Cheque Printing & Mailing Software

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Cheque Printing & Mailing Software

Cheque printing and mailing are among the various business operations that make regular cheque payments and do not wish to depend on their bank for them. Undoubtedly, printing your own cheques is cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient.

Automating the process can help you avail far more benefits and further save more time and money.

• Integrate with your accounting software and start making cheque payments instantly
• Print and mail personal and business cheques accurately
• Set up multiple bank accounts
• Print deposit slips along with cheques
• Use in-built cheques templates
• Track payments and keep records

A cheque writing software usually has all the above features. Find below the top 5 cheque printing and mailing software programs available in Australia.

Top 5 Cheque Printing and Mailing Software

1. Dataline

Known for their MICR cheque solutions, Dataline provides cheque processing and printing solutions all across the country. Their cheques offer bank-level security with several safety features such as password protection, toner detection, front panel locks, security fonts, and the use of the MICR technology. Companies can write and print cheques with adherence to the Australian banking standards with the help of Dataline’s cheque writing program.

• Avoid storing pre-printed inventory as Dataline can help you write cheques from scratch
• Cut down cheque processing costs and pay for only what you print
• You can select from among blank cheque stock and pre-printed cheque stock options for cheque printing
• Print high-quality cheques that look exactly the same as printed by your bank

2. Premiercheque+

Premiercheque+ is one of the many software programs developed and maintained by Hague Australia. It is one of the leading cheque printing software in the country by striving to print secure cheques that are compliant with banking regulations and cheque production standards. Premiercheque+ can help print up to 70 pages at a time, hence saving time and effort.

• Cheques printed through premiercheque+ software are fraud-proof with features like security ink, holograms, custom security design, micro text, and more
• Businesses can add their brand logo to their cheques and customize them with corporate messaging. You can choose from among a variety of colours, finishing, and formats
• Print A4 cheque remittances, foreign drafts, chequebooks, and dividend warrants swiftly through their online cheque writing solutions

3. Secure Print

PostGrid’s secure print feature prints the cheques for all Pacific Island, New Zealand, and Australian banks. As a member of the APCA (Australian Payment Clearing Association), Secure Print strives to adhere to strict cheque format standards with high-level security. They have several pre-built templates for all the commonly used accounting software systems such as MYOB, Quicken, and LEAP Legal Software.

• If their templates fail to meet your design requirements, they can create a custom layout for you considering your bank’s standards
• No minimum volume requirements for printing cheques which makes Secure Print flexible and cost-effective

4. Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo is known for printing a million cheques in a single year serving organizations belonging to different industries. From designing your cheques to getting them printed, their check-making software can assist you in streamlining your payments effectively. They also help to get the APCA approval required for printing your own cheques.

• Customize colours and add logos to turn your ordinary cheques into marketing materials
• Reconcile easily through the accounting software integration
• Kalamazoo’s software for cheque printing and mailing protects your cheques from forging, alteration, and other kinds of fraud
• It uses chemical reactant cheque paper, invisible fluorescent fibres, invisible UV ink, thermochromic inks, security audit numbers, and other such features to only print secure cheques
• LEAP Legal Software, QuickBooks, Law Ledger, Nexus, SAGE, Microsoft Money, and Paywell are among the several accounting software systems that can print cheques for

5. PostGrid

PostGrid‘s check printing software can not only create and print your cheques but also get them mailed to the intended recipients. Their easy-to-use software can assist you in all your print and mail activities, making it the best cheque writing software.

• Avoid making errors while writing cheques by eliminating manual effort completely
• Get print and mail fulfilment to stop storing inventory, purchasing expensive equipment, spending hours stuffing envelopes, affixing stamps, and carrying your mail to the post office
• Validate addresses before mailing to avoid cheque thefts and misplacements leading to fraud
• Track your cheques and know about their whereabouts
• Set up multiple accounts to pay seamlessly
• Authorize payments and manage user permissions for added security
• Access payment reports easily
• Customize cheques as per your needs

How to Select the Ideal Cheque Printing and Mailing Software?

1. Integration

Integrating with your accounting software allows you to get rid of manual inputs and upload files. Select the software that can integrate with the accounting program that you use. This way, all the details can be imported speedily, and you can begin writing your cheques.

2. Editing Options

You should be able to edit your cheque fields and customize them as per your requirements. The software you select must have basic customization options such as adding logos and personalized texts. If you want to print in bulk, make sure that the software enables you to print several pages per sheet.

3. Equipment and Inventory

It can be difficult to print cheques through a cheque printing software that has specific printer and inventory requirements. Hence, you should consider something that allows you to print using any printer and ink.

4. Set-up and Installation

You don’t want to spend days setting up and installing cheque writing software. The process should be quick and easy and not require any technical expertise. Select the software program that gets you started within minutes. Moreover, look into the set-up costs, volume requirements, and monthly fees.

5. Security

As we saw above, almost all the cheque writing, printing, and mailing programs have certain security features. Check whether the software is compliant with the necessary rules and regulations and can keep up with your bank’s cheque printing format and standards. Security is the most important factor to consider as cheque frauds are rising.

6. Compatibility

Some software programs might not be compatible with your printer. It is important to check for compatibility before purchasing an online check writing software. You should also note whether it can integrate with your accounting software. Additionally, it should be able to accommodate several bank accounts. Also, if you deal with foreign clients, choose software that can convert foreign currencies easily.

7. Cheque Register

As the name goes, a cheque register keeps a record of all the cheque payments and their particulars. It facilitates record-keeping, reconciliation, and overall accounting processes. Therefore, this feature is a must to have.

8. Other Features

From among all the cheque printing and mailing software we discussed earlier, only PostGrid can help you get your cheques mailed through Australia Post. Print and mail fulfilment is not offered by every software. Therefore, you should look for such additional features, if that’s what you require.

FAQs

1. How does a cheque print and mail software work?
A cheque print and mail software can integrate into your accounting system, from where you can start designing, printing, and mailing cheques in an automated manner.

2. Are the cheques customizable?
Yes, you can customize your cheques by adding brand logos and personalizing content.

3. Does the cheque printing and mailing software use blank or pre-printed stock?
It depends on your requirements whether a blank or pre-printed stock is to be used. The software is capable of printing on both.

4. Will my cheques be sent through mail or email?
You can email your cheques to the recipients if you want to. Otherwise, all cheques are printed and mailed to the right addresses directly.

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The post Cheque Printing & Mailing Software appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/cheque-printing-writing-software/

How to Ship Important Documents By Mail

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How to Send Important Documents by Post Securely and Speedily?

With data breaches on the rise, do you have enough options at hand to send important documents by post? We don’t think so! Well, it is crucial to know how to package and ship items safely and speedily. But, it can be hard to make the right choice!

Luckily, Australia Post handles the delivery of documents very well. It is one of the most reputed postal organisations globally and has several mailing services to suit your needs. 

But are these options apt for mailing tax forms, invoices, and other significant items? There are several ways to ensure the security of your documents, like using good-quality packaging, mentioning the correct recipient’s address, etc.

This blog will cover how to send important documents by post. Furthermore, we will also talk about some easy steps that you can take to guarantee accurate deliveries.

Let’s get right to it!

Australia Mail Services to Send Important Documents by Post

If you need to send letter-form documents, Australia Post has several commonly-used services for you! They vary based on the mailing speed, features, and costs. We have enlisted the details below so you can make an informed choice:

Regular Mail

If you want to know how to ship documents with Australia Post, your first answer is Regular Mail. It is the most basic or standard mailing option in Australia. Naturally, it is also the cheapest, making it a good choice for everyday mailings. 

The Post Office takes between two to four business days for same-state deliveries. However, it takes up to six business days to deliver mail items to interstate locations. Prices start at $1.10 only.

Priority Mail

Priority Mail is a bit expensive, with prices starting at $1.60. But, it is an excellent option if you are looking for how to mail important documents. 

Australia Post delivers it in only two working days if your destination is local or falls within the same state. However, remember to factor in public holidays and weekends. 

Interstate deliveries might take up to four business days, depending on your item’s destination and origin. 

Express Mail

Express Mail is an ideal option for mailing irreplaceable, highly-valuable items, like passports. It is also the perfect mailing service for individuals and companies looking for how to ship important documents urgently.

Using this service, you can get your documents delivered the next day with free tracking. But, it is expensive as rates begin at $7.15. 

Please check the Australia Post’s website for updates or disclaimers regarding next-day deliveries. 

To keep costs under control, try using PostGrid’s direct mail services. They enable you to draft your documents, print, and ship at all-inclusive rates—helping you save up to 75% of costs. Here’s more about how PostGrid works. 

Registered Mail

Registered Mail is a premium service with rates starting at $4.45 only. It offers several helpful features to ensure that you send important documents by post safely, including:

• Proof of mailing (if you lodge an item at the Post Office instead of dropping it in a mailbox
• $100 insurance coverage. 
• Bulk discounts on buying rolls of 50 Registered Post labels. 
• Optional SMS and tracking notifications. 
• Proof of receipt with online tracking and signature on delivery.

You can pay for Registered Mail via three options:

• Prepaid envelopes
• Prepaid labels
• Mailing imprints

At PostGrid, we get several queries, like how to send important documents by mail in the safest way? And we always suggest Registered Mail because there are several features and optional extras that guarantee a secure delivery, like:

• Delivery confirmation ($2.95): Australia Post returns a card to the sender with the recipient’s signature. 
• Person-to-person delivery ($6.30): Your document is delivered to the addressed recipient only. 
• Extra cover ($2.50 for every $100 of coverage up to $5,000): If you send valuable items, you should consider buying additional coverage to protect them against damages. 

Australia Post Secure Collect

This mailing service is specially curated to send important documents by post to the correct recipients. Australia Post conducts an identification check before giving the item to the recipient.

However, please remember that the recipient needs to come down to the Post Office to collect the item. Once the document reaches the local Post Office, the recipient gets a collection advice notice.

Australia Post can also collect the payment on your behalf if needed.

How to Package Crucial Documents Properly?

Paper-type documents are fragile. Thus, try packaging them properly before mailing because there are chances of damage in transit.

Using sturdy packaging helps you send important documents by post confidently. Try purchasing envelopes or packaging materials that cannot bend or tear. The purpose is to keep your mail contents intact inside the packaging throughout the journey. 

Also, if you want your mail contents to remain confidential, avoid using see-through or windowed envelopes. Even if you wish to use windowed envelopes, ensure that only non-crucial contents are visible. 

Some mailers also use waterproof plastic stickers to protect their shipping labels. It helps the postal workers read the mailing address even when the label gets wet under some circumstances. 

Hopefully, that answers your question about how to send important documents by post. If not, our next section covers some more tips to help ensure safe document mailing.

Other Tips to Send Important Documents by Post Safely

Here are some more tips and tricks you can use while sending compliance and transactional mail via the Post Office:

Hand-Dropping Items

There are many laws and regulations protecting postal mail. However, your documents are not referred to as mail until they reach the mailbox or Post Office. Thus, try hand-dropping items at the mailbox or lodging them over the Post Office counter by yourself. Or, you can ask a trusted person to do the same.

Tracking Mail

Opt for the Express Mail or Registered Mail option to send important documents by post, especially for sensitive items that lead to data breaches. They can also help you get frequent tracking updates, ensuring that your mailpiece is safe. 

Tracking also helps you spot potential issues instantly and alert the Post Office. If you don’t see your mail piece moving for a few days, it is advisable to contact Australia Post at the earliest.

Follow Up With Your Recipients

To keep your mail safe, try calling your clients or customers to ask them if they got the document on time. Your tracking update may show ‘delivered,’ but you must still follow up with the recipients to confirm. 

Choose the Optional Extras Whenever Needed

As discussed above, there are many extra services you can avail of with Registered Mail. They offer the safest way to post important documents. These options are ideal for high-end items or valuable documents, like tax forms or overdue bills. 

For example, imagine you want to contact a client that isn’t paying your dues for a long time. You tried calling and emailing, but nothing worked. In this case, you send them invoices with past due dates every fifteen days.

None of your messages meets with a reply, so you officially initiate a legal process. It is when your delivery confirmation cards can come to good use. They act as evidence that you tried contacting your debtor several times, hence, strengthening your case.

Send Documents Via a Secure Mailing Platform

Always select safe and lawfully-compliant direct mail services to send important documents by post like PostGrid. 

Our direct mail API and automation software are compliant with the Privacy Act 1988, PCI DSS Level 1, SOC 2 – IRAP (Australia), ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISAE 3402. Thus, we strive to keep your information confidential and safe.

How Can PostGrid Help Send Important Documents by Post Affordably, Securely, and Efficiently?

PostGrid offers a secure, digital space to companies for sending documents and other mail items hassle-free. Now, you can automate the entire process of drafting, printing, and shipping documents. It means that you don’t need to spend hours of your time doing manual jobs, like labelling, affixing stamps, packaging, etc.

Here’s what PostGrid offers:

• Free HTML and PDF design templates
• List compilation and address verification
• Print and mail fulfilment
• Real-time tracking updates
• Variable data printing
• Easy-to-navigate dashboard
• Bulk mailing
• International mailing
• Zapier integration

Also, PostGrid helps several industries send important documents by post, including:

• Real estate
• Financial services
• Healthcare
• Insurance
• Retail and eCommerce, etc.

To Conclude

We hope this blog helps you understand how to send important documents by mail. By choosing the ideal mailing service, you can ensure your mail items reach the right person on time.

Regular Mail helps you save money, whereas Express Mail assures next-day delivery. Therefore, choose according to the significance of your documents, budget, and other factors.

Australia Post offers many services to help mailers send documents based on their requirements. Furthermore, PostGrid allows you to streamline your offline mailing tasks and ship your mail items smoothly.

Our 2-business day SLA and flexible pricing help businesses save a lot of costs, time, and effort. You can also benefit from these features and send important documents by post safely using PostGrid; sign up now!

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The post How to Ship Important Documents By Mail appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/send-important-documents-by-mail/

Australia Post Registered Mail

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How to Create and Send Registered Post Envelopes Effectively and Affordably?

Have you ever sent a letter to someone and wondered whether it would reach the right person? We are sure everyone goes through this situation and would want confirmation about their mail delivery. Luckily, Australia Post offers a service that fixes this problem and gives you peace of mind.

Registered Post is an Australia Post mailing option that allows you to track your registered post items, get proof of mailing, and signature on delivery. You can pair this service with Regular or Priority Mail and assure guaranteed delivery.

There are many ways to avail of Registered Mail Australia Post. You can either pay fees on lodgement or buy prepaid envelopes. Also, the Registered Post International service helps you mail your items confidently to over worldwide destinations.

In this article, let’s discuss everything you need to know about Registered Post.

Registered Post Meaning and Features

If you are looking for a safe and trackable mailing alternative, Registered Post Australia is one of the best options. Most individuals and companies use this option exclusively for documents. But, you can also mail items like B2B letters, bills, etc. Here are some prime features that will allow you to understand it better:

• Ensure that your mail item will reach the correct location
• Get a receipt while lodging an item at your nearest Post Office
• Avail of discounted rates on buying prepaid Registered Post envelopes and labels in bulk
• Proof of delivery with the online tracking feature and a signature on delivery
• Bag an insurance coverage of $100 to protect your items against any losses. You can buy extra cover if needed
• Get optional SMS and email tracking notifications. It is necessary to provide an email address while sending a Registered letter or parcel, but giving a phone number to get mobile updates is optional

Registered Mail Australia Post Delivery Timetable

Since Registered Post isn’t a standalone mailing option, its speed depends on the service you select. 

Regular Mail is the most cost-effective and standard Australia Post service. It takes two to four working days for the postal workers to complete Regular Mail deliveries within the same state. Interstate deliveries can take three to six business days, depending on your item’s origin and end location. If you want to pair Registered Mail in Australia with Regular Mail, you need to take care of the dimensions:

Size	Dimensions
Small postcard or letter	130mm x 240mm x 5mm
Large letter: 125g to 500g	260mm x 360mm x 20mm

Your next option is Priority Mail. It is processed before Regular Mail items and has a quicker turnaround time. Same-state deliveries are completed in as fast as two business days, and interstate deliveries take only up to four working days. 

Priority Mail allows you to send items up to 500g. The dimensions are the same as that for Regular Mail. But, remember to cross-check your mailing address to prevent delays in delivering your Priority Mail Registered letters. Writing invalid, undeliverable, or incomplete mailing addresses can also lead to many other issues, like lost items and returns. Thus, it is better to use an effective address validation and verification service to avoid such losses.

You can post your Regular and Priority Mail letters at the Post Office or drop them in a street posting box. However, you can only opt for tracking notifications for Registered Post Australia items lodged over the counter at the Australia Post Office.

Registered Mail Cost

You need to pay an extra Registered Post fee over and above your postal charges. This fee is for the delivery confirmation, tracking, and other features that Regular Mail and Priority Mail don’t offer. There are three categories of Registered Post costs as follows:

Prepaid Envelopes

The fees for postage-paid envelopes consist of the Australia Post Registered Mail fee and postage. You don’t need to pay anything extra while lodging your mail item. 

Find the rates for prepaid envelopes of different sizes below:

Envelope size	Maximum thickness	Maximum weight	Charge per item	Charge per pack of 10 envelopes	Charge per pack of 10 (on buying 5+ packs)
130mm x 240mm (DL envelope)	5mm	250g	$5.55	$54.10	$49.95
353mm x 250mm (B4 envelope)	20mm	500g	$7.45	$72.65	$67

You may print your mailing addresses on these envelopes and enclose your letters before lodgement. It is one of the easiest ways to send a Registered Mail Australia Post item.

Prepaid Labels

Registered Post labels are partially prepaid as they include the Registered Post fee only. You still need to pay for the postage separately. Here are the rates:

Registered Post Mail Item	Fee
Registered Post label while lodging the item	$4.45 per article
Single Registered Post labels	$4.45 per article
A pack of 50 Registered Post labels	$187 per box

Imprints

Like prepaid envelopes, the charges for using imprints also include the Australia Post Registered Mail fee and postage. Find below the rates, depending on the mailing service you select:

Size	Maximum Weight Limit	Barcoded residue		Unbarcoded residue
		Regular Mail	Priority Mail	Regular Mail	Priority Mail
Small	125g	$4.775	$5.020	$4.830	$5.135
Small Plus	125g	$5.115	$5.415	$5.460	$5.845
Large	125g	$5.850	$6.345	$5.885	$6.385
	125g – 250g	$6.285	$6.785	$6.730	$7.230
	250g – 500g	$6.885	$7.385	$7.445	$7.945

Optional Extras

If you want to include some add-on services to your Auspost Registered Letter, here are a few options:

• Delivery confirmation: For an extra $2.95, you can get a card comprising the recipient’s signature. This card is mailed back to your return address, so be sure to write one on your mail item. Using this optional extra, you can store the proof of delivery with you and present it as evidence in case of legal disputes. 
• Person-to-person delivery: If you want your letter delivered only to the mentioned recipient, you can use this service to assure the same. It costs you $6.30 more but guarantees that the mail item reaches the right person. 
• Extra insurance cover up to $5,000: You can pay $2.50 extra for every subsequent $100 coverage over the complementary $100 cover. It is an excellent service for mailers who need to send valuable items. 

How Does Registered Post Imprints Work?

Registered Post Australia imprints work great for bulk mailing. You can create a business credit account with Australia Post and get a postage metre. With imprints, you don’t have to buy envelopes or labels from time to time. You can print your postage details right on your envelopes and post your items speedily.

 Also Read: Australia Post Bulk Mail Costs and Requirements

But how does a Registered Letter Auspost imprint system work?

All Registered Post letters have a 2-dimensional barcode and an article ID. Whenever the barcode is scanned, the current data gets updated on the Australia Post website through which you can track your items.

By using this imprint service, mailers can design their own unique barcodes according to the Australia Post’s specifications and print them on the envelopes. Thus, every item gets linked to their business credit account, making it easy to make payments and track letters. 

Without using imprints, you cannot track your Australia Post Registered letter as it travels to the recipient. You only get email and SMS updates using other postage payment options. Here are the steps to start sending letters with Registered Post imprints:

Apply For the Service

You can connect with your Australia Post Account Manager and express your interest in setting up an account. Then, give your account name and number and opt-in for the Delivery Status Reporting service if you need it. Australia Post will send you your customer reference ID and instructions on printing imprints in some time.

Get Your Artwork Ready

Once your Australia Post Registered Mail account is activated, you can start creating your 2D barcodes and imprints. Mail them to RPImprint@auspost.com.au to allow the Australia Post employees to review and approve your artwork, which takes up to five working days. 

Set Up Delivery Status Reporting

Australia Post provides you with the access for scanning extract files around your mail delivery updates to help you create a Delivery Status Reporting system.

Registered Post International

Mailing to international places is expensive and time-consuming. Hence, it makes sense to protect your mail and ensure its delivery. You can use Australia Post International Registered Mail to send items globally and get the recipient’s signature. Such signed delivery allows you to protect your mail privacy and guarantee delivery to the recipient. 

The delivery estimates depend majorly on the destination country; you can enter the mailing details on Australia Post’s website and see the accurate delivery times. Remember that Registered Post International deliveries can take longer than stated because of Covid-19 restrictions. 

To avail of this service, ensure that your letters do not weigh more than 5000g. Also, you cannot track items sent via this option. The good news is that you still get a signature on delivery and $100 insurance coverage.

You can either lodge Registered Post International items at the Post Office to get proof of mailing or drop them off at the street posting box. Prices start at $17.70 for small DL envelopes and $27.50 for larger B4 envelopes. 

There are several steps you need to take while mailing items internationally. You need to follow the guidelines of the destination country and fill out the customs form to send Registered Post envelopes internationally. Fortunately, you can send your letters using PostGrid‘s direct mail API and skip through this legwork. Our services let you create, print and mail your items with only a few clicks on your device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. While tracking my Auspost Registered letter, why don’t I get an estimated delivery date? 

Sometimes, you may not get the estimated delivery date because:

• There is a handwritten address on your envelope
• You sent an international letter
• The letter was dropped in a red street-posting box

2. How can I opt-in for tracking notifications?

You can ask for tracking updates by lodging your items at the Post Office or self-service terminal. Please provide a correct email address (mandatory) to get email notifications and a phone number (optional) to receive SMS updates.

3. When are the tracking updates sent for Registered Post Envelopes? 

Tracking notifications are sent when your letter is:

• Scanned into the Australia Post network for the first time
• Ready to be delivered
• Awaiting to be collected at the local Post Office, in case of failed or incomplete deliveries

4. How long does it take for an Australia Post Registered Letter to arrive?

The delivery time depends on the mailing distance and the service you select. In the case of international items, the delivery time varies significantly depending on your destination country. 

How Can PostGrid’s Direct Mail Services Help You Send Registered Mail Australia Post Items?

As discussed above, sending a Registered Post letter may take you a lot of effort and time. If you choose to buy prepaid envelopes, you still need to work on your mail design and printing. Similarly, setting up an imprint account and preparing envelope artwork that meets the Australia Post’s specifications can be daunting. 

But, you can use PostGrid’s mailing solutions to automate everything, cut costs, and save time. Plus, you can complete your print and mail tasks five times more efficiently. PostGrid allows you to mail several types of marketing, transactional, and compliance items. So, it doesn’t matter if you want to connect with your customers with a promotional message or send crucial documents to your attorney, as our API can handle everything. 

Our features include: 

• Design: You can access our pre-built HTML and PDF templates to get your Auspost Registered letter design ready in minutes. Also, you can customise it with your brand logo, contact information, etc., to increase effectiveness and drive more responses. 
• Address verification: PostGrid automatically verifies all your mailing address formats before a campaign. Therefore, you can rest assured that your Registered Post envelopes are headed in the right direction.
• Per-piece tracking: Using PostGrid, you can get a consolidated view of the delivery statuses of your sent items, helping you stay updated. 
• Print and mail fulfilment: Our API is well-equipped to send mail items in any number to any location, whether national or international. Also, you can avail of complete print and mail fulfilment wherein you need not do anything or go anywhere. PostGrid makes producing and distributing letters and other items a breeze. 

Wrapping Up

Australia Post Registered Mail is an excellent option for businesses looking to send their envelopes securely. It offers several features, like online tracking and delivery confirmation, helping them safeguard their items. Also, you have numerous options to pay for the Registered Mail cost Australia Post and avail of this service.

But, it is hectic to prepare your items according to the specified guidelines and wait in long queues at the Post Office. Thus, PostGrid helps companies draft and print their letters automatically within two business days only. Then, it also allows them to send their items via Australia Post speedily and efficiently through an integrated platform.

Sign up here to know more about PostGrid and how it can enable you to print and send Registered Mail Australia Post 75x cheaper!

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The post Australia Post Registered Mail appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/australia-post-registered-mail/

Financial Services Marketing and Advertising Tips & Strategies

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Top 7 Financial Services Marketing and Advertising Tips & Strategies

The financial industry is not a glamorous one. Many may even find it somewhat dull. Hence, it is not the easiest of tasks to execute a successful marketing plan for financial services. Marketing a financial institution, product, or service is not easy unless you have the right marketing strategy.

So, the question here becomes how you can create successful marketing campaigns for financial products or services. There is no one one-step trick that can magically give you the desired results. However, the proper marketing and advertising tips and strategies can bring you closer to your goals.

Hence, today, we will discuss some tips and strategies on how you can optimise your marketing. We will also elaborate on the significance of advertising in financial services and why your financial business needs it. 

Why Do You Need A Marketing Plan For Financial Services?

The financial industry is vast, encompassing a wide variety of businesses that deals with:

• Money lending
• Money management
• Investing  
• Insuring

A few years ago, every financial institution used to offer the same services to everyone. However, digital disruption has long since changed the financial industry forever. Furthermore, a 2017 research by Accenture found that 17% of financial service providers entered the industry over the past 13 years.

With more and more players entering the financial industry, it is becoming incredibly competitive. Marketing strategies for financial services are crucial for any business that wants to make it in the financial sector.

New Players, New Changes, And New Technology

Whenever new players start to enter an industry, they bring in new products or services to make themselves stand out. These new products or services are technology-driven to make the customer experience smooth and streamlined.

The use of new technology-driven financial products and services often leads to radical changes. It may even redefine how you do business. With so many options available, the marketing of financial services has become a necessity for financial service providers.

Automated Marketing Tools

Just like technology helped financial services optimise their operations and services, it can also help you optimise your marketing efforts. With advanced automated marketing tools like PostGrid, you can even automate offline marketing strategies like direct mail.

Financial institutions should use automated marketing tools whenever possible to save valuable time and money. Furthermore, automation also takes away the risk of manual error from your advertising in financial services. Some automation tools like PostGrid even offer specialised marketing services for the finance industry.

7 Most Effective Marketing Strategies For Financial Services

Acknowledging that your financial institution or organisation needs advanced marketing strategies is the first step to reaching your revenue goals. But, how do you make sure that your advertising in financial services yields the desired results?

The most convenient and logical step would be to use tried and proven methods for marketing your financial business. Here is a list of some of the most effective marketing strategies for financial services to get the desired results or ROI.

#1 Automated Direct Mail Campaign

Did you know that direct mail campaigns offer a higher response rate and ROI (Return On Investment) than most online marketing strategies? Companies have long used direct mail for the marketing of financial services. However, the growing customer database made it increasingly challenging to run direct mail campaigns.

Are you wondering how good the response rate for direct mail campaigns is? Read our blog, “Direct Mail Response Rate“, to find out!

Unlike other online marketing methods like email campaigns, making the target read your direct mail is not that difficult using direct mail. A feasible mailer is not so easy to ignore compared to an unopened email that can remain unread until eternity.

Carefully Choose Your Direct Mail Automation Tool   

There are several direct mail automation tools available today, making choosing the right tool even more difficult. One thing you should look for in a direct mail automation tool is full automation capability.

It means the tool you choose should be able to personalise, print, and deliver your direct mail to the target audience. Tools like PostGrid offer full automation capability to customers and take care of all aspects of your direct mail advertising in financial services.

Advanced Targeting And Tracking Features

Direct mail tools like PostGrid come equipped with several additional features and capabilities that make marketing easier for businesses. You can even use PostGrid’s address validation tool to validate the addresses of your target audience. 

It ensures that your advertising in financial services using mailer reaches its destination without fail. Furthermore, you also get access to advanced features like geocoding, which enables you to map the location of your target audience. You can even track the deliverability of your mailers and optimise your campaign based on the insights.

#2 Create Trust

In the financial industry, there isn’t anything more important than trust. However, it is also the hardest thing to come by, regardless of how hard you work for it. Consumer behaviour has come to the point where they even check out the reviews of grocery stores online before using them.

Hence, you can imagine how hard it is to convince customers, especially millennials, to trust your brand when it comes to matters concerning money. The back-to-back news or stories on financial crises, misdeeds, data breaches, etc., do not comfort the customers either.

Build Social Proof And Promote Values

Building social proof is an effective way to build trust among your target audience. However, merely making social proof is not enough to gain your customer’s confidence. To ensure your advertising in financial services works and garner the trust of your customers, you need to promote values that your prospects hold dear.

For example, you can try implementing special events to help the elderly or homeless. You can then talk about the event on your social media handles and share pictures and videos. The more aligned you are with customer values, the more trusting they become of your brand.

Personalisation

Personalisation is another way to build trust with your prospects through advertising in financial services. The first thing you need to understand is that financial services are very personal to people. For most people, their dreams depend on the financial assistance you provide.

Hence, your marketing approach needs to have a personal touch regarding financial services marketing. Personalising your financial marketing strategies is more manageable by using advanced automation tools like PostGrid. 

For example, you can easily connect PostGrid’s advanced direct mail system with your CRM. You can print personalised adverse action letters, privacy notices, etc. and mail them with just a button click. Similarly, you can use tools with such capabilities for all your marketing channels, online and offline.

Leverage Existing Customers

Leveraging your existing customers is an excellent way for financial institutions to establish trust among their target audience. Use your loyal clients for generating positive reviews and referrals for marketing financial products in Australia. 

Think back to all the times you looked up a brand, product, or service online before purchasing. Financial services are no exception to this. If anything, generating positive reviews and referrals is crucial in the financial industry.

You can increase your odds of success by publishing reviews on multiple websites or platforms. Social media and review websites are an excellent place for you to start implementing advertising in financial services via reviews.

#3 Prioritise Mobile As Your Marketing Channel

Did you know that an average Aussie spends 5.5 hours per day on their phone? In other words, a person spends almost 1/3rd of their awake time staring at their phone. At this point, it is not enough to have a mobile-friendly approach for your business and marketing operations. 

Adopt A Mobile-First Approach 

You need a mobile-first approach to help you get ahead of your competition. Even Google now uses a mobile-first approach in ranking sites. So, you can guess how effective and urgent it is to have mobile-first marketing strategies for financial services. 

The ideal place for you to start to ensure a mobile-first approach is to create a mobile-first website. A mobile-first website will enable you to provide easy and convenient access to all your customers. It is especially true for the younger audience, including the Millennials and Gen Z. However, as we said, the mobile-first website is only the beginning. 

Some essential tips for creating an app for financial services are:

• Never forget to SEO optimise your website
• Ensure that the site loads within 3 seconds

Create A Mobile App

The only thing better than a mobile-first website for your financial business is a dedicated mobile app. Does that mean you can have a non-mobile-friendly website as long as you have a dedicated mobile app? NO! A mobile-first website is a must for your marketing plan for financial services.

It is also worth noting that most people don’t even go to their financial institutions if they can meet their needs online. In most cases, the customer only visits the physical location of their financial institution once or twice a year. 

When building a financial service app, you must allow the customer to manage their accounts. It should also have features so the customer can easily access all essential financial services, including statement access.

#4 Use Social Media Platforms  

The marketing plan for financial services is incomplete without a good social media campaign to support it. Almost every prospective customer of your financial services is on one social media platform. Some are active on Facebook, some on Instagram, and others on LinkedIn.

Furthermore, it’s not just individual customers you can target through social media advertising in financial services. You can also target companies across all industries through social media because every top company has a noticeable social media presence.

Use Meaningful Content

The content on social media is different from your website content. It needs to be gripping and often short. However, social media content/posts also require enough information to grab the customer’s attention and interest.

Your advertising in financial services also needs to be consistent and provide value to the customers. Consider using a storytelling approach for your content, as it tends to resonate well with the audience. 

You can even use humour in your social media content and become a part of the infamous meme culture. But, no matter what you do, always ensure that you maintain a positive attitude in your content. 

Educate Your Prospective Customers

Social media advertising in financial services is the best way for your financial business when you need to educate your prospects on products and services. It also lets you plant ideas in your prospective customers and introduce them to services they were unaware of.

Collect Information From The Customers 

Social media offers more opportunities to interact with your customers than any other marketing channel. Additionally, social media lets you convey information to the customers and enables you to collect data from customers.

Social media polls and quizzes are great examples of how you can collect valuable information from customers. The social media polls are so engaging that people rarely ever skip them. You can use the polls to ask questions, engage with customers, and generate leads. 

Use Video Content

We can not ignore video content when it comes to financial services marketing. With the ever-growing popularity of video content, including on Instagram Reels and TikTok, partnering with relevant influencers can be surprisingly effective.

Video content lets you tell a story and appeal to your audience on an emotional level. Another advantage of using videos for marketing of financial services is that you can choose an individual/influencer. The influencer who speaks your target audience’s language and appeals to their genuine interests.

#5 Content is (Still) King 

The catchphrase “content is king” is relatively old in digital marketing, but it remains true even in 2022. Every successful marketing campaign needs to have quality content to back it up, including for marketing plan for financial services. 

However, financial institutions need to understand their audience better and develop high-quality content for their marketing campaigns. You can not create high-quality content that resonates with the audience if you do not know how to make an impactful engagement.

Use Content Across All Channels

Choosing the channel for delivering your content is crucial to ensuring your marketing of financial services is effective. You can capture key audiences by pitching relevant and attractive content in your blogs, social media channels, and your financial services app. Furthermore, your content can come in all forms, including extended features, interviews, etc.  

Regularly Publish New Content  

Content marketing is not a one time process. Much like SEO, you need to optimise your content regularly. By regularly publishing new content, you can keep your customers coming back to your website and boost organic traffic. 

Provide Value To Prospective And Current Customers

When we say you need to use high-quality content for your marketing of financial services, we do not mean using eloquent words and stunning images. Quality content provides value to prospective and existing customers. 

The type of content you use decides what you are as a brand and what values you represent. Hence, it would be best for your financial service company to carefully establish these values with a combined effort from the sales and marketing team. 

Use Relatable Content

Your content for marketing of financial services can hardly help your business if it is irrelevant to the audience. Take Millennials, for instance. You first need to understand what type of financial product or services Millennials want and then offer them that. 

One of the popular online finance services preferred by millennials is online credit cards. You can pitch them with relevant content after finding a product or service your target audience is interested in. 

#6 Use Social Media Influencers

We briefly talked about how social media influencers can be a part of your marketing plan for financial services when we talked about video content. Many people suspected that influencer marketing would never really take off. 

But, influencer marketing is now one of the most effective marketing strategies for all businesses, including financial organisations. Your younger audience is more likely to listen to their peers than big brands and their ambassadors with whom they can’t connect.  

Use Influencers For Building Awareness

Most millennials don’t even know about basic financial concepts. The younger audience does not hesitate to take financial advice from an influencer they follow on social media platforms. Several influencers specialise in providing financial advice to young people.

Such influencers are great for building awareness around your brand and its products/services. It is relatively easier for the audience to trust an influencer they follow. On top of it all, influencers use their unique presentation style, such as satire, comedy, etc., for the marketing of financial services.

Choose The Right Influencer For The Job

The success of your influencer marketing campaign depends upon the influencer you choose for the campaign. You don’t always need an influencer that creates financial content. Instead, you can pick an influencer most relevant to the financial product or service you want to sell.

For instance, your financial organisation offers financial assistance to people who want to buy a superbike. In this case, the ideal influencer is someone who creates their content on superbikes. It could be a bike stunt person or racer or something similar. 

#7 Use Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay-per-click advertising or PPC campaigns are an integral part of advertising in financial services. The best thing about PPC campaigns is their micro-targeting compatibility. It enables financial institutions to boost their website’s visibility, promote new products/services and raise brand awareness.

Use Multiple Platforms

When employing PPC campaigns for your financial organisation, you need to use multiple platforms. Don’t limit yourself to popular channels like Google Ads alone. Diversify your PPC platforms by using PPC platforms such as Facebook Ads, Bing Ads, etc.

Furthermore, advertising in financial services needs to target specific market segments you are trying to reach. Using more than one platform for running PPC campaigns can help you reach diverse audiences and optimise your marketing efforts.

Types Of Paid Ads

There are mainly five different types of paid ads you can use for PPC campaigns, and they are:

• Display Ads
• Social Media Ads
• Native Ads
• Search Engine Ads
• Video Ads

Display ads include the banner and image ads that we often see appear on websites. Social media ads include paid advertisements and sponsored posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. 

Native ads are the recommendations you get on your feeds on different websites and apps. Search engine ads usually refer to Google ads due to their significant dominance. However, Bing also provides a reliable platform for search engine PPC campaigns. Video ads are content-rich and highly informative, ideal for advertising in financial services.

Conclusion

Marketing strategies for financial services are constantly changing and evolving. In 2022, you can no longer afford to neglect new and technology-driven solutions. It is high time financial organisations expand their marketing efforts to online and offline marketing channels.

Automation is a must for streamlining your marketing plan for financial services. With advanced automation tools like PostGrid, you can easily optimise your direct mail campaigns. You can personalise, print, and deliver marketing mailers to your prospects.

Advanced automation tools like PostGrid can also help you streamline your communication with customers. Financial organisations can personalise and send important documents like adverse action letters, collection letters, etc., to their customers.

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source https://www.postgrid.com.au/financial-services-marketing-advertising-strategies/