Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

New Liberalized Every Door Direct Mail Rules: Great News For Marketers

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Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) has been available to mail marketers for a little over a year, and it looks like the USPS is finally responding to customer feedback. New rules governing EDDM will go into effect on Monday, May 7th, 2012.

What's changed?
**Updated From An Earlier Version** Targeting Businesses Only: Under the original EDDM rules, carrier routes that were comprised of businesses exclusively (those with no residential addresses) were excluded. Under the new rules, these specific carrier routes will qualify for business-only EDDM.

If you’re a business to business marketer targeting one of these areas, then this is a substantial victory; however, for the other 99% of mail marketers, this represents no change at all.

Carrier Routes that include a mixture of both residential & business addresses will still only permit EDDM to be sent to residential only or both residential & business. Over 99% of carrier routes have mixed records (residential & business), so what may seem on first blush like a substantial change is really inconsequential for most marketers.

As of Monday, May 7th, 2012, you can use the EDDM website to see if there are any business only carrier routes in your target areas.

Why is this such a big deal for those who qualify? Postage for Every Door Direct Mail is just 14.5 cents apiece. With this change in place business to business marketers now have complete access to the most cost effective direct mail marketing program offered by the USPS.

As with other forms of Every Door Direct Mail, there's no need to purchase a mailing list or print addresses on the mail piece. For marketers targeting other businesses, this will save on the cost of having to purchase a mailing list.

Size Requirements: One of the most puzzling features of EDDM is the size requirement. The USPS has conditioned us to assume that smaller pieces require less postage, but with EDDM the opposite is true. In fact, for a mail piece to qualify for EDDM, is must be larger than a certain size.


To qualify under the original rules, pieces had to be wider than 6.125” and taller than 11.5". Under the revised rules, the minimum height requirement has been reduced from 11.5" to 10.5".

Although this sounds like an improvement, it's a much less significant change, however, because the post office currently allows mail pieces as small as 9" x 6.25" to qualify for EDDM based on loopholes with the definition of "height" and "width." As I interpret these rule changes, this minimum size will remain unchanged.

Caution: If you haven't yet sent your first EDDM campaign, make sure that you are aware of the additional minimum thickness and maximum weight requirements; take a look at my post, New Business Mail Option: Every Door Direct Mail, for a full explanation of these EDDM requirements.

Are there any drawbacks to the changes? A potential downside to these changes is that it will require modification to the Every Door Direct Mail website. It seems that just when you get used to navigating the EDDM website, the USPS makes changes.

For example, earlier this year, the USPS added a layer of complexity to the EDDM website by requiring a login and password even for marketers who wanted to just do a quick address count. To address this need, they later added a "Try a Demo" option that does not require a login.

Unfortunately, for regular users of EDDM, the new login process is still more complicated because it forces navigation through a series of unnecessary screens.

To simplify registration and navigation through the EDDM site, I created the following post: Breaking News: Every Door Direct Mail Now Requires a Login.

The bottom line is that Every Door Direct Mail is a very, very cost effective mail marketing solution that's just been expanded to include a larger audience of small businesses, nonprofits and marketing professionals.

If you like the idea of super-low 14.5 cent postage, but don't want to trouble yourself with navigating the complex USPS rules and rule changes, I hope you'll contact me to print and mail your next mail marketing campaign.

Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

What do you think about the Every Door Direct Mail program? Please share your comments below.

The Best Nonprofit Fundraising Advice

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Wouldn't it be great if you could just unzip the heads of the best and brightest fundraisers and cram their knowledge into your head?


Of course it could never be that easy, but in your efforts to raise more money for your organization by being a better fundraiser, I may have found the next best thing.

Chris Davenport just launched a brand new educational series titled "100 New Donors in 90 Days." The really special thing about this series is that it's not just information from a single expert because Chris has lined up a panel of 12 of the most talented fundraising professionals.

How does this course work? Each week you get a new interview from a different expert. Each approaches the challenges of fundraising from a unique angle, and together the experts share their secrets for attracting new donors.


Now we've all been to great training and then gone back to our busy office only to get swept up in the emergency of the day, so to make sure that you "walk the walk" and put what you've learned to work, you will also receive a companion "Action Guide" along with each week's training.

Think you're too busy for the training? Think again, because you can listen to this training on your iPod or other mp3 listening device. This means that you can listen to it during your morning commute, while you're working out or even while you're walking your dog. If you'd prefer, you can even listen to it through your computer.

This unique training can be accessed almost anywhere, at any time. Sorry, but you can't use being too busy as an excuse.

If you're a regular visitor to this blog, you know that I'm not in the habit of recommending educational solutions like this. The only reason that I am endorsing "100 New Donors in 90 Days, is that I know that the experts featured are really the tops in their fields. Also of course, I want you to be a successful fundraiser.

If your current plan for attracting new donors is trial and error, then you owe it to your organization to invest in "100 New Donors in 90 Days." Simply click here for details of this amazing new educational program.

Happy Fundraising!

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Are you familiar with any of the experts featured in "100 Donors in 90 Days” If so, please share your comments below.

Are QR Codes Dead?

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Have QR Codes gone the way of the dinosaur? If you look at current marketing efforts by Facebook, PayPal and Susan G. Komen, the answer is a resounding "no." In fact with the continued explosion in smartphone growth, it looks like QR Codes are even more relevant than ever.


How are the big boys using QR Codes in their marketing? PayPal is actually experimenting in Singapore with accepting QR Codes as a form of mobile payment, while Facebook decided to decorate the roof of its new headquarters in Menlo Park with a 42-foot wide QR Code that is visible from space.

From the point-of-view of a large, national nonprofit, Susan G. Komen is using QR Codes in its print media to drive visitors to its mobile site, show a compelling video and solicit for donations.

Within the next 4 years, it's predicted that over a billion people will own smartphones. Large organizations are already adjusting their marketing to account for this, and it's time that you did as well.

How are QR Codes relevant for smaller nonprofits and businesses? According to a recent article from The Social Media Examiner, more than 50% of all local web searches take place on mobile devices. This means that if you are a small organization QR Codes and mobile marketing definitely need to be on your radar.

The same article emphasizes that the most important part of the QR Code experience is the consumer experience. Translate this to mean that having users scan a QR Code so they can show up at your website is typically not an effective way to engage your customers. Think about the Komen example above where those who scan QR Codes are shown a video.
The QR Code experience needs to be engaging. If you need help with this, you'll want to take a look at my recent post, The "Do's" and "Dont's" of QR Codes in Marketing.

Are there other incentives for using QR Codes?
Yes, the USPS has renewed its summer discount for direct mail pieces that use 2D barcodes like QR Codes and Microsoft Tags; click here for full details of this Summer special.

Who's scanning QR Codes? Although it's easy to make the assumption that QR Codes are only used by young consumers, according to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, 70 percent of QR consumers are between ages of 25 and 55. The same article shares that QR Code scanning grew by 1,600 percent last year-wow! Take a peek at my recent video discussing QR Code growth.


In summary, it seems clear that when large successful, tech-savvy companies like Facebook and PayPal are embracing QR Codes, they are clearly not dead. The continued explosion of smartphone growth will only make QR Codes, and the evolution of the QR Code, even more important to marketers.

Slapping a QR Code in any random spot on your print marketing without a plan is a sure path to failure. It's critical to determine in advance where you want to deliver your customer and how you want them to respond.

Finally, education is critical for both employees and customers when including QR Codes in marketing materials; make sure that employees can help educate customers on how to engage with the QR Code and what they can expect when they scan it.

Since use of QR Codes in marketing isn't vanishing any time soon, what are you doing to incorporate QR Codes in your marketing?

If you need help creating a QR Code for your marketing campaign, or even a custom QR Code, I hope you’ll contact me.

Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

What examples of QR Codes in marketing have you seen? Please share your comments below.

Direct Mail Marketing Secrets From The Big Boys

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Yes, I publish posts as "The Direct Mail Man," so it's hard not to be biased about direct mail marketing. At the risk of boring you, I usually try to avoid publishing posts that gush on about the value of direct mail marketing.

However, when Forbes magazine publishes an article highlighting the value of direct mail marketing, and an international automotive giant like Nissan identifies direct mail marketing as essential to its marketing strategy, it's nearly impossible for me to keep quiet.

Hmmm, is it possible that large companies like Nissan and Google (Yes, even Google uses direct mail-take a look at my recent post here) know a thing or two that could benefit direct mail marketers at smaller organizations? The answer is "yes."

Why do large companies invest money in direct mail marketing, and what's the secret to their success?

1) Integrate: In a given day, you will check your e-mail, access your social media accounts and check your snail mail. Your typical customers and prospects are no different. This means that you cannot rely on a single-marketing channel.

Twitter, Facebook and now even Pinterest are flavor of the day marketing. I'm not suggesting that they are irrelevant, but it's a crime when businesses and nonprofits cannibalize e-mail marketing and direct mail marketing in favor of social media marketing. The Forbes article referenced above confirms that e-mail and direct mail still provide the best return on investment for your marketing dollars.

If you read my blog at all, you'll know that I am a huge fan of multi-channel marketing. This is particularly true about the integration of e-mail marketing and direct mail. Since e-mail marketing is permission-based, direct mail is the perfect partner to drive people to sign up for your e-mail marketing campaign.


QR Codes also provide a simple and free way to integrate traditional marketing with online content.

Smart marketers aren't leveraging direct mail marketing instead of other channels, they're leveraging it in addition to other marketing channels. Where is direct mail in your marketing mix? Have you fallen victim to the flavor of the day?

2) Target & Commit: My most-successful customers mail with me repeatedly-no, this isn't because they love spending money on marketing. It's because they recognize that marketing is an investment, and that unless you're selling 99 cent tacos, it's very difficult to convert a prospect to a client with a single touch using any marketing channel.


Repeat communication is critical, but it will achieve nothing if you're not targeting the right audience and sharing a relevant message or offer. In its direct mail marketing, Nissan has identified two completely different sub-sets, and it promotes not only different vehicles to the different subsets, but it also promotes different car features that are more relevant to each specific subset.

We all know that our marketing should be all about our prospects and customers and not all about us, but sometimes we forget. You can't afford to forget.

3) Personalize: Okay, so when I say "personalize," you're thinking about addressing customers and prospects by name, but that's just the simplest form of personalization-you're really just scratching the surface.

Nissan actually recognizes where people are in their automobile purchase cycle and they adapt their marketing accordingly. This may sound outrageously complex for smaller organizations, but marketing tools like PURLS make it cost-effective to include hyper-personal communication in your direct mail marketing.


Fear not! If figuring out how to do the more advanced personalization is giving you heartburn, then you can just start by incorporating the first name of your prospects and customers in your marketing. As a first-hand example, my e-mail open rate doubled and remained there, when I started personalizing the subject line of my e-mail marketing campaigns. I've witnessed similar success with my client's personalized marketing campaigns.

So if simply using a first name can have such a dramatic effect on response, imagine what an even more personalized marketing piece can achieve. If you're on-board with this, but can't figure out where to get started, I sure hope you'll contact me because we specialize in the development and production of personalized marketing campaigns.

Smile because now you can market like the big boys!

•    Social media may be the flavor of the day, but your marketing isn't going to generate big-time returns if you stick with a single channel; integration is vital.
•    Make sure that your product or service is always relevant to your target audience; otherwise you're just throwing crap against a wall and seeing what sticks.
•    When you go to the trouble of targeting the right audience, never give up after a single attempt. Successful marketing requires perseverance.
•    Make your marketing personal. The more personal it is, the more attention your product or offer will receive.

Happy marketing! Invest your limited dollars wisely.

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How do you incorporate direct mail in your marketing mix? Please share your comments below.

Marketers Take Note: USPS Repeats Summer Barcode Discount, But With Restrictions

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Are you looking to save some money on your bulk mail postage? Then here's some breaking news that can help.

Last Summer, the USPS experimented with a no-strings-attached discount for bulk mail that contained a QR Code. This first-of-its-kind program was embraced by mail marketers so the USPS decided to launch a similar program this Summer.

What's changed since last year's offer? The discount was expanded to include other types of 2D barcodes besides QR Codes.

What exactly is a 2D Barcode? The most common example of a 2D barcode is a QR Code which stands for "Quick Response" Code. If you're not familiar with QR Codes, take a peek at my recent post, How to beam customers directly to your website.

Probably the second most common 2D Barcode is the Microsoft Tag. I'm a much bigger fan of QR Codes, however, because they are not tied to a specific brand or company; QR Codes are truly independent. This independence makes them more widely adopted.

Here's a short post from my friends at the Social Media Examiner that examines the use of both QR Codes and Microsoft Tags in marketing.

How do I know if my 2D barcode qualifies? There are many different types of 2D barcodes, but really to qualify, the barcode (when scanned) must be able to deliver a smart phone-user to a website, video or some piece of online content. Read on, however for more specific requirements.

When is the discount available? The discount is only available for bulk mail that is mailed during the months of July and August, 2012.

What else is required to qualify for the discount?  Postal guidelines stipulate that once the code is scanned, it must deliver the user to a personalized webpage or a mobile-optimized e-commerce website.

In addition, you must include simple instructions explaining how users should interact with the 2D barcode.

If you're wondering what the heck a "personalized webpage" is, then you'll want to take a look at my post Use PURLs (Personalized URLs) to Improve the Response of your next Direct Mail Campaign.

PURL campaigns are fantastic on a number of fronts, however, adding PURLS typically increases the cost of a mail marketing campaign. While the increased investment is almost always justified by an improved response rate, my concern is that it may simply make this discount program too complex or perhaps too expensive for small business mail marketers.

If you choose not to create a personalized landing page then you can qualify by sending prospects to an e-commerce site. I'm sure this is well-intended by the USPS, but some of the largest bulk mailers, as well as many small businesses, are not engaged in e-commerce. For example, the auto industry is one of the largest bulk mailers by industry, but they are not engaged in e-commerce. When is the last time you paid for your car online? Will automotive dealers need to sell accessories on their landing pages to qualify?

How is enforcement by the USPS going to work? Here's a question that I don't have an answer for, and I don't anticipate anyone getting a clear answer from someone at the USPS any time soon.

I truly don't anticipate the USPS springing for all of their Business Mail Entry clerks to get smart phones so they can scan the 2D barcodes as they come in and then cast judgment on which landing pages qualify and which don't. In this scenario, they would also have to train postal employees on how to use the phones, install the necessary apps and place judgment on what qualifies. While the Every Door Direct Mail product has been available for over a year, many postal employees are still completely uneducated about the rules of this program. I see no reason why the 2D Barcode discount training would be any different.

Beyond that, I can't imagine adding another step further downstream to scan codes and investigate landing pages. This would serve to only delay the distribution of the bulk mail which would be bad for both the USPS and the consumer.

While I wouldn't want to invite anyone reading this to test the system, I can't help but anticipate that there will be a pretty liberal interpretation of which 2D barcode campaigns qualify.

How much money does the discount really save? Unfortunately, the savings are just 2%. This equates to a savings of $20 for every $1,000 spent on bulk mail postage. Because of this, I think of the program as more of a reward for using a barcode as opposed to an incentive. Last year's discount was 3%, so this year the USPS is offering smaller savings with more restrictions.

Are those mailing at the nonprofit rate included? Yes, nonprofits are included in this year's Summer 2D Barcode discount.

In conclusion, while every little bit helps, the savings are so small that I don't really think anyone will rush out to do a mailing campaign because of a 2% postage discount; the savings with the 2D Barcode are minimal.

For some large scale e-commerce companies this specific summer program may be a good fit, but for the vast majority of small business mailers, the requirements are too complex and too difficult to interpret.

If you're a business mailer, and you're serious about saving money on postage, I would instead encourage you to consider Every Door Direct Mail. It's a simplified bulk mail program where postage is just 14.5 cents apiece. This is the regular price, not a Summer  "sale" price.

Thanks to my friends at Post & Parcel for being the first to break this Summer discount story. Here's a link to their original post.

Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

What so you think about the USPS 2D Barcode Summer sale? Please share your comments below.

Breaking News: Every Door Direct Mail Now Requires a Login

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If you use Every Door Direct Mail Retail for marketing, then you must read this.

Unfortunately, the United States Post Office now requires a login before you can print the required paperwork and before you can use their website to get a count of your prospect area.

Launched nearly a year ago, the spirit of EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) was to provide a simplified option for entrepreneurs and small businesses to leverage the power of direct mail marketing.

Overall EDDM has been a success for both small businesses and the USPS; however, this latest change represents a step backward. Instead of making EDDM easier, the USPS is making it more complex.

I was astounded at how complex it was to login to the new EDDM site the first time. In fact, the initial login involved navigation through seven different screens.

So that you don't have to suffer through the same frustration that I did, I decided to include screen shots of the mandatory screens with yellow oval highlights showing where to click to progress through the required steps successfully. Most screen shots are cut off on the right-hand side; simply click on any of the images in this post to see a full-size screen shot.

Click on this link to get to the main page. Then click on the EDDM Retail Button as displayed in the in the bottom left of the graphic below.

Next, you’ll need your e-mail address & password to LogIn and move forward. Enter this info in the top right and click the “SignIn” button. See below:

What if I forgot my password? You may have been using EDDM without a password for as long as ten months. As a previous EDDM customer, you would have been issued a Customer Registration ID (CRID) number. It's mandatory that your CRID number be placed on all EDDM postage statements.

Your "username" should be the e-mail address that was used when you first registered with the USPS and got your CRID number. Simply click on the "I forgot my password" link directly below the login prompt and enter your e-mail address to receive your new password.

On the next screen, you’re required to check a box in the bottom left hand corner and then click “Next” on the bottom right to proceed. Be careful, it's easy to overlook the check box.

Simply click the “Continue” button on the right-hand side of the screen.

Be careful, the next screen has a bunch of different menus, so it's very easy to get confused. Look for the 4th Heading down titled “Mailing Services” then select “Every Door Direct Mail on the right-hand side.

Now, to make you feel as if you've made no progress at all, you are brought back to the first screen that you started with-this is the part that really confused me. 

At this point, you've got two options for selecting "EDDM Retail." You can again click on the EDDM Retail Button in the bottom left or you can click on the text “EDDM Retail” that appears in the blue bar that runs across the top of the page directly underneath the USPS Logo.

 

You will then be delivered to the screen below where you’ll be able to run a query/count or print all of the paperwork that you’ll need to launch an EDDM Retail Campaign.

After logging into the USPS Business Customer Gateway the first time, subsequent logins should be easier. Simply bookmark the page displayed below. Here's a live link to the page if you want to save it as a bookmark or favorite. You'll need to click the "EDDM Retail" button in the bottom left.

You'll then have to re-enter your username and password (unless you've programmed your browser to automatically store your password for this site). Then click the blue "SignIn" button.

Finally, you'll be back to the screen below where you’ll be able to run a query/count or print all of the paperwork that you’ll need to launch an EDDM Retail Campaign.

 

Yes, the USPS made a mistake by making EDDM Retail more complicated, but this does not negate the fact that EDDM is still a relatively simple and very cost-effective method for marketing to prospects located in a particular geography. If your most likely customers are located in a specific neighborhood and you're not already using EDDM, you could be making a huge mistake.

If you want to take advantage of this program, but don't want to worry about the tedious navigation and research involved, I hope you'll please contact me. I launch EDDM Retail campaigns every day for my clients.

 Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

What do you think are the best and worst features of Every Door Direct Mail Retail? Please share your comments below.

Dear USPS: Here's How To Get More Love from Business Mailers and Increase Your Revenues in the Process

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Dear USPS,

We the business mailers, nonprofits and marketers are here to help you! If you help us, we'll help you become profitable. Does this sound like a pretty good deal? If so, here are a few simple suggestions to help get you moving in the right direction.

I'd like to start out with some positive feedback. The 2011 launch of Every Door Direct Mail was a baby step in the right direction. However, even with the introduction of this simplified bulk program, there is still substantial room for improvement. Here's where I think improvement is needed:

Simplicity: The EDDM website uses "postal speak" and offers marketers the opportunity to target by carrier route. Do you know which carrier route that you live in? Most people don't. In fact, most people refer to the neighborhood or community that they live in by name. Until the USPS can provide a product that offers users the ability to target people by neighborhood, they will continue to alienate a large audience of prospective customers.

The EDDM site offers the ability to target an address using a USPS-generated map, but in my experience it's still very confusing to determine exactly where you are mailing with any level of confidence.

The best solution that I've found to this is to make a small, one-time investment in a carrier route map of the specific county, zip code or state where you will be doing your marketing. These maps can be purchased instantly online at Maponics.com.

I personally use maps from Maponics.com to confirm that I am targeting the correct neighborhoods for my clients. For anyone attempting to do-it-yourself, I think these maps are indispensable. (Psst-you can use any of the above links to save 10% off of the regular carrier route map prices).

Consistency: The main URL to access the USPS Every Door Direct Mail portal was changed. That's right, marketers like me bookmarked your site and educated our clients about the new EDDM site. I even created, printed and distributed educational flyers listing the EDDM URL. All of this information is now incorrect.

Missteps like this make you, your own worst enemy. We want to use your services, but instead feel like rats in a maze where the piece of cheese is constantly being moved. The original URL was linked to the new URL for a period of time, but it's now long expired. Please try to view the decisions that you make from your customers' point-of-view.

Flexibility: Right now EDDM is only available for Flat-sized pieces. The natural evolution of this program is to also make it available for letter-sized mail pieces. I've spoken with dozens of frustrated customers who've ordered a large amount of postcards only to discover that standard sized postcards don't currently qualify for EDDM.

 Personalization: EDDM is an economical solution for a geographically-based prospect audience, but it does nothing to help small businesses who want to market to their existing customers using bulk mail.

Ask yourself how you can simplify existing bulk mail programs, or launch new programs that will make it easier for business mailers and nonprofits to market to their existing clients using mail.

As the USPS, you own direct access to every customers' mail box-this is what differentiates you from every other available marketing channel. This is your strength!

You must develop solutions & products that allow marketers to leverage this direct customer access. Please develop new product options with marketers in mind.

Make new product offerings as simple as possible, publish educational material that the average person can understand, and once we've figured out how to do something, please don't change the rules.

Marketers can spend a lifetime trying to access the customers and prospects whose mailboxes you control.

Stop encouraging marketers to use other channels by the decisions that you make or fail to make. There's a lot of money to be made for both the USPS and my fellow marketers if you can get this right.

Like what you're reading?  Have you signed up for my weekly e-newsletter yet or are you following my blog's rss feed?

Please share your ideas for how the USPS can improve direct mail marketing in the comments section below.

Does Nonprofit Postage Save a Lot of Money?

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Getting approved to mail at the nonprofit rate is a big deal. On average it, will save you about 10 cents apiece in postage compared to the regular rate for bulk mail. However, when the nonprofit rate is compared to the cost for using a regular first-class stamp, you're looking at a savings of closer to 29 cents apiece-this is huge!

The postage rate increase scheduled for Jan 22nd, 2012, will not increase postage for those who mail letter-sized pieces at the nonprofit rate. This means that being approved to mail at the nonprofit rate will save you even more money starting in 2012.


Is it free to get approved to mail at the nonprofit rate? The number one misconception about mailing at the nonprofit rate is that there is a fee. The reality is that it's 100% free to get approved to mail at the nonprofit rate.


Now that you know it's free, you've got no excuses. Here's a link to an earlier post that explains the steps required to get approved, and also includes a link to the form that you'll need to complete.

Please understand that the USPS must first review your application, and this can take weeks.

If you are approved, however, you will receive a form in the mail that looks just like the once included below.


The form from the USPS will list your 6 or 7 digit authorization number. You'll want to make sure that this information is included on all bulk mail paperwork submitted by you or by a third party bulk mail professional like me.

Who qualifies to mail at the nonprofit rate? I was recently contacted by a 501C6 that did not qualify to mail at the nonprofit rate.

If you're not sure if your organization qualifies, a simple rule of thumb is that if donations to your organization are tax deductible in the US, then you most likely qualify. Here's a link to the USPS site, that explains more specifically who does/does not qualify.

What other restrictions are there? Once you're approved, the USPS wants to make sure that the purpose of your mailings is to benefit your organization and not a for-profit business. Rules are especially strict when partnering with credit card companies, insurance agencies or travel agencies. Read this short post for full details regarding this.


Is there such a thing as the first-class nonprofit rate? No, there's no such thing as the first-class nonprofit rate-this is despite people talking about this fictitious rate all the time.

Still confused? Here's a link to a short post that attempts to make sense of the different classes of bulk mail offered by the USPS.

Mailing at the nonprofit rate is a phenomenal way to save money and stretch limited resources. Too much money is wasted by nonprofits each year simply because they are not aware of this, or they have not taken the time to complete and submit the required paperwork. Please share this with any friends in the nonprofit industry who you think could benefit from this.

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What’s your experience mailing at the nonprofit rate? Please share your comments below.

Marketer's Nightmare: USPS Combines Slower Service with Higher Postage Rates

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Under tremendous pressure to reduce its deficits, the USPS has decided to increase postage rates while substantially reducing the speed of delivery for most first class mail. The postage rate increase is scheduled to go into effect on January 22, 2012, and now today, the USPS released its recommendations to slow down first class mail.


Does this make sense? It just seems counterintuitive for the USPS to say to its customers "We're going to offer you an inferior product, but charge you more."

While most organizations have been forced to reevaluate their business plans in light of a changing economy, I can't think of another organization brazen enough to do something like this. It certainly seems like an invitation for USPS customers to use competitors or come up with alternatives that do not involve the USPS.

As a bulk mail professional, I'm heavily committed to direct mail marketing. It's a cornerstone of my clients' marketing, so I'm certainly not ready to abandon it. While I'm very discouraged by this latest turn of events, ironically, there are some genuinely positive steps that the USPS has taken over the course of the last 12 months.

So is the USPS making any positive changes?
• Introduction of Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
Recognizing that the direct mail market for small businesses in the United States was largely untapped, the USPS took a step in the right direction with the introduction of EDDM. This simplified bulk mail program removes many of the barriers and complexities associated with traditional direct mail.

No mailing permit is required for Every Door Direct Mail Retail, postage can be paid for with a credit card and mailings can be dropped directly at the retail counter instead of the Business Mail Unit.

Additionally, the postage for Every Door Direct Mail is substantially less than traditional bulk mail; it's just 14.2 cents apiece.

Every Door Direct Mail and its rollout were certainly not perfect, but this program does represent a huge step in the right direction.

• Pushing back adoption of the Intelligent Mail Barcode
Raise your hand if you think the USPS is too difficult to do business with.


Any steps the USPS can take to reduce red tape and simplify the bulk mail process will only result in more satisfied customers and ultimately, more business.

By removing the requirement for the adoption of the Intelligent Mail Barcode, the USPS helped business mailers who didn't want to deal with the expense and complexity associated with this change. This decision shows that the USPS is capable of making choices based on what's easiest for their customers as opposed to what's easiest for the USPS.

• Discounted postage for bulk mail that includes a QR Code
In the Summer of 2011, the USPS launched a campaign that offered a 3% postage discount for bulk mail that contained a QR Code. The program was relatively easy to understand, and it was a very positive way to create some buzz around direct mail in the business community.

I liked this program, but wish that the USPS would have extended the discount indefinitely. I sincerely hope that they experiment with other discounted product offerings in 2012.

What will the future hold for mail marketers in the US?
In my opinion the key to the future success of the United States Postal Service is to adjust its product offering to reflect what consumers truly want. This is no different than what any other successful organization does to survive.

It's clear the USPS is capable of taking positive steps when looking at the examples above. Unfortunately, it's also capable of making bad decisions like raising rates while reducing service.

For the benefit of all of us who rely on direct mail marketing to sustain our business, I sincerely hope that the decisions made by the USPS in 2012 have customers' best interest in mind. This is critical for the profitability and survival of the USPS, and for the ongoing success of direct mail marketing.

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What do you think? Am I being too critical of the USPS? Am I being too soft? Please add to the conversation and share your comments below.

U.S. Postal Holidays for 2011 and 2012

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So why should a marketer care about postal holidays? Holidays are a time to prop up your feet and take a rest, right?


Unfortunately, while most government employees get a day off of work, the rest of us are still hard at work on many of these holidays.

Even though you may be working, no mail gets delivered on postal holidays and bulk mail campaigns cannot be launched. If you're a marketer, you need to be aware of all of these dates; they are essentially black-out days for bulk mail marketing.

Most importantly, holidays that fall on weekends wreak havoc on mailing schedules because the “recognized” holidays often get overlooked. It's almost like having a secret holiday and if you don't pay attention to these dates, you can easily get yourself in trouble by scheduling a project on a date that's actually a USPS holiday.


Both 2011 and 2012 have confusing weekend holidays. Today's short post will give you the low down on everything that you need to know to keep your critical marketing campaigns on schedule.

To round out 2011, Christmas actually falls on Sunday, December 25th, so the government is recognizing Monday, December 26th as a holiday for the USPS and most of the rest of the Federal government.

Although we'll roll into the New Year on Sunday, January 1st, the U.S. Post Office will recognize Monday, January 2nd, 2012 as a holiday.

Here are the rest of the days that the USPS will be closed in 2012:
•    Monday, January 16     Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
•    Monday, February 20    President's Day
•    Monday, May 28         Memorial Day
•    Wednesday, July 4     Independence Day
•    Monday, September 3     Labor Day
•    Monday, October 8     Columbus Day
•    Monday, November 12     Veterans Day
•    Thursday, November 22     Thanksgiving Day
•    Tuesday, December 25     Christmas Day

Technically speaking, Veterans Day actually falls on Sunday November 11th, so Monday November 12th is the day that the Federal Government, including the United States Post Office, will recognize this holiday by closing for business.

What other changes by the USPS will impact bulk mailers in 2012? On January 22nd, 2012 there is a postal rate increase; click here for details.

Anything else I should know about postal holidays?  Bulk mail or presort standard mail (often referred to as 3rd class mail) is the last in line for attention by the USPS.  Nonprofit bulk mail is treated the same as standard bulk mail from a delivery urgency point of view.

During postal holidays, the whole mail system can get backed up, and in addition to the day lost for the holiday, there’s a very good chance that an additional day or two can be lost as the USPS gets back up to speed.  With this in mind, it’s always a good idea to avoid scheduling time-sensitive mailing projects to drop the day before a USPS holiday.

Can I drop my bulk mail campaign on a Saturday? Although the USPS currently delivers mail on Saturday, the Business Mail Unit of the US Post Office is not opened on Saturdays. You can, however, drop Every Door Direct Mail Retail campaigns on Saturdays.

Can I use a credit card to pay for my bulk mail postage? No, the Business Mail Unit of the USPS currently does not accept credit card payment for bulk mail postage. Every Door Direct Mail Retail, however, is an exception to this rule because it is not dropped at the Business Mail Unit; it is instead dropped at the specified customer retail location.

As the USPS clamors for more business, hopefully they will reevaluated this policy and make credit card payment an option for all types of bulk mail.

Bulk mail projects involve successful coordination of many small steps, with delivery to the post office being the final step. Showing up at the post office on a postal holiday is a nightmare. Dropping your bulk mail project the day before a postal holiday can substantially delay delivery. Don’t risk blowing your critical deadlines by being unaware.

Pay It Forward: Please use the share buttons below to send this post to any friends or coworkers who are responsible for direct mail projects.  You never know when sharing some important information like this can prevent a direct mail disaster.

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