Developing a strategy for future campaigns can feel overwhelming—we get it. Staring at a white wall is how it usually starts. Well, how about first looking at where you can save money?
What’s this USPS Promotions and Incentives Program about?
In 2011, the USPS introduced the marketing mail promotions program, in which they discount a percentage of postage on any campaign that meets the requirements. The purpose is to encourage marketers to integrate different technologies with mail to engage audiences and strengthen the relevance of direct mail. After ten years now, it’s been proven successful.
Of course, the promotions have evolved over the last few years and brought forward incentives that reward interactive experiences and technologies designed to further engage and extend the consumer’s mail experience. In many cases, we’ve seen a strong lift in response and the discount can actually offset the cost of implementing the technologies.
This year, we see terrific opportunities for our clients to test new ways to win. Depending on your brand and goals, some strategies make more sense than others. Take a look at our updated calendar and let your creativity flow:
2022 Promotions we’re most excited about:
1. Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mail piece Engagement (February-July)
With an increased discount of 4%, this promotional period rewards those who try uniquely engaging papers and substrates to print on, or add experimental finishing techniques such as textures, pop-ups, clean release cards and even zip strips to elevate the customer’s experience with the mail piece.
2. Emerging and Advanced Tech (March-August)
This promotional discount ranges from 2-3% by integrating Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Virtual Reality, Voice Assistant, Near Field Communication or Video experiences with your mail pieces. When any of these tech add-ons are activated, you can be sure you’re captivating your audience for longer, making it memorable and sharable. There are very specific requirements to qualify and the SPC team is equipped to check all the boxes while developing the strategy and executing a campaign for this promotion.
3. Informed Delivery (August-December)
Through the Informed Delivery Program, the USPS delivers mail via a daily email notification to over 40 million subscribers. That’s a free digital touch to your target audience. The elements include a representative image of the mail piece with a corresponding clickable ride along button that drives to shop online. If this makes sense for your campaign, SPC will help you create the required assets to make your mail stand out in the inbox.
SPCFuel will help you figure it out!
An important note for anyone willing to give any of these technology-driven marketing tactics a try is that you cannot qualify for more than one promotion per mail piece where they potentially might overlap. What you can do is segment your mailing audiences and test different techniques to see if anything brings you a bigger return on your upfront investments.
With our focus and expertise in direct marketing, we follow this calendar with a strategic eye as we review our clients’ future programs and goals. There is so much to explore and SPC can help you build the smartest approach.
Contact your SPC Sales Rep to let us help you take full advantage of these promotions and discounts.
Beckie O’Connor
Executive Creative Director, SPCFuel
