Standard Postcard Size Australia

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Standard Postcard Size Australia

If you have ever seriously considered using postcard marketing campaigns for your business, then you’d know that postcards can be quite confusing when it comes to their sizes. Australia Post offers so many different sizes for postcards that it is impossible to choose one without prior knowledge.

Even people familiar with postcard and postcard advertising sometimes find it hard to keep up with varying card sizes. On top of it, you may have to use various types of postcards depending on your specific marketing goals.

As a company that lives and breathes direct mail, we know everything about Australia Post postcard sizes and we surely know the right ways to help you with the same. Keeping that in mind, here in this guide,  we are going to share everything we know about standard postcard size Australia Post.

We will also discuss the postal mail services from Australia Post to send advertising postcards. The guide also explains how to optimize the postcard layout for each of these postal mail services. By the end of the article, you will even get an easy solution to all your postcard mail requirements. 

Postal Mail Services You Can Use For Sending Postcards

Australia Post offers several postal mail services that enable its customers to send postcards based on their specific needs. Even though the standard size of postcards remains the same for most services, they usually have different size ratios.

Hence, we must discuss the different postal services from Australia Post and their standard postcard sizes. The most popular postal mail services that you can use to send postcards are as follows:

• Full Rate Mail
• Acquisition Mail
• PreSort Letters/Charity Mail
• Impact Mail
• Clean Mail
• Reply Paid

Full Rate-Mail Postcards

The standard postcard size Australia Post for Full Rate-Mail needs to be

• At least 88 × 138mm*
• At most 130 × 240mm

Apart from having the size mentioned above, the postcard mailer should have a size ratio of at least 1.414*

Optimized Layout For Full Rate-Mail Postcards

The layout for your Full Rate-Mail postcard can change based on whether it is machine addressed or hand addressed. Although the postcard layout of the two does not vary significantly it is worth knowing the difference, especially if you intend to use the postcards for business purposes.

Optimized Layout For Machine Addressed Full Rate-Mail Postcards

Clear Zone: As you can see in the image above, the postcards have some clear zones. The clear zones in postcards are a 15 mm gap on the postcard where you should not write anything. In other words, you should keep the clear zone “clear” of any writing or printing.

When it comes to Full Rate-Mail Postcards, the entire bottom side is a clear zone and has a width of 15mm. You can also see a dividing line on the postcard that separates the address zone and message area. Make sure that you print the address 15mm away from the dividing line and the edge of the postcard.

Delivery Address: When printing the delivery address on a machine addressed Full Rate-Mail postcard, make sure it is below the postage zone. Place the delivery address as far to the right of the postcard as possible. But, ensure the address does not go over the 15mm clear zone on the right edge. You should also ensure that you leave a 40mm distance from the top edge to the delivery address.

Return Address: Usually, the return address on the Full Rate-Mail postcard goes on the top left corner. It is also the recommended position by Australia Post. However, you want to save as much space as possible for business postcards. So, you can take an alternative approach and rotate it vertically. 

You may then place the vertical return address along the dividing line 15 mm away from the address block. Additionally, Australia Post suggests that you place the vertical address at least 70mm from the right edge of the postcard. 

Message/Advertisement: You can print your message or advertisement on the Full Rate-Mail postcard on the left side of the dividing line. However, don’t forget to maintain the 15mm clear zone on the bottom edge of the postcard. You can use this space for advertising or any other printing. Furthermore, you also have the unaddressed side of the postcard, which you can use to its total capacity.

Optimized Layout For Hand Addressed Full Rate-Mail Postcards

Clear Zone: The clear zone for the hand-addressed postcard is similar to the machine addressed one. You have a 15mm clear zone on the bottom edge of the postcard.

Delivery Address: Australia Post does not specify a clear zone on either side of the address block. However, it is standard practice to print faint or dotted lines at least 15mm away from the right edge and the dividing line. Like the machine addressed Full Rate Mail, the dividing line on hand-addressed postcards is also placed 70mm from the right edge.

Message/Advertisement: You can place your statement or advertisement on the left side of the dividing line. However, you can not write or print anything on the clear zone. Australia Post suggests that you use the bottom of the messaging/advertising area for describing a pictorial scene in the postcard.

PreSort Letters/Charity Mail Postcards

The standard postcard size Australia Post for PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards needs to be

• At least 88 × 138mm
• At most 130 × 240mm

Apart from having the size mentioned above, the postcard mailer should have a size ratio of at least 1.2.

Optimized Layout For PreSort Letters/Charity Mail Postcards

Clear Zone: The clear zone of PreSort Letters/Charity Mail is different from the one we saw in Full Rate Mail. You don’t need to take the entire bottom side of the PreSort Letters/Charity Mail as the clear zone. The clear zone is specified in a mirrored L shape in this postcard type, as shown in the image above.

It is worth noting that the clear zone near the bottom edge is 15mm in width, and the right edge is 10mm wide. However, neither side of the clear zone goes all the way from one edge to the other. The clear zone along the right edge stops around 40mm from the top edge.

Delivery Address And Barcode: The barcode is the most noticeable difference on the PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards from the Full Rate Mail. You can print the barcode above the delivery address. Make sure to place the barcode and the delivery address below the postage zone and as far to the right as possible.

However, the address or barcode should not cross over to the clear zone to the right or bottom edge of the postcard. Additionally, you should also ensure not to place the barcode above 100mm from the bottom edge of the postcard.

Barcode Clear Zone: The Barcode has a separate clear zone so that it does not coincide with the delivery address or postage area. PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards should have a clear zone of at least 6mm to the barcode’s left and right sides. Similarly, it should have a 2mm clear zone above and below the barcode.

Return Address: You can rotate the return address and place it to the left of the address block and the “Postage Paid” imprint. If you put the return address like this, it will also be the dividing line.

Another option for printing the return address on PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards is the backside.

However, you must ensure that the return address you print on the backside is 20mm away from the bottom edge.

Message/Advertisement: The message or advertisement area of the postcard in PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards is on the left side. However, unlike the Full Rate-Mail postcard, you don’t have to maintain a clear zone on the bottom side of the postcard. Hence, you can get more space for printing your message or advertisement.

Additional Ad Space: When it comes to PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards, Australia Post lets you use the areas to the right and below the address. However, you can only do this if the advertising or any other printing that you use does not resemble an address.

Clean Mail Postcards

The Australia Post postcard sizes for Clean Mail postcards need to be 

• At least 88 × 138mm
• At most 130 × 240mm

Apart from having the size mentioned above, the postcard mailer should have a size ratio of at least 1.414.

Optimized Layout For Clean Mail Postcards

Clear Zone: The clear zone for Clean Mail includes a 15mm wide area on the bottom of the Clean Mail postcards. Apart from this, there is a clear zone around all four sides of the address block. The width of the clear zone around the address block is 10mm.

However, you can use the clear zone around the address block to approximate an approved colour by Australia Post. Another thing to note about the clear zone in Clean Mail postcards is that it is also present on the backside. The clear area on the rear is 125mm x 20mm in size, aligned to the bottom left corner.

Delivery Address: Similar to the other postcards we have discussed so far, you should place the delivery address below the postage zone. Make sure to move the delivery address as far to the right as possible without crossing over to the 10mm clear zone.

It would be best to place the delivery address at least 40mm away from the top edge. Australia Post also suggests maintaining a 100mm distance from the bottom edge to the address block.

Return Address: Similar to the return address placement in the other postcard layout we discussed, you can rotate it vertically here too. By doing so, you can print the return address in a single line and save some more space for your ad. You can also print the return address on the backside after leaving a clear area of 20mm from the bottom edge.

Message/Advertisement: As usual, you can use the space on the left side of the postcard for printing your message or advertisement. However, keep in mind that Clean Mail postcards have a 15mm clear zone on the bottom edge.

Additional Ad Space: You can print on the right side and below the address block. However, you can only publish pictures or graphics. Furthermore, if the graphic contains any text, it should not resemble any part of the address.

Acquisition Mail Postcards

The Australian postcard size for Acquisition Mail postcards needs to be

• At least 88 × 138mm
• At most 130 × 240mm

Apart from having the size mentioned above, the postcard mailer should have a size ratio of at least 1.2.

Optimized Layout For Acquisition Mail Postcards

Clear Zone: The clear zone of Acquisition Mail postcards is similar to PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards. Like in PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards, the clear zone also has a mirrored L shape in this postcard type. The clear zone near the bottom edge is 15mm in width, and the right edge is 10mm wide. Like PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards, you have to provide a clear zone for the barcode.

Delivery Address: Move the address as far to the right as possible without crossing over to the 10mm clear zone on the right edge of the postcard. Be careful not to place the delivery address more than 40mm closer to the top edge and 100mm distance from the bottom edge.

Return Address: The return address on Acquisition Mail postcards is on the left of the address block and the “Postage Paid” imprint. If you place the return address like this, it will also be the dividing line. However, unlike PreSort Letters/Charity Mail postcards, it does not usually allow you to print the return address on the backside.

Message/Advertisement: The message or advertisement area of the postcard in Acquisition Mail postcards is also on the left side. Here, there is no need to maintain a clear zone on the bottom side of the postcard.

Additional Ad Space: Australia Post also lets you use the areas below to the right of the address block as long as it does not resemble an address. Additionally, you can also use the Acquisition Mail postcard’s entire backside to print your advertisement.

Reply Paid (Domestic)

The standard postcard size Australia for Reply Paid postcard needs to be

• At least 90 × 145mm
• At most 130 × 240mm

Apart from having the size mentioned above, the postcard mailer should have a size ratio of at least 1.414.

Optimized Layout For Reply Paid Postcards

Clear Zone: The clear zones in Reply Paid postcards includes a 15mm wide clear zone that runs along the bottom edge. Apart from this, there is a 15mm clear zone on the left side of the return address block. It is worth noting that you can use both of these 15mm clear zones for printing as long as it approximates an approved colour by Australia Post.

Additionally, there is another 5mm clear zone to the left of the delivery address block, as you can see in the image above. Australia Post also suggests that you maintain a 20mm wide clear zone on the backside of the Reply Paid postcard.

Delivery Address: Unlike the other postcards, the delivery address is not given as much importance as the others. Hence, Australia Post suggests that you place the delivery address block to the top-right edge of the postcard. However, it should not be closer than 50mm from the right edge of the postcard.

Reply Paid Barcode: Another unique element in a Reply Paid postcard is the Reply Paid barcode. You can place the barcode as far to the right of the postcard as you can along the top edge. However, you should maintain a distance of 10mm from the right edge of the postcard.

Message/Advertisement: You can use the remaining portion on the left side of the Reply Paid postcards for printing your message or advertisement.

Impact Mail & International Postcards

The standard postcard dimensions Australia for Impact Mail postcard needs to be

• At least 88 × 138mm
• At most 130 × 240mm

The unique thing about Australia Post’s Impact Mail is that it can be irregularly or creatively shaped. As Impact Mail can come in all kinds of shapes, it is not possible to define the height to width ratio for it.

Similarly, the standard size of international postcards from Australia Post is not a fixed one as it varies from country to country. However, you can get more information on international postcards by calling Australia Post at 13 13 18.

Conclusion

The standard postcard size in Australia can vary depending on the postal mail service you choose. It can be challenging for businesses to keep track of Australian postcard size and identify them accurately for their various marketing/advertising campaigns.

However, there is an effective solution to this problem. Through PostGrid‘s direct mail automation tool, you can easily choose the ideal Australia Post postcard sizes for your business communication. The automated software solution enables you to personalize, print, and deliver postcards.

PostGrid’s automated system prints standardized addresses for your postcards, and hence, there is minimal chance for an error. As a result, you can ensure maximum deliverability for your advertising postcards and help you get the best outcome for your marketing campaigns.

More importantly, with PostGrid, you don’t have to spend a second of your day worrying about the standard postcard sizes for your direct mail campaigns.

The post Standard Postcard Size Australia appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/standard-postcard-sizes/

Insurance Marketing Strategies and Ideas

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Insurance Marketing Strategies and Ideas

Do you find insurance marketing complicated? If yes, you are not the only one.

Insurance is a difficult topic for a layman to understand. And, many insurance agents struggle with making people aware of their services or products to get relevant leads.

To overcome this, they need to put in a lot of effort and educate people about insurance. Also, agents can help prospects understand their needs so that they can select the right policy or plan accordingly.

But, it is not simple! So, if you are looking for excellent insurance marketing campaign ideas, you have come to the right place.

In this blog post, we have compiled a list of the most creative ways to sell insurance. Dive in with us to enhance your business communications by adding these ideas to boost your sales, create relationships, and improve your brand image.

Let’s get started!

Creative Insurance Marketing Ideas

Here, we have listed the best marketing ideas for insurance agencies. Let’s go through them one-by-one:

1. Level Up Your Email Marketing Strategies

Email marketing is one of the most popular and effective marketing channels today. You can incorporate it into your insurance marketing plans to boost conversions.

Remember, sending regular emails to your customers is not enough because people receive tons of spam emails every day. The chances are, they might ignore your emails or move them to trash immediately after reading them.

It is your responsibility to use creative marketing ideas for insurance agents. Here are some tips:

• Draft attention-grabbing subject lines.
• Share informative newsletters through emails.
• Use strong and upfront calls to action.
• Use email auto-responders to reply back to your clients instantly.
• Create email sequences for your existing and potential clients.
• Personalise all your email marketing campaigns.
• Include an email signature consisting of your contact details.

2. Fulfil Your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Did you know that fulfilling your CSR duties can be a powerful marketing strategy for insurance companies?

There are many opportunities to gain popularity for your agency while helping others, such as:

• You may sponsor a small show in your locality like a marathon.
• Donate to a nonprofit every time you get a quote. It will convince more people to request quotes and buy insurance from your agency.
• You can conduct your own local charity events.

You can meet other business owners, local community members, and your customers. Also, you can get positive PR coverage in local magazines, newspapers, etc., increasing your brand visibility.

3. Make Your Phone Number and Location Visible Everywhere

Let us start by asking a few questions:

• How many clients have your business number saved on their phones? 
• Does your location rank high on Google Maps?

Agencies may not pay much attention to the aspects mentioned above, but implementing them in the right manner can make a huge difference in your sales levels.

Encourage your prospects and customers to save your contact number—so that they can reach you if they have a billing issue or a query. Hence, they will always have access to your contact details and can refer to someone easily.

Make sure to add your contact information like email address, phone number, website link, address, etc., on every marketing item (both online & offline). Also, printing statements, invoices, and letters on your company letterhead can make a positive impact on your insurance target audience.

4. Focus on Content Marketing to Educate Your Clients

As said earlier, many insurance terms and products are difficult to understand for the general public.

You can use this fact to your advantage by educating your customers. Tell them about the latest insurance products and services available in the market along with their features.

The best way to do that is by developing robust content marketing plans- draft timely whitepapers, press releases, newsletters, etc. You may publish and share them online on your website and social media platforms.

From your agency’s recent accomplishments to trending insurance news, you can share anything to boost your digital outreach. But, be sure to publish valuable and original content only to maintain your brand reputation.

5. Combine Online and Offline Marketing Channels

You can combine your online and offline marketing tools to increase visibility and improve your brand image. Running several simultaneous campaigns allows you to get wider coverage and accelerate conversions.

But, keeping your marketing efforts consistent with your brand is significant. All your online and offline ads should be aligned with one another and give out the same message.

It makes it easy for people to remember you this way. Also, it helps increase brand recognition and strengthen relationships.

Another practice that can help you is printing marketing messages on all correspondence pieces like payment reminders, policy statements, etc. Thus, you can always be ahead of your competitors and keep your audience hooked.

6. Create a Functional Website

Most insurance businesses have websites, but some still don’t possess one. However, it is significant to have a functional and helpful website as it determines your brand authenticity.

Your website should be easy to navigate and look professional. Make sure you have a responsive website that works perfectly well on different devices.   Also, it should allow you to publish and edit your content at any time.

As discussed above, let’s now add another way to boost your effort, which is adding a blog section.  You can post genuinely useful articles on your blog page to solve your audience’s queries.

Let your blog speak about your services and how your insurance agency can help make people’s lives easier. The more value you provide, the more leads you can gather.

Also, work on your landing pages- they are one of the best insurance marketing strategies to connect with a broader audience.

7. Collect and Implement Customer Feedback

Customer feedback does not only help insurance companies serve their clients better but also market themselves.

You can conduct periodic customer surveys to know what they like and dislike about your agency. Then, you can publish all the positive reviews online or send them to potential customers by direct mail.

Furthermore, take care to monitor all online reviews as they can leave a lasting impact on your prospects.

8. Deploy Search Engine Optimization

Having a functional website does help you rank on search engines results pages (SERPs), but only to a certain extent. You can create digital footprints consisting of online reviews, inbound links, business listings, social media presence, content, etc.

If you don’t want to wait for your landing pages to work, you can use pay-per-click (PPC) to rank on Google, Bing, etc.

Also, pay attention to local SEO as most of your insurance products are relevant to specific states and territories. There are higher chances of a prospect entering “insurance agents near me” or “insurance agencies Sydney.”

9. Use Video Marketing

Did you know that 87% of marketers leverage video content to advertise their brands? Well, video marketing is among the top-notch insurance marketing campaign ideas and can do wonders for your business.

You can create your videos once and then use them to sell insurance for many years to come. Hence, it does not need a lot of investment and can fetch you a high ROI.

Here are some ideas for your video marketing strategies:

• Testimonials by existing clients.
• Risk management tips and tricks.
• “About us” or “What we do” videos.
• Tutorials on insurance products.

Remember to share your videos online and share the links with your prospects.

10. Go Old-School With TV and SMS Advertising

Insurance agents might often wonder how to market insurance products. The answer is simple- use all popular online and offline marketing.

TV and SMS marketing can sound too traditional and marketers might doubt if they still work. Indeed, they do and can influence a lot of people to buy from you.

11. Push Your Digital Marketing Efforts

There are several platforms for digital marketing for insurance agents like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.

Insurance agencies should often post online so that their target audience shares these posts or complete the said call to action.

You can post free or paid ads on Facebook and expand your LinkedIn connections. Respond to all your online leads and follow up regularly to close the deals.

Such online marketing strategies are among the most creative ways to sell insurance. You can create your own social media calendar, do collaborations, conduct giveaways, etc.

It is up to you how to make your insurance digital marketing strategy exciting and responsive.

12. Be a Part of Local Events

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other such business organisations conduct several local networking events. You can be a part of such events by buying a booth, but make sure that the event is relevant to your industry.

These events allow agencies to offer free insurance advice to people. It helps them with their lead generation efforts by solving queries and getting more people interested.

All their potential and existing customers can visit the booth, ask questions, and get to know the company better.

Plus, you can connect with prospects who are already interested in buying insurance. The one-to-one interaction helps you increase customer loyalty and boost confidence.

Apart from these events, you may also host seminars or webinars and invite your target audience to join.

13. Stay in Constant Touch With Your Customer Base

It is crucial to always stay in touch with your clients to increase customer retention. You can solve their queries, offer details about other policies, and thank them for their business.

Even a small gesture like sending a thank-you letter to customers can help you form better bonds and get repeat business.

You can also opt for sending handwritten letters and postcards to your old customers.

It will remind them of your agency, and there are chances that they might buy a policy from you again or talk about you with others. Hence, you can gather some mouth publicity and also get some conversions along the way.

These activities can turn out to be excellent insurance agent advertising ideas that can benefit you in the long run.

14. Provide Value

Insurance businesses can add value to their marketing materials by offering something to their audience. For example, if you send a personalised letter to someone, you can add a 5% discount on their premium.

Or, you can attach coupon mailers while sending something to clients as a sign of appreciation. The objective is to make your audience feel valued so that they continue their association with you.

Several insurance marketing campaign ideas include adding exciting offers that can persuade people to complete the CTA.

Also, make your CTA compelling and upfront. You can add lines, like:

• Contact us today to get the best rates.
• Get hassle-free insurance policies with just one phone call.
• Schedule a free session with our representative by clicking on the link below.

15. Get More and More Referrals

Sometimes, all you have to do to get referrals is to ask your clients for the same. As an insurance agent, you must talk to your clients and motivate them to refer to their friends, family members, and relatives.

Asking for referrals does not cost you time or money, but it can help you increase your sales levels considerably.

So, what can you do to get more referrals?

Firstly, Start by introducing a robust referral program that is easy to understand and participate in. Communicate about such a program with all your representatives as everyone should know how the program works and its benefits. This way, your clients can talk about your program with others and help you get several valuable referrals.

Remember to offer something to your customers for every referral, like gift cards, movie tickets, discounts, etc. These offers can incentivise them to get more people to buy insurance plans from your agency.

16. Know Your Audience

If you are thinking about how to sell more insurance, the answer is clear as a bell –  know your audience. It may seem like something basic, but understanding your buyer persona in-depth can do wonders for your agency.

Some agencies buy insurance leads from third parties, but it is advisable to work with your own leads for a better response.

It helps you target more relevant people that match your customer profile. Also, you can use geo-targeting to focus on specific areas where most of your clients reside.

PostGrid’s direct mail API can help you build targeted mailing lists from scratch based on several demographics and locations. Hence, you can reach out to your customer look-alikes and increase conversion ratios.

17. Use Marketing Automation

Several marketing automation tools can help streamline marketing strategies for insurance agents.

You can automate your activities and save a lot of time and effort. Plus, you can get everything done more effectively. From lead tracking to email marketing, insurance agencies can apply automation to all their marketing and administrative tasks.

In fact, you can automate all the creative marketing ideas for insurance agents that we discussed above. It enables you to get the most out of these strategies and keep tabs on everything.

Furthermore, you can also automate your direct mail campaigns with solutions like PostGrid to get better results at lower costs. Thus, marketing automation can help you:

• Streamline your marketing plans
• Save time and manual effort
• Save agency’s resources
• Boost productivity
• Manage lead nurturing activities, etc.

How PostGrid’s Can Help Optimize Your Insurance Marketing Strategies

PostGrid can help insurance agencies to stay ahead of the competition by connecting with all their prospects.

It allows them to conduct successful direct mail marketing campaigns without any effort. All they need to do is integrate the API into their system and launch targeted campaigns that are sure to attract an excellent ROI.

Find some of our topmost features below:

• 2-business day SLA
• Address verification and standardization
• Zapier integration
• Mail tracking
• Data security and privacy
• Periodic campaign reports
• Dedicated technical assistance, etc.

Also, you can send any number of direct mail items according to your requirements. You can continue launching flexible, quick, and cost-effective mailing campaigns with PostGrid hassle-free at the most affordable rates.

Wrapping Up

Every new prospect you connect with counts a lot in the insurance industry. It helps you expand your network and increase the number of leads in your pipeline.

Thus, insurance agencies should conduct several types of marketing campaigns now and then. They can also combine their direct mail and digital marketing strategies to receive better outcomes.

We hope that the creative insurance advertising ideas listed in this blog will be helpful to you in achieving your marketing motives.

Undoubtedly, automating your direct mail campaigns is on the top of our list. You can create, print, and send marketing collateral like postcards, letters, etc., with just a couple of clicks using automation. Here,  PostGrid can assist you in launching result-driving mail campaigns that can keep your sales cycle running all year round.

You can print and mail anything from marketing postcards to transactional statements through our API. Sign up here to see how PostGrid can transform the face of your offline insurance marketing activities.

The post Insurance Marketing Strategies and Ideas appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/insurance-marketing-strategies/

What is Print Advertising?

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What is Print Advertising?

Many new marketers consider advertising on print media a waste of time and resources. Yet many companies, including leading corporations, still tend to use print ads for marketing their products and services.

Everyone knows that print advertising is not nearly as flexible or easy as digital advertising.

If so, why do we continue to use it?

Why do small and large companies worldwide still use print ads for their products and services?

What can print advertisements accomplish that digital advertising can not?

If you have ever wanted to know the answers to any of these questions, then this article is for you. Here, we will explain all the nifty details about print advertising and why it can be a good choice for marketing your unique product/service.

So then, let’s get straight to it!

What Is Print Advertising And Why Is It Crucial For Businesses?

Print advertising or print media advertising is a type of advertising method that uses printed, physical mediums such as newspapers and magazines. It is one of the most effective ways to reach out to diverse and highly targeted audiences. Here are some of the promising aspects of using print ads for your business.

More Effective Than Most Digital Marketing Strategies

When was the last time you got excited to read a text message or email you received? Regardless of the quality of your mail copy or the high discount offer you include in it, the email/text can often go unnoticed.

On the other hand, receiving postal mail such as postcards or letters and reading them is somewhat exciting. In addition, print advertisements such as highly-personalised and targeted direct mail campaigns can better connect with the audience. 

As a result, the chances of getting a successful conversion using direct mail are more than what you get using most digital marketing methods. 

More Flexible Targeting For Ad Campaigns

The great thing about print ads is their diverse channels, each with its unique advantages and marketing application. For example, a billboard ad is print advertising that can reach a large and diverse audience. Here, you can target customers of all ages, gender, and socioeconomic status.

But, if you are using direct mail campaigns, you get a print advertising channel that you can employ on a particular target audience. Hence, you can diversify your marketing efforts depending on the print advertisement channel.

More Automation Capabilities

Although we still consider print advertising a traditional form of marketing, it can now be equipped with automated software solutions. Take the case of direct mail marketing, for example. Using PostGrid, you can easily automate your entire direct mail campaign.

It means you can eliminate all the tedious manual processes involved in direct mail. Unfortunately, such extensive automation may not be available for all types of printed marketing materials. However, you can still use software solutions to optimise various processes.

5 Types Of Effective Print Advertisements You Can Use

Printed advertising lets you choose from several types of printed marketing materials. It means you can select the type of print advertisement most suitable for your marketing campaign and its goals. Here is a list of the most preferred printed marketing materials by businesses.

Direct Mail

Personalised marketing always gets better results for your business than general marketing campaigns. However, the amount of personalisation you can implement on print ads are limited when compared to digital advertisements. Direct mail marketing is the most personalised print advertising campaign you can employ for your business.

It can be a tedious task to manage high volumes of personalised direct mail unless you use an automated solution. By integrating tools like PostGrid with your CRM software, you can easily personalise your direct mail campaigns. However, the best thing is that there is no margin of error because there are no manual interventions necessary.

Newspapers

Newspapers are among the oldest marketing channels that businesses of all sizes still use for their marketing needs. But, it is also true that the number of newspaper readers is significantly less than what it once used to be.

On the bright side, the customers who read newspapers tend to be more proactive than those who don’t. Furthermore, newspaper advertising can also come in all sizes – local, city, and national newspapers. Hence, you can use newspaper advertising regardless of how big or small your company is.

Magazines

In many ways, print advertisements in magazines are similar to those in newspapers. But, magazines are better suited for businesses that want to take a more targeted approach than newspaper ads but less targeted than direct mail.

In addition to better targeting your customers/prospects, magazines also let you make the ad visually appealing using attractive imagery. Like newspaper ads, you can choose from regional or national magazines based on your target audience and scope of business.

Brochures

Brochures are similar to direct mail in many aspects. They are small, don’t use a lot of paper or ink, and you can even personalise them. Furthermore, brochures are a great way of establishing your brand and its credibility in the relevant industry.

Unlike smaller types of printed marketing materials such as postcards, brochures can hold significantly more information. Additionally, you can either distribute them in a single sitting or send them with your direct mail to your target audience.

Posters And Billboards

Posters and billboards have been around for almost as long as marketing itself, maybe even before. Billboards, as you know, mainly target people who are driving or walking past them. Hence, much like newspaper ads, billboards also target the general audience and are not ideal for more specific marketing campaigns.

Billboards are gigantic and easily noticeable from afar. However, billboards may not always get the attention you are hoping for. Hence, you may want to consider using posters instead. Much like billboards, posters also target passers-by. But unlike billboards, you can have them indoors, in public spaces, and they are more readable than billboards.

Why is Print Advertising Still Effective?

It is no secret that we live in a world where most of our interactions are not over digital platforms. Instead, we connect with our friends and family through mobile phones and other electronic mediums. Hence, it is not surprising that almost all companies focus all their efforts on digital marketing campaigns.

You can fully automate the digital marketing campaigns, and they are easy on the pocket and incredibly flexible. So then, why is it still effective in the market when most of our interactions happen online?

Here is a list of reasons why print advertising is still an effective marketing method for businesses.

#1 Print Advertisements Are Unique

No matter how engrossed we are in social media and how entertaining it is, you are still bound to feel its monotonous nature. Take email marketing, for example. It was one of the most effective ways for businesses to reach out to their customers/prospects.

But, today, people are so overwhelmed by the plethora of marketing messages they receive every day. So, the chances are that you or someone you know has abandoned an email address because it is easier than unsubscribing countless marketing emails.

Print advertisements such as direct mail offer a unique way of reaching your target audience. Such print ad campaigns are feasible and more personal to the recipients. You can further enhance your print ad’s impact on the customer by personalising it using automation tools such as PostGrid.

#2 Influence Customer Perception & Raise Brand Value

Your brand’s presence in print media such as newspapers and magazines automatically raises its value. Generally, customers tend to think companies they see on advertisements in the print media are more credible than the ones they see online alone.

Even if you splurge all your money on a new website and social media marketing campaigns, you may still fail to establish credibility. It is one of the reasons why even established eCommerce companies often use print media for their marketing campaigns.

The fact that the online world is brimming with misleading information does not help online brands boost their credibility. So, when the customer sees your brand’s advertisement in a popular newspaper or magazine, they will assume that yours is a reputable company.

#3 Print Advertising Has a High Rate Of Conversion

We know that print advertising is costlier than digital advertising. The price difference between print and digital marketing campaigns is mainly due to the former’s essential investment.

However, a print marketing enthusiast would argue that the substantial investment is worth every penny of your money.

As we have already mentioned, digital marketing is a crowded space where every marketer is after the user’s undivided attention. Therefore, it is challenging to grab user attention on any digital platform.

But, when it comes to print advertising like direct mail, people look forward to opening it. As customers connect better with the print ads and find them more appealing, the conversion rate also rises.

#4 Print Ads Enable Superior Demographic Targeting

One of the worst misconceptions modern marketers still have about print advertising is they think print ads can not target specific audiences. However, that is not always the case. With the right tools and approach, you can target print ads just as effectively as digital ads.

As you know, not all print ads are the same. For example, print advertising such as direct mail can be easily targeted using automated solutions like PostGrid. But other print ads may require extensive research and well-planned marketing strategies to reach the target demographic.

Some of the ways businesses can monitor the effectiveness or success of their marketing campaigns include:

• Using unique discount/promo codes.
• Setting up a specific point of contact, such as a toll-free number.
• Using QR codes.
• Conducting customer surveys.

#5 Customer Retains More Information From Print Ads

Another reason why print ads are so popular today is that they are more memorable than digital marketing campaigns. Generally, customers take a long time reviewing print ads than digital ads. In addition, customers often view digital ads on their mobile devices. As a result, it is easy to get distracted or swipe away from a digital ad.

But, effective print advertisements get the reader’s undivided attention. Hence, customers spend more time viewing your print ad and absorbing all the information you provide in the mailer. As a result, customers retain all the essential information from print ads.

Print Marketing Campaigns vs Digital Marketing Campaigns

Print media is much older than digital media, and it was the first means of mass communication. Businesses have used it for years to market their products and services successfully. But, eventually, print media got replaced with digital media for business marketing.

However, print marketing campaigns never completely disappeared because many business verticals still chose to use them. In addition, some businesses were smart enough to combine their digital and print marketing campaigns. It further paved the way for omnichannel/multichannel marketing experiences.

However, learning the distinction between print and digital marketing campaigns is vital. Hence, we will list the significant differences you should know about print and digital marketing.

Medium Of Communication

The first difference between print and digital marketing is their medium. As you can guess, the print ads use some form of publication such as newspapers, magazines, direct mail, and even billboards. In addition, the print medium often requires some initial investment as it needs feasible materials such as paper, ink, etc.

When it comes to digital marketing campaigns, you get to convey your advertising message through a computerised medium. Therefore, digital marketing campaigns do not require a high initial investment because there is no need for feasible materials. But, you may still have to invest money in advanced software solutions and tools for digital marketing.

Diversity Of Content

When it comes to print advertisements, you need a literate audience as they can only contain text and image content. However, you have the option to include a QR code/pURL in your print advertisements to lead the customers to your website/landing page.

For digital marketing campaigns, you have complete control over the type of content. You can utilise everything from pictures to videos to GIFs for your digital marketing campaigns. Companies can even employ audio formats for their marketing material if basing the marketing campaign on the digital platform.

Durability

Imagine that yours is a real estate business. You send a postcard to your specific target audience as part of your marketing campaign. The postcards contain the pictures and details of a property that will interest your target audience.

Since it is a print medium, the interested prospects can easily hang the postcard on their refrigerator if they want to save it for later. On the other hand, a digital postcard is not so easy to hold and access because the average user goes through hundreds or even thousands of media content.

Furthermore, digital files or offers tend to expire within a specific time frame. Hence, storing and accessing ads are more effective in print media than in digital media.

Ability To Grab Attention

As we have already mentioned above, using any digital device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or even a smartwatch, can be very distracting. You can never know when a user can get a pop-up notification. It is not hard to imagine the user forgetting all about your marketing campaign.

But, there is no scope for a distraction when it comes to print media such as direct mail or a simple brochure. As a result, the customer or prospect gives your print ad their undivided attention, which is more than you can ask for an advertisement.

Challenges Of Implementing Print Advertisements For Your Business

Implementing print advertising for your business comes with a set of challenges. Suppose you want to beat these challenges and implement an effective print ad campaign for your business. In that case, you must first understand these challenges.

Understanding these challenges will help you better prepare for them and aid you in running a flawless ad campaign for your business. Here is the list of challenges involved in print advertisements:

Decreased Popularity

Although it is not necessarily a bad thing, the popularity of print media has gone down over the years. It might not be so easy to encourage your customers to subscribe to your mailing campaigns. However, print advertising can still do wonders for your regular marketing campaigns that do not involve the customers subscribing to your mailing list.

Timing

Perhaps the biggest challenge in executing print advertisement campaigns is the timing. Print advertising takes time for printing and other processes that come with it.

Hence, it would be best to plan your campaigns for weeks or even months before you can implement them. Suppose your preferred print media is direct mail. In that case, you can use a tool like PostGrid to automate the entire process and time your campaigns accordingly.

Varying Cost Based On Target Audience

The cost of running your print ad campaigns can vary based on your target market. High-end publications employ experienced writers, designers, and specialised photographers.

On top of it all, you may also need to use superior quality paper, ink, and printers which can further drive up your cost.

Your best option is to outsource your printing needs to a firm like PostGrid that can deliver everything mentioned above.

Print Advertisement Examples For Innovative Marketing

Let us look at some of the most innovative print advertising that we have witnessed in recent times. Analysing these print advertising examples will help you create your unique print ads.

KFC’s Finger Licking Phone

KFC made a bold print advertisement by smartly using their slogan “finger-lickin ‘ good.” The campaign featured the image of a smartphone with a button ready to lick your fingers. KFC used an image that implies that their chicken is so good that even your phone will want a taste of it.

Hellmann’s Santa Shaped Mayonnaise

Hellmann’s used the Christmas time to pitch an innovative print advertising campaign apt for the holiday season. The image used by Hellmann included a spoon-dripping mayonnaise, except that the shape of the mayonnaise resembles the face of Santa Claus.

IKEA’s Gift To Expecting Mothers

IKEA came up with a unique campaign where they used a print ad that also acts as a pregnancy test! Although it is arguably awkward to ask customers to pee into the print ad, the idea was fresh and unlike anything we have ever seen. And if the test turned out to be positive, IKEA would give a 50% discount to the mom-to-be.

Conclusion

Print advertising used to be the sole method for companies to reach out to a vast audience. However, it has changed over the years, and most companies have shifted exclusively to digital platforms for advertising. But despite digital advertising overshadowing them, print ads continue to help businesses grow.

When it comes to marketing, print ads have one of the best response and conversion rates you can find anywhere. You need to incorporate advanced solutions to get the most out of print advertising and keep up with the technologically superior digital ads.

Advanced software solutions like PostGrid can efficiently optimise your direct mail campaigns. PostGrid offers a fully automated solution that lets you personalise your mail by connecting it to your CRM system.

Also, PostGrid lets you keep track of your direct mail campaigns and measure their effectiveness. Hence, you can optimise your print ad campaigns and get the best result for your business.

The post What is Print Advertising? appeared first on PostGrid.

source https://www.postgrid.com.au/what-is-print-advertising/

Australia Post Bulk Mail Costs and Requirements

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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/