Direct mail is a form of marketing whereby a printed piece of marketing collateral is sent directly to a recipients’ mailbox via the United States Postal Service.
Direct mail marketing is a targeted, individualized, tangible, creative, and stunning way for marketers to cut through the digital clutter that floods your customers’ email inboxes, search engine results, and website visits. In fact, direct mail is a fantastic addition to an omnichannel marketer’s toolbox that works synergistically with a well-executed digital marketing strategy.
TMR Direct can guide you through the entire process, from campaign strategy all the way through physical production. You do not need to know all USPS regulations (we handle that!). In short, we need artwork (your designs for your mail piece components) and a mailing list (or a targeted demographic with which TMR Direct can develop a mailing list for you). We handle the rest!
Direct mail is most effective when campaigns are designed around customer/donor behavior within a specific industry. Strategies that work for a local auto repair shop will not produce the same results for a national nonprofit or a regulated financial institution. TMR Direct partners closely with each client to understand their business model, audience, and objectives, allowing us to develop campaigns that are relevant, compliant, and results-driven.
Timelines vary based on both the specifics of the project (job complexity, piece count, etc.) and USPS factors. Smaller direct mail campaigns can be turned around in a manner of days, but larger, more sophisticated campaigns can take two weeks or more to complete. Your TMR Direct project manager can walk you through timeline expectations based on the specifics of your project.
Developing a successful direct mail campaign is a process of getting the right content into the right peoples’ hands at the right time. The easiest way to experiment is to test these variables. You can change your mail piece design (scenery changes, text vs. graphics, call to action, promotions), mailing list (update your targeted geographies, demographics, etc.) or timing of your direct mail campaign. What’s important is to develop a process to test the results of input changes.
Many customers have their own mailing list (current or former customers/donors, industry/trade association lists, etc.). That is often a good start but may need to be supplemented with additional addresses to prospect for new customers/donors. TMR Direct can filter addresses based on zip codes, carrier routes (a hyper-localized geographic area, household demographics, and consumer propensity models).
Qualifying for Marketing Mail rates (bulk) requires at least 200 pieces, while commercial rates for First-class mail require at least 500 pieces. The USPS has content and physical requirements for each mail class. TMR Direct will help you qualify for the best postage rates to maximize your ROI.
If you’re a nonprofit, you might be able to get even better rates on mail by applying for nonprofit mailing authorization from the USPS. Just a heads-up, this authorization is separate from your nonprofit tax status from the local, state or federal government. To send your campaign at nonprofit rates, you’ll need a CRID and a Nonprofit Authorization Number from the USPS. If you’re not sure what those are, TMR Direct can walk you through it.
Your postage cost depends on the mail type (postcard, envelope, or oversized), postage class (First-class, Marketing, or Nonprofit), and how the mix of addresses on your mailing list (how dense the addresses are and where they’re located relative to where the mail is entered). We can give you an estimate based on the information you provide, but we’ll need your final mailing list and mail piece details to finalize the cost.
Yes, but here’s a silver lining: TMR can provide permits for any commercial mail we handle and present on your behalf. This way, you won’t have to worry about the hassle and costs of keeping your own permits. Different permits are required for various entry points and postage methods (like pre-cancelled stamps, permit markings, or meter base). If you need multiple options, handling USPS permit fees yourself can quickly add up and lower your campaign’s ROI. Let TMR Direct handle that for you!
Yes and no. Direct mail costs more upfront than a digital marketing campaign but often delivers a superior ROI in terms of new leads/clients/donations.
Advanced digital printing allows TMR Direct to print unique response codes and PURL/QR codes directly on your mail pieces to help you identify sources of inbound traffic (e.g., website traffic spikes, inbound call volume, new appointment bookings, etc.).
The most effective direct mail marketers use internal and external data to get the right piece into the right hands at the right time. Triggers within their CRM/ERP system can notify you when customers need to be engaged. Maybe you’re a financial institution and a customer’s debit card will expire next month, and you want to send you a reminder? Maybe you’re an automotive service shop and a customer is coming due for an oil change? Offer them a free 24-point safety inspection to identify new work that needs to be done on their vehicle. The possibilities are endless!
Yes! Paper is a renewable resource, and the printing/mailing industries have taken bold steps to actively promote sustainable forestry practices to ensure the continuing availability of this amazing resource and to protect our planet’s future. Additionally, the USPS is currently offering a “sustainability” postage discount promotion for prequalified mailings that can help offset the ROI impacts of using sustainable paper stock.
TMR Direct can build customer lists to target customer/donor leads based on over 5,000 variables based on modeled propensity. Speak with a TMR Direct project manager on how to best leverage this data to enhance your direct mail campaign’s results.
How do I get started?
If you’re in the campaign development phase, first start thinking of what you want to say, and who needs to hear it. Then, drop us a line with your information and project details.