Unique mail formats you may have forgotten about

These are great to keep in mind as you evaluate your upcoming testing strategies for the next quarter.

Share mail

Share Mail is a great tool for businesses looking to gain referrals or promote their product through word of mouth.

In your DM creative include a postcard for consumers to send to their family and friends. Your consumer then sends the postcard to those he or she thinks may be interested. Each Share Mail piece is equipped with an IMB that can provide you with valuable data from your new, referred customer. The consumer can also send the postcard at no cost because postage is covered by the Share Mail account holder and is only charged once the mail piece is scanned in the system.

Testing idea:  

• As part of your customer communication program, send a thank you note to customers or donors with a message that encourages them to share with their friends. For example, “Give a gift to your friend! Send this card to give your friends $10 off their first purchase.”

Picture Permit Indicia

Picture permit Indicia, or PPI, allows mailers to provide a unique indicia on their USPS Marketing Mail™ automation letters & First-Class Mail® and postcards only.

We often test a blind vs. a branded OE, however, it is rare that we test a custom indicia OE. Both a branded OE and a custom indicia OE are often solving for the same goal; to establish brand recognition. Of course, PPI is not limited to logos and brand images alone, as it can also be used for seasonal images, or to reinforce your offer.

Testing idea:

• Use PPI to create some exclusivity within your audience. For example, if you are mailing a lapsed file perhaps use something like “VIP customer”; or if you are mailing a high donor segment, use this space to speak to your customers in a way they would not expect.

Repositionable Notes

Repositionable notes, or familiarly known as Sticky Notes, can be used on both Outer Envelopes and Forms for marketing mail.

The USPS does maintain some requirements around what types of sticky notes can be used to ensure the success of delivery, but these are a great testing option for both non-profit and for profit mailers.

Testing idea:

• Instead of using an affixed card on DM pieces, could you test into a repositionable note? While slightly larger in size, the consumer is able to remove the sticky note and place it somewhere as a reminder of your CTA.

 Testing should be a part of every mailers DM strategy. ICS’s ecosystem of companies supports Creative development, Data Selection, and Print Production. So no matter the test plan you are looking to design, ICS is able to support your strategic initiatives!

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