Live Stamps: Make Your Next Mailing Personal

We all get it. Mail, that is.  And, according to the Direct Marketing Association, 79% of Americans act on mail right away.  This means, that it is very likely that your mail recipient will see your envelope, and even touch your envelope, but will they open it?  Consumers can quickly surmise your mail piece (in less than 7 sesconds) and classify it into one of three categories: a bill (high importance), a personal correspondence (medium importance) or “junk mail” (low importance).  In a recent article, we discussed tactics to use to ensure that your envelope gets opened, including using a stamp as a way to add a human “touch”.  Have you ever considered using a stamp (vs. an indicia) for your mailings?  There are a number of benefits that can be realized when using this postage option.

Delivery times.  Using a first class stamp will get your mail delivered in 2-3 days.  Although there is no guarantee on this delivery time, it is a better bet than standard (bulk) mail that gets delivered at a much slower pace (1 – 3 weeks, nationally.)  If you are doing a series of mail pieces and need a precise order of delivery, then using a first class stamp can help ensure that your pieces drop as expected, in the order expected.  Also, first class mail comes in handy if your mail piece includes an offering with an expiration date.  Just keep in mind that, just like any other postage class, there is no delivery of first class mail on Sundays or federal holidays.

Open rates.  As briefly mentioned above, using a live stamp adds a human touch.  When the recipient sees a stamp on your envelope, they will assume that a person must have physically applied the stamp, and therefore, perceive the piece to be something personal. An indicia, however, is a red flag for consumers and indicates a bulk piece of mail that was processed through a mail house.  Therefore, using a stamp will help to ensure your envelope gets opened because it will look different than all the other direct mail in their mailbox.

Size of mailing.  The size of your mailing will also help you determine whether or not to use a stamp.  The beauty of using a first class stamp is, while you are paying full price, you don’t need to worry about minimums.  For this reason, stamps work best for smaller mailings.  Once you exceed 500 pieces, you can opt for a first class presort stamp (at a discounted rate), but your mailing will need to be NCOA processed and CASS certified, which we can do for you here at CPS Cards.

While hand-affixing stamps may seem like a laborious process, it helps to add a personalized touch to your mail piece.  At CPS Cards, many of our clients opt to use first class stamps for solicitation and membership mailings, and find improved lift and better response rates.  If you have questions about using stamps on your next mail campaign, contact us at sales@cpscards.com.