The USPS is attempting to increase the price of Nonprofit Marketing Mail, which will have a huge negative impact on nonprofit fundraising budgets. We must take action immediately to stop it. According to the USPS, the rate increases would range from 3.3% for Regular Nonprofit Mail to 6.9% for Enhanced Carrier Route Mail. These unexpected[...]
A preview of your mail each day, emailed to you every morning. For free. Does this sound compelling and useful? Until you sign up for Informed Delivery and experience it yourself, you may not appreciate the value of this innovative new service from the Post Office. Despite its boring name, Informed Delivery may serve as[...]
The USPS is holding an Informed Delivery® Webinar Series for marketers beginning July 11 due to growing interest in the program. Now available nationwide, 2.25 million household customers have signed up for Informed Delivery, and 3,000 new users are joining every day, according to the USPS. This expanding customer base offers marketers an incredible opportunity[...]
Whether you’re a seasoned direct mail professional or embarking on your very first campaign, working your way through a checklist can reduce the risk that you forget to do something important on a mailing. From developing the most effective designs to leveraging postal logistics, this handy checklist includes 8 essential cost-saving tips and budget-breaking[...]
Direct mail plays a critical role in fundraising for many organizations, but decision-makers are not always knowledgeable about its intricacies. The process from conception to delivery is complicated, and without proper planning you can pay too much or miss crucial deadlines. Fortunately, by effectively utilizing production management and postal logistics strategies, you can save[...]
In the direct mail world, effective production management can be defined as “managing all elements of a mailing from design through production and entry into the mail stream in order to meet quality and mail date objectives while minimizing costs.” Production management concerns itself with these questions: Has each piece been designed in a[...]
2016 was exciting and successful for our Community Outreach Program! Throughout the year we had the honor of raising over $6,800 for a variety of charities, all while having a great time doing so. Some of our favorite events and activities from the past year, all which benefited our 2016 organizations, include: Hosting an ice cream[...]
One of the secrets of effective production management is to conduct a thorough prepress preflight review to ensure you catch problems while they are still inexpensive to fix. You will never regret taking the time to check each of the following elements before sending final art to the printer: Fonts: Are all fonts available[...]
When you’re planning a direct mail campaign, it is important to choose the right printer for the job. Print shops differ widely in their capabilities. Some shops focus on small jobs and walk-in traffic; others have invested heavily in equipment that allows them to produce 600,000 personalized letters quickly and cost-effectively. And while every[...]
Most companies with significant direct mail campaigns work hard to minimize their direct mail costs. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of different secrets to producing high-quality direct mail cost-effectively. One of the most effective ways to cut your direct mail production costs is to do your planning on an annual basis rather than bidding[...]