Election and Political Mail. To ensure that Election and Political Mailings were accomplished smoothly and timely, the Postal Service conducted employee training regarding proper procedures for handling such mail. Equally important was the comprehensive USPS communications effort with officials representing various election and political mail leadership and consultancy groups. The Postal Service provided updated election and political mailer guidance on strategy, planning and preparation of election and political mailings via conference calls, webinars and usps.com.
Mailing Promotions. To generate continued interest in direct mail and grow awareness of ways technology can improve direct mail, the Postal Service has developed a series of promotions. There are discounts offered on First-Class and Standard Mail for integrating mail with mobile and emerging technologies. In addition to these promotions, there are promotional opportunities for mailers encouraging them to employ more traditional methods of integrated marketing campaigns.
One such promotion was the Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion that ran from November 7 through November 21, 2012. This promotion was intended to generate awareness of how integrating mobile technology in direct mail campaigns allows consumers to do their holiday shopping directly from a mailpiece using a mobile device. The promotion encouraged eligible mailers of First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters, cards and flats to include a mobile barcode on the mailpiece that led to a mobile optimized shopping website. Customers earned postage discounts on over 3 billion First-Class Mail and Standard Mail pieces. The promotion also provided an opportunity for participants to earn an additional one percent postage rebate if a portion of the orders were fulfilled via Priority Mail.
In an effort to provide mailers with a wide range of options and to provide earlier notice of promotion opportunities, a 2013 Promotions Calendar was introduced in the fall of 2012.
USPS 2013 promotional calendar
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Direct Mail Mobile Coupon and Click–to–Call. The Direct Mail Mobile Coupon Promotion encouraged mailers to integrate hard-copy coupons in the mail with mobile platforms or a click–to-call feature allowing a recipient to initiate a phone call by clicking on a button, image or text. Over 500 customers participated in the promotion and earned discounts on 2.6 billion eligible Standard Mail and First–Class Mail pieces.
Earned Value Reply Mail. This promotion was offered to mailers who use First-Class Mail Business Reply and Courtesy Reply Mail enclosures. Based on the number of mailpieces returned, an award credit was applied to the mailer’s Permit Imprint account. Over 600 customers participated, earning rebate credits on 530 million BRM/CRM pieces.
Picture Permit Imprint. The Picture Permit Imprint program provides commercial mailers the creativity and flexibility to customize the permit indicia space of a First-Class Mail or a Standard Mail piece by adding a business-related image. During the promotion period, the fee for this program was waived for promotion participants. The promotion was successful in highlighting the benefits of the Picture Permit indicia and there was increased participation in the program.
Product Samples. This promotion was designed to re-invigorate product sampling via the mail by encouraging mailers to use product samples delivered by the USPS as a method to increase product usage, obtain new customers, and increase brand awareness. Participants received an upfront postage discount on qualifying Standard Mail Marketing parcels containing product samples.
Emerging Technologies. This promotion was designed to build on the goals of past mobile barcode promotions and to continue to increase awareness of how innovative technology such as Near-Field Communication, Augmented Reality and Authentication can be integrated with a direct mail strategy to enhance the value of direct mail. Ninety customers participated, earning postage discounts on over 1 billion eligible Standard Mail and First-Class Mail pieces.
Every Door Direct Mail. Every Door Direct Mail is a simple, affordable service from the U.S. Postal Service that allows both large and small businesses to reach customers without the need for names or addresses. First launched as a Market Test product in 2011, Every Door Direct Mail received PRC approval in November 2012 as a permanent product. It allows mailers two ways to enter mail — Every Door Direct Mail Retail and Every Door Direct Mail Commercial. Primarily, Every Door Direct Mail is used by small businesses such as restaurants, landscapers, florists and many other local merchants.
The USPS has also developed an online tool that Every Door Direct Mail customers can use to create mailings with a graphic mapping interface that allows users to target specific neighborhoods, cities, and ZIP Codes for their direct mailings. In 2013, the Postal Service continued to add significant new enhancements to the Online Tool. Demographic data options were added to the order process that users can select for more refined target marketing. Also added were a Quick-Check tool that allows customers to determine if their mailpiece size is acceptable before they place their order, improved PostalOne! functionality, streamlined payment options and new retail options for existing permit holders. In addition, an Every Door Direct Mail API (Application Program Interface) was developed and released for large mailers.
Other Mailing Products. In 2013, there were additional products introduced to increase direct mail use and samples. High Density Plus is a new product that encourages marketers and advertisers to mail incremental volume by establishing a new pricing tier for geographic-based marketing campaigns. Simple Samples was introduced as a product within Marketing Parcels. Simple Samples encourages marketers with value-based pricing within a given geographic area.
