Australia Post Bulk Mail Costs and Requirements

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

Australia Post Bulk Mail Costs and Requirements

Are you looking to save costs on your direct mail marketing campaigns? The best way to manage your budget is to get the lowest postage rates possible. You can do so by conducting bulk mailing campaigns. Plus, Australia Post offers incredible discounts to businesses mailing more than 300 items at once.

Bulk mailing allows companies to connect with more people and expand their reach by mailing in large quantities. Also, it helps them avail discounted postal rates and save campaign costs.

This blog talks about Australia Post bulk mail rates to help you get an idea of bulk mailing. It also discusses the various bulk mail options that Australia Post provides to businesses to aid their mailing efforts.

Let’s dive in!

What is Bulk Mail?

Bulk mail services offer the most cost-effective way for companies to advertise themselves and reach out to their prospects. Plus, they are flexible, and you can tailor them to meet your marketing needs.

But, how does bulk mail pricing work?

Firstly, mailers need to prepare and lodge their mail items according to the bulk mail guidelines. In exchange, mailers get attractive discounts and launch their direct mail campaigns at affordable rates.

To qualify for bulk postage rates, you need to perform some tasks that Australia Post generally does. These tasks include:

• Sorting mail
• Printing barcodes
• Stacking articles in mail trays
• Lodging, etc.

Bulk Mail Sizes

The cost of bulk mailing depends on the size of your items. Australia Post categorizes articles into three categories: small, small plus, and large.

Here’s a guide to help you understand these size categories in-depth:

	Small	Small Plus	Large
Minimum size	88 mm x 138 mm*	88 mm x 138 mm*	–
Maximum size	130 mm x 240 mm	162 mm x 240 mm	260 mm x 360 mm
Maximum thickness	5 mm	5 mm	20 mm
Envelope sizes (examples)	DL: 110 mm x 220 mm   DLX: 120 mm x 235 mm DLE: 114 mm x 225 mm  C6: 114 mm x 162 mm	C5: 162 mm x 229 mm	B6/ C4: 125 mm × 324 mm  B4: 250 × 353 mm  C4: 229 mm x 324 mm

*The minimum dimensions also vary, depending on the item’s shape and the ratio of length and width. Reply Mail items should measure at least 90 mm x 145 mm.

Bulk Mail Options And Rates

There are more than ten Australia Post bulk mailing options available for you. They all have different features and pricing.

Find below the bulk mail types in Australia:

Print Post

Print Post allows mailers to send addressed, periodical publications like newsletters, magazines, and catalogues. They may also send promotional and personalised supplements along with your items.

Mostly, publications and other organisations distributing newsletters or magazines in large numbers use Print Post.

However, the publication should be distributed a minimum of two times every year and must have a fixed title.

Print Post is an ideal option for companies sending out Small and Large-sized items. The weight range is between 125 g and 1 kg. If you need to send something weighing more than 1 kg, you should use parcel services.

You should send at least 100 items per mailing to become eligible to use Print Post bulk mail-out. Other qualification requirements include sorting mail and printing barcodes.

The bulk postage rates in Australia range between $0.900 to $6.515, depending on whether you select Regular or Priority mailing.

PreSort Letters

PreSort Letters is a convenient way to send sorted, barcoded, and machine-addressed items. You can send articles of any weight up to 500 g.

Using barcodes and sorting items make this bulk mailing option affordable for mailers.

Again, you can choose if you want Regular or Priority delivery. But, remember that Priority mailing can increase your Australia Post bulk mail postage rates.

Also, you need to send at least 300 items to qualify for sending PreSort Letters.

PreSort postage rates range between $0.995 to $4.370.

Please note: You cannot send promotional letters under this option.

Promo Post

You may use the Promo Post mailing service if you want to send promotional PreSort Letters.

However, you need to sort and lodge at least 4,0000 barcoded items to become eligible. Also, the weight limit is restricted to only 250 g.

There’s another catch while sending Promo Post- Your items are sent through Regular mailing by default as Priority delivery is unavailable for this service.

Promo Post is the most convenient way to send promotional items like offers and invitations that cannot be sent via PreSort Letters. Also, you can enjoy low postage rates starting at only $0.705.

Remember that these rates can rise to $2.985 if you don’t use barcodes.

Charity Mail

Direct mail is a significant channel for charities to gain donations. Hence, the cost of bulk postage for these organisations is even lower than the others.

The Charity Mail service enables approved charities to send PreSort Letters at very reasonable rates. They can send small and large-sized articles to their existing and potential donors by paying as little as $0.565 per piece.

Charities should file an application with Australia Post to become eligible for using this service. Moreover, they need to send at least 300 barcoded and sorted items in every mailing to qualify.

The good news is that you need to print barcodes for only 300 items out of all the items you send under your campaign. This concept applies to all the bulk mailing options provided by Australia Post.

If they select Regular delivery, the rates range from $0.565 to $2.985. For Priority mailing, the costs start at $0.695 and increase to $1.390. Same-state deliveries typically cost lower than interstate deliveries.

Clean Mail

Tired of sorting and barcoding your articles? Try Australia Post’s Clean Mail service. It allows you to send bulk mail without undertaking these extra steps but still offers low prices.

It is the perfect option for those companies that want to send bulk mail but don’t have the required equipment for sorting and barcoding. You need to send at least 300 machine-addressed items to use Clean Mail.

So, how much does it cost to send bulk mail under this option? Find the rates below:

Size and Weight	Priority Delivery	Regular Delivery
Small	$1.390	$1.085
Small Plus	$2.100	$1.715

Acquisition Mail

Acquisition Mail is a bulk mail service allowing you to send non-personalised, addressed articles within the country.

It enables you to target specific geographical regions of any state and launch your campaigns at those places. This way, you can reach out to every resident or business in certain postcodes, suburbs, Statistical Areas, etc., and widen your lead base.

Find below some more features of Acquisition Mail:

• There is no minimum mailing volume to qualify for Acquisition mail, and the rates vary, depending on your campaign size.
• Typically, the postage ranges from $0.960 to $1.715 only.
• If your mailing quantity is lower than 300 items, you may not conduct sorting and barcoding. Otherwise, Australia Post needs you to complete these tasks to become eligible.
• Only Regular delivery is available for Acquisition Mail.

Imprint or Metered Mail

Imprint or Metered Mail is a mail service that allows mailers to send articles without worrying about sorting and barcoding. There are no minimum volume requirements.

But, you would need a postage meter to print postage details on your items and prepay the charges.

Alternatively, you can use postal imprints to pay for your postage.

Imprint or metered mail lets you mail small and large articles up to 500 g. And, you get the choice to select between Regular and Priority delivery.

If your articles don’t fit in these weight restrictions, you can use Australia Post’s parcel services that allow you to send flats up to 50 kg. Australia Post bulk parcel rates range between $9.30 to $26.20, depending on whether you select Parcel Post or Express Post.

Find below the rates to send Metered or Imprint Mail:

Size	Priority Mailing	Regular Mailing
Small letters- up to 250 g	$1.590	$1.090
Large letters- up to 125 g	$2.680	$2.180
Large letters- 126 g to 250 g	$3.770	$3.270
Large letters- 251 g to 500 g	$5.950	$5.450

Undoubtedly, Imprint or Metered Mail is the easiest bulk mail option available for mailers.

Reply Paid

Reply Paid is for businesses that want to make it easy for recipients to respond to their mail. They can attach an additional card or envelope with their items for customers to send back using this option.

You can send both small and large mail pieces under Reply Paid via Regular or Priority delivery.

There are no minimum or maximum volume restrictions, and you can send your items without sorting. However, you still need to print barcodes during your mail preparation.

Mailers must apply for a Reply Paid permit and pay an annual fee of $117.50. Postage prices start at $0.750 and go up to $5.850. But, you need to only pay for the items you receive back.

You may use the Reply Paid bulk mailing option domestically and internationally.

Unaddressed Mail

As the name suggests, Unaddressed Mail is for companies that wish to send out items like leaflets, catalogues, flyers, etc., without a mailing address.

Also, there is no name or personalised information printed on Unaddressed Mail items.

It is an ideal option for you only when you want to promote your brand in specific geographical areas.

For example, if you own a bookstore, you can send promotional items to everyone living in your neighbourhood (without knowing their name or address).

But, you need to target at least one whole suburb, postcode, local government area, or postal round. Make sure to book your mailing at least ten days in advance.

The price ranges between $0.215 to $0.653, depending on the type of service you select.

Domestic Letter With Tracking Imprint

Want to send trackable items? If yes, this option can help you send and track the delivery of large mail volumes.

You can track individual items online and provide recipients with email and SMS tracking notifications.

Not only that, but you also get a $100 compensation in case of any loss or damage.

There is no minimum mailing cap per lodgement, but you need to send at least 10,000 items per year to get these benefits.

Also, you need to complete sorting and barcoding for these pieces. The 2D barcodes help track the items as it travels through the Australia Post system right up to the delivery point.

Pricing depends on the number of items you are mailing and the destination.

Registered Post Imprint

If you want to get proof of delivery, you should select the Registered Post Imprint service. Australia Post does not deliver your items unless the recipients sign for them.

Thus, this option offers peace of mind to mailers and secures their mailing activities.

Apart from Signature on Delivery, other features include:

• $100 compensation cover
• Access to delivery status and report
• Email and SMS tracking notifications for recipients

You may send articles of any size under this mailing service. Registered Post costs start at $4.775 and rise to $7.445 if you select Regular delivery. Priority mailing rates range between $5.020 to $7.945.

Other bulk mailing options include Sample Post (for sending samples) and Competition Mail (for running competitions).

You may also use Full Rate-Mail for sending items that are not addressed, sorted, or barcoded. It is the most expensive bulk mailing option provided by Australia Post.

Payment Options

Australia Post offers several payment methods for mailers, and they are:

• Approved cheque
• Bank drafts or cheque
• Debit and credit card
• Australia Post account (mainly to use imprints)
• Postage meter

Please note that you can use only one payment option per lodgement.

Conclusion

Bulk mail costs include several more expenses like design, copywriting, mailing lists, and printing. But, you can still conduct successful direct mail campaigns under your budget with proper planning and a direct mail API like PostGrid to assist you.

Our direct mail services offer all-inclusive rates covering everything from design to postage. Plus, our features like address verification, per-piece tracking, and 2-business day SLA makes our API even more helpful.

Want to manage your bulk mail pricing and automate the entire process? Sign up now to get on board!

The post Australia Post Bulk Mail Costs and Requirements appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/australia-post-bulk-mail-costs-requirements/

Business Postcard Ideas & Examples

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

Business Postcard Ideas & Examples

As far as marketing channels go, a business postcard is by far the most effective and least ignored one by the customers. Business postcards add a personalised touch to your marketing campaigns and are more likely to get a response from their recipients.

What works in favour of postcards as a marketing channel is that they offer a different marketing approach. Today, most companies prefer digital marketing channels over direct channels. It means the digital space is brimming with advertisements, and postcards offer a fresh alternative to this ongoing trend.

Additionally, you can now use advanced automation tools like PostGrid for your postcard marketing campaigns. Below, we will discuss some of the best business postcard ideas that are fast gaining popularity today. The postcard examples provided here will help you understand how to use postcard marketing for your unique business.

15 Postcard Marketing Ideas For Business For Optimal Growth

As you know, businesses can effectively use postcard marketing to generate high response rates from the target audience. Numerous industry verticals are already incorporating postcards into their marketing strategies. But, how versatile are postcard marketing ideas for business?

Below are some of the most desired business postcard ideas for businesses to help you understand how you can use postcard marketing.

#1 Postcards For Real Estate Businesses

In the past, postcard marketing was a significant marketing channel employed by practically every industry vertical. However, as time changed, almost all industries switched from direct marketing to digital marketing.

Incidentally, the real estate industry always remained loyal to postcard marketing. It should give you an idea of the effectiveness of postcards in real estate marketing. Realtors can use the postcards to introduce their real estate business and its services to potential buyers/sellers.

The realtors can also use the postcard to showcase their real estate portfolio, including featured lists and sold properties. Using authentic images of properties on sale is also a great way to boost the response rate.

#2 Postcard For Restaurants

Restaurant postcards are one of the best postcard examples for businesses. The customer base of a restaurant business is always centred around the locality of the restaurant’s physical location. A postcard is a perfect way to let customers know about a newly opened restaurant branch in a locality.

However, that doesn’t mean restaurants don’t have to wait till they open up a new branch to use postcards for marketing. Restaurants can use postcards for advertising a new dish or cuisine that they want to introduce to their customers.

Furthermore, the postcard can include details like

• The menu
• Contact information
• Social media pages
• Location/address

Including such details in the postcard makes a restaurant more discoverable and boosts interaction with the brand.

#3 Postcards For Travel Agencies

Postcards and travel are like bread and butter. They compliment each other so well that there is a whole industry around it. Hence, it only makes sense for travel agencies to use postcards for their marketing campaigns. One of the main reasons people enjoy sending travel postcards is that they have beautiful pictures of the places ‘you’ve been to.’

Similarly, travel agencies can include pictures of places the customer ‘could go to.’ And seeing such amazing images of landscapes and old castles on a postcard is different. Additionally, travel agencies have the flexibility to present numerous travel destinations.

Travel agencies can also highlight essential details such as package prices, must-see locations nearby, and even travel tips. Additionally, travel agencies can highlight their contact details in the image to maximise their reach.

#4 Postcards For Spa Salons

Spa salons are a niche industry that is relatively new to many of us. Even though spa salons have been around for years, most have little to no marketing strategy. Postcards offer an effective way for spa salons to reach out to their target audience and make themselves noticeable.

Some of the business postcard ideas for spa salons are:

• Customers are invited to showcase the spa business’s new services.
• Attract new customers with new and attractive promotional material.
• Sending invites before hosting a raffle.
• Use enticing giveaway offers to bring in fresh customers.

Apart from the points listed above, spa salons can also use postcard marketing to expand their operations and clientele. The postcards are practically weightless and highly portable. Hence, postcards have a higher chance of getting passed around by their recipients.

#5 Postcards For Educational Institutions

Educational institutions of all sizes and types can use postcards for marketing purposes. One of the most significant advantages of postcard marketing for educational institutions is that it is significantly cheaper.

Most schools and colleges often send large brochures and even booklets to prospective students. Although they can convey more details to the reader, it is still better to use postcards as the initial touchpoint.

If a candidate shows interest in the educational institution, the latter can then consider sending long brochures or booklets. Furthermore, academic institutions can also use direct mail for sending out invites for events such as open houses and campus tours.

#6 Postcards For Cafes/Bakeries

Cafes or bakeries can use postcard marketing campaigns similar to those we discussed for restaurants. So, suppose a cafe or bakery is new to a locality. In that case, they can kick off a postcard marketing campaign with a “Just Opened” massage.

A more effective campaign would also include a coupon for a free pastry or coffee on the opening weekend. It can effectively help cafes/bakeries establish their brand and give a taste of their product to prospective customers.

Apart from branding purposes, cafes and bakeries can use postcards for marketing any social events they wish to conduct. For example, bakeries could run a local pastry fest and use postcards to get the maximum number of attendees. Including contact information and even a map to the shop can also help establish the cafe or bakery business.

#7 Postcards For Nonprofit Organisations

As we have already mentioned, postcards are significantly more affordable than almost every other type of direct mail. These inexpensive postcards are perfect for nonprofits that want a cheap but effective way to connect with donors.

But, the affordable nature is not the only thing that works in favour of postcard marketing. Nonprofit organisations can use the image side of the postcard to tell heartwarming stories of how the organisation helps people.

By doing so, nonprofits can show the work they do and its impact on society. More importantly, it shows the donors how and where the organisation spends their money.

#8 Postcards For Art Galleries & Museums

Another postcard example worth mentioning in this list is the one used by art galleries and museums. The postcards used by museums or art galleries usually reach out to their members as part of their routine communication.

These routine communications can also include the occasional Christmas and birthday cards. Apart from this, museums or art galleries can use postcards as promotional material for an event they are conducting.

Once again, the image side of the postcard plays a vital role in generating interest in the audience. Museums can use the image of their star attraction of an event in the postcard and significantly sway the recipient into attending the event.

#9 Postcards For Vet Clinics

Much like regular clinics, vet clinics can also implement postcard marketing campaigns. Here also, the vet clinic’s services get highlighted in the postcard. However, unlike regular clinics, the vets can include cute pictures of pets to make the postcard look much more exciting to the recipient.

Furthermore, vets can add animal or pet trivia to make the postcard more attractive to the reader. The vet can also personalise the postcards based on what kind of pet the reader has. However, this requires high-quality data, and hence it is best suited for the existing or past customers.

#10 Postcards For Clothing Stores

Clothing stores can also use postcards for marketing their business. A postcard is a visual medium. It provides the perfect way for clothing stores to showcase their best product. Therefore, postcards are ideal for launching a new clothing line.

In a way, the postcard acts as a product catalogue for the clothing stores. However, the clothing stores would need to provide incentives like a launching offer or a discount to ensure the best result for the postcard marketing campaign.

Or the store could use the postcard during the festive season to let the maximum number of people know about the sale offers. And despite using a lot of images, the store owners can still save a lot of money in the printing and mailing of the postcards. The stores can optimise their direct mail process further by using an automated system like PostGrid.

#11 Postcard For Plumbing Services

Not many of you might have expected to see plumbing services as part of this list. Nonetheless, postcards as a marketing channel can do wonders for plumbing businesses. Plumbing and other maintenance works thrive on name recognition.

Therefore, it should be self-explanatory how and why postcards are for marketing plumbing services. Plumbing service providers can use postcards to remind customers about their warranty periods or inform customers when they are due for another service.

Even in the plumbing or home maintenance business, you can use postcards to give discounts. Additionally, plumbing businesses can also provide their contact information in the postcard.

If the plumber does a good job, the customer will recommend their service to their friends and family. And it is not so hard to see that they use the postcard to pass the plumber’s contact information to the next person.

#12 Postcard For Medical Service Providers

Medical service providers, especially local community clinics, can benefit from postcard marketing. The primary use of postcard marketing for medical service providers is to promote their services.

However, the medical service providers can also use postcards to declare a new addition to their firm. For example, let’s say that a new pediatrician is joining a local clinic.

Here, the clinic could send our postcard mailers informing people about the new addition and the new service it can now offer. The clinic could also arrange a health talk by an expert and invite the whole community to the event via postcards.

However, the clinic must ensure that they don’t forget to add the working hours. The postcard should also include the contact information along with the emergency lines.

#13 Postcards For Gyms Or Fitness Centres

Even though postcard marketing is not so popular as a marketing channel for gyms or fitness centres, it has a lot of untapped potentials. For example, gyms can use postcards to provide the contact details of their trainers and offer a free consultation call to the target audience.

Another strategy the gyms can use is to leave these postcards at the front desk. The postcards can act as a brochure for the gym. The gym members can take a couple of them from the front desk and pass it to their friends and family.

Gyms can also include a free pass with the postcards to get better results. Another effective method that gyms can use is to partner with other local businesses. For example, gyms can discount people who buy coffee or snacks from a nearby cafe and vice versa.

#14 Postcards For Supermarkets

Supermarkets are perhaps the most suited business model for employing a postcard marketing strategy. Why? Because they often bring in new products/produce, have regular sales on particular items, and offer a wide range of products.

It is relatively easy to find free images for supermarket postcards, which help cut costs. Additionally, supermarkets can use a direct mail automation tool like PostGrid to create customised postcards that align well with their brand.

#15 Postcards For Construction Companies

Construction companies can use postcards to target their customers better. For example, a construction company can target new homebuyers. New homeowners likely want to have some construction work done to their new place before settling in.

Postcards for construction companies should only include the necessary details that the customers need. In other words, construction companies don’t need to elaborate on how they work in the postcard. The reason is that postcards only have minimal space for accommodating all the details.

What Are The Makings Of Good Business Postcard Ideas?

Suppose you are looking for postcard marketing ideas for business. In that case, you should know a few factors that help you get the optimal results. Certain aspects of the postcard can help you better convince your audience into making the desired action.

Below we list some aspects that can help you make the most noticeable factors in all business postcard examples.

Headings And Subheadings:

Good old fashioned headings and subheadings not only make clear what your postcard is about. They also make it easier for the reader to determine whether your postcard is relevant to their specific needs.

Highlighted Benefits:

The customer does not want to know how superior your product or service is unless they can see how they benefit from it. Hence, it would be best to make it a standard practice to list the benefits your business can offer them. Ensure that these benefits are highlighted well on the postcard so that the customer doesn’t miss them.

HD Images:

At this point, you should already be aware of the significance of images in your postcards. HD or High-quality photos can give the customers a better understanding of the product or service you are offering.

Furthermore, the quality of the image you use can also affect how the customers perceive your brand. A sloppy postcard with poor quality images gives the impression that the brand is not a reliable one.

Engaging Copy:

Writing an engaging copy for your postcards is probably one of the hardest things to do. However, there is a hack you can use to ensure that your document is engaging. Try putting yourself in the customer’s position and ask yourself whether the copy is exciting or attractive to you as a customer.

Social Media Profiles:

Postcards are an ideal way to boost your company’s social media presence. Try to include your social media profiles, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., in your postcards so that your customers can interact with your brand online.

Company Logo & Contact Information:

Last but not least you must include both your company’s logo and contact information. Providing the company logo will help your target audience recognise your brand in the future and help in re-engagement strategies. The contact information lets the customer know that they can get in touch with you whenever they want.

Conclusion

Business postcards allow companies to reach out to their target audience in the most effective way possible. They have a high response rate and are incredibly versatile that practically every industry vertical can use them.

The various postcard campaign examples that we discussed above are proof of postcards’ versatility as a marketing channel. However, it would be best to have a specialised tool like PostGrid to help you effectively run a postcard marketing campaign.

PostGrid enables you to automate every process involved in your direct mail campaign. You can personalise your business postcards with attractive customisable templates and use top-quality printers to print them. Furthermore, you can even use PostGrid to make postcard deliveries via Australia Post and ensure on-time delivery at the most affordable rates.

The post Business Postcard Ideas & Examples appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/business-postcard-ideas-examples/

Uses of QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

Uses of QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing

There are new developments in the marketing industry each day as technological advancements continue to grow. Companies no longer use expensive and tedious marketing methods that take months to generate any results.

They have also revolutionised direct mail marketing, which is one of the oldest ways of marketing. You can now conduct direct mail campaigns that are affordable, fast, productive, and trackable.

Plus, marketers have discovered various new marketing channels like social media marketing, mobile marketing, etc. These marketing channels further use several other elements, and one such element is the use of QR (Quick Response) codes.

QR marketing is relatively new and is already setting new records. You can see QR codes almost everywhere—on the bus station, behind your local restaurant’s menu, on your brand new t-shirt, etc. Anyone can pull out their mobile phone, scan these codes, and get all the details about a business right on their screen. 

Companies can customise what they want the QR code to show after scanning. For example, suppose you want to promote a new product. You can generate a QR code that helps people scan it and access all the information regarding the product. 

Similarly, you can do anything you want with QR code marketing. From promoting a new service or product to driving traffic to your social media pages, everything is possible. 

There are a lot more exciting things about QR codes that we will discuss in this blog. Also, we will cover how to use QR codes in marketing. 

What Are QR Codes?

QR codes are scannable 2D barcodes printed on items. They direct people to a landing page or to take a specific action like calling up your business, watching a video, etc.

Also, they facilitate quick data transfers between companies and customers.

In 1994, the Denso Wave company first invented QR codes to track their vehicles’ manufacturing processes. However, they were not popular during that time, and tracking things was their only use.

It is because users would need to download some software to scan these codes. Therefore, using QR codes was time-consuming, making it not worth it back then. 

Also, you didn’t have the option to personalise the page where the code would take the user. 

But, things have changed now as more people are scanning QR codes every day for different reasons. Some of them use the ‘scan and pay’ option to buy their groceries. Others use a QR code to avail of discounts. 

The days of needing a software application to scan QR codes are long gone. Now, all smartphones have an in-built scanner that makes scanning super quick and easy. 

In a poll, 72% of respondents said they scanned a QR code in the last month. It shows that almost everyone knows what a QR code is.

Hence, it is not surprising that using QR codes has become very trendy in various industries like retail, healthcare, entertainment, etc.

QR Codes in Direct Mail Marketing

Earlier, QR codes didn’t have any applications other than tracking things. But, today, every industry has embraced QR codes due to their benefits. The same applies to the marketing industry. Now, almost every company uses QR codes to promote its products and services.

So, how are QR codes used in marketing?

Well, for starters, start printing QR codes on all your products. On being scanned, these codes can take your customers to your website for more details. It is a very subtle way of including QR codes in your marketing strategies.

The next thing to do is print QR codes on your marketing materials like postcards, self-mailers, etc. Thus, you can incorporate QR codes in your direct mail marketing strategies.

In fact, the direct mail marketing industry has been using QR codes widely. They help companies track responses and measure campaign performance. Keep reading below to know more benefits of using QR codes in direct mail campaigns.

Benefits of Using QR Codes In Direct Mail Campaigns

Marketers are widely using QR codes to track their direct mail campaigns. They also use it to provide recipients with more information about their brand. But why are QR codes appealing to marketers?

The reason behind it is that QR codes are very beneficial in several ways, like:

QR Codes Don’t Take Up Much Space

QR codes don’t need a lot of space on your direct mail items. You don’t need to go for oversized postcards or letters to print a QR code. They are small and compact and can fit anywhere. Some marketers also create QR codes that are within the images used for their artwork. It further saves a lot of space.

Apart from saving space, QR codes also offer an attractive look to your direct mail design. You can customise your QR codes with different colours and shapes to make them eye-catching and appealing to the audience.

User-Friendly and Quick

It is not at all hard to understand QR codes. But, you may choose to add a line on how to scan the QR code and what the user should expect to see after scanning it.

All your direct mail recipients need to do is open the scanner on their smartphone and point it towards the code. The scanner will automatically read and understand the encrypted information and take them to their destination. 

Today, customers don’t want to deal with anything slow and tedious. Thus, expecting them to enter a URL may be far-fetched. Instead, it is better to use QR codes that take no more than a few seconds to do their job.

Easy to Create

Creating QR codes is very easy. A lot of online QR code generators can help you with it. Also, some direct mail APIs like PostGrid can help you design personalised landing pages with custom QR codes—unique for every recipient.

Also, getting QR codes for your direct mail campaign is more affordable than you think.

Ideas to Incorporate QR Codes into Your Marketing Strategies

What are QR codes used for? How can you incorporate them into your direct mail marketing strategies? The following ideas can help you know the answers to these questions:

Send Message and Emails 

Companies can send a well-thought text or an onboarding email to their prospects once they scan the QR code. This way, you can connect with those people who are hesitant to give their mobile number or email address. In some cases, you may also ask the user to provide their contact details through an online form. 

Sending texts through QR codes is a very effective strategy as it supports sales, opt-in registrations, on-request upgrades, and technical support. Similarly, sending emails can help monitor data for email marketing. 

Direct Users to Your Website

Directing users to your business website is one of the most effective QR code uses. You can take your customers to any web page you want. Thus, they don’t need to access your website and then search for a page within it.

Most companies direct users to a custom landing page that talks about their personal needs and how the brand can fulfil them.

Make sure to use unique QR codes for marketing campaigns so that you can track the results accurately. 

Getting Customers to Leave a Review

89% of customers around the world read reviews before buying a product. 79% of shoppers trust online reviews the same way as personal recommendations. Hence, getting reviews from existing customers is crucial for businesses. 

These testimonials and reviews help prospects make up their mind about a specific product or service. They act as a guide and are very helpful in boosting sales. 

Hence, you should have a sound mechanism to ask customers to leave a review on your website or social media pages. Why not leverage QR codes to get reviews from your customers? 

Send direct mail items with QR codes that direct users to the reviews page on your website. Prompt them to leave a short review about what they think about your business. 

Take care to send such QR codes to existing customers only as they have already bought from you and are eligible to leave feedback. You can also give them a small discount or cashback on their next purchase for every review. 

Engage Prospects With Short Videos

Many companies make a lot of videos about their brand and its products and services. These videos can help their target audience understand their operations in-depth. A study reveals that viewers retain about 95% of the message from a video compared to only 10% from reading something. 

But, companies are unable to promote their videos and increase their reach. One of the best ways to do that is using QR codes to promote them. You can print and mail items with a QR code that directs recipients to a marketing video. Also, try asking them to share your videos with others to gain bonus points. 

Such QR code ideas can help you increase your campaign engagement significantly. 

Share Your Contact Details

It is a common practice to print contact details on direct mail items, like postcards and envelopes. But, it is still difficult to convince recipients to enter the phone number on their phone and call you up. So, make it easier for them. 

Send your contact details to your prospects’ mobile phones within a second with the help of QR codes. It is the fastest way to get people to call you or send an email to your ID.

Download Apps

QR codes can take users to an app download page and also initiate the download automatically. Imagine if hundreds of people scan your QR codes and download your app on their phones. You can do so much more once the download is complete, like sending personalised notifications and gaining insights into the users’ shopping histories. 

If your app downloads are low, try sending out direct mail items with such QR codes and wait for the results!

Direct Uses to Social Media Handles

Like app downloads, you may also want to increase your social media followers. Again, use QR codes that take users to your social media handles like Instagram and Facebook. 

You may also provide a promo code to all the users who follow your social media pages through the QR code. This way, you can increase your online engagement and sales both. 

Companies can also combine their direct mail and digital marketing strategy with QR codes for better results. 

Digital Menu or Product Catalogues

Marketers may be unable to talk about all their products and services in a single direct mail item. We may have often seen the words ‘Visit website for more information on various marketing materials. Again, QR codes can help your customers visit your website by scanning the code. 

But, you can add a twist to it to make the process more interesting for your audience. Instead of taking them to your website, let the QR code direct them to an online catalogue. It would be exciting to access the details of every single product right on their phones. Also, add a purchase link so that customers can order something if they like something from the catalogue. 

In the same way, restaurants can create digital menus that help users access all their offerings in one glance. 

Reducing Shopping Cart Abandonments

A lot of users abandon their shopping carts after adding things to them. Such incomplete checkouts may result in losses for a company. 

Hence, try to motivate these users to finish their transactions. There are two steps to accomplish your goal—reminding them that there are some items in their carts and offering an incentive on completing checkouts. 

QR codes can assist you in this process. On being scanned, they can direct customers to their shopping carts and apply the promo code to complete the transaction. 

Share Business Location

Instead of searching Google maps for your office or store address, a customer can scan the QR code on your mailpiece to get the address link on their phone. It is time-saving and speedy, and also encourages customers to visit you. 

Deliver Event Details

Want to invite prospects and customers to a trade event? Print QR codes on your direct mail items and send them to all your intended invitees. They can scan the code to get all the event details and also RSVP for it. 

Convert First-Time Buyers Into Repeat Customers

Create QR codes that help first-time buyers get their purchase history on their phones. You can also design these codes to help customers order again through the same link. 

All the QR code types mentioned above can be incorporated into your direct mail items. You can program these codes to do anything you want.

Other Tracking Systems You Can Use

Apart from QR codes, you can also employ other tracking systems like:

Personalised URLs

PURLs are another way to increase engagement and boost your campaign’s response levels. But, take care to only use short links as your customers may not want to enter long URLs. 

One way to get recipients to visit your pURLs is to add their names to them. For example, www.seb-tonkins.postgrid.com.au/.

Dedicated Phone Numbers and Email Addresses

Add unique contact details on your direct mail items so that you can record your campaign responses precisely. 

Coupon Codes

Instead of a QR code directing users to an online coupon, you can just print the coupon code on your mailpiece. The user can then visit your website and use the code whenever they want. 

Store Walk-Ins

If you own a store and want to drive people there, add store walk-ins as a call to action. Include sentences like ‘Walk-in to your nearest store with this postcard to get a freebie.’

Wrapping Up

It is essential to track your campaign performance at every stage. It gives you a better idea of what works for you and what doesn’t. QR codes can help you do that in a very effective way. But, they can do a lot more than track your items.

In this blog, we have discussed all the possibilities to leverage QR codes for your direct mail marketing strategies. If you need any help to print and mail your items with such QR codes, contact PostGrid today. Our direct mail API can help you design, print, and send out your items in an automated manner. Hence, you can sit back and relax while PostGrid runs your campaign on your behalf.

The post Uses of QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/qr-code-marketing-in-direct-mail-advertising/