

Why Direct Mail Works in a Digital World

When used in combination with digital marketing, direct mail can help you reach customers at every stage of the purchasing journey, reminding them of your brand at the ideal moment.

Not only does this help keep your company top of mind, but it also helps you stand out from the competition.

Let’s look at a couple strong stats to get you excited about the possibilities:

60%
of marketing respondents said combining digital and direct mail increased return on investment.[1]

56%
of people tried a new business in the past 6 months because they received mail.[2]

Direct mail can also be a wise investment with a long-term payoff. The benefits really come into play if:

  1. You’re mailing a few hundred pieces at a time, a few times a year.
  2. You plan to make a large, one-time mailing.

Lesson Learned

Digital and direct mail marketing is a super-powerful pairing for reaching both existing and potential customers.

Footnotes
  1. [1]“Direct Mail Conversion Research,” USPS, February 2019. Please note: All statistics were based on a survey of 75 marketing decision-makers.
  2. [2]"Market Research & Insights – Mail Moments Spring 2019," Mailers Technical Advisory Committee, USPS, Aug. 27-29, 2019.

Need help? Reach out to the Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center at MSSC@usps.gov and a team member will be in touch.

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