10 tips for reducing mail production costs and improving your ROI

The 3-Ps in direct mail are Postage, Paper and Production. These costs continue to rise. How can you offset these costs and improve your ROI?

The mailing list is the number one place to start looking for waste. About 20% of the nation moves every year. People in the business sector move at an even greater rate. That means that between one and two percent of your database changes every month! Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) mailpieces waste postage, paper and production. Here are 10 easy tips that will help you reduce costs in all three areas.

1. Assign a point person at your company to focus on address hygiene. Each record that is updated will save $1.00 per mailing and probably more.
2. Utilize National Change of Address (NCOA) to capture change of address at least twice a year. This will be one of the options to qualify for Move Update requirements starting in November 2008.
3. Don’t mail records that won’t CASS Certify or qualify for Delivery Point Verification (DPV). These records won’t get barcode discounts and some may not deliver at all.
4. Use Return Service Requested endorsement on all Standard Mail. Delete or update the returned pieces before mailing to them again.
5. Reduce your spoilage by learning how mail is processed both at the post office and lettershop. Damaged pieces get tossed.
6. Redesign pieces for greater efficiency. Difficult and unusual formats will cost more for production.
7. Purchase your print from the right supplier. Select the right equipment for the format and quantity of the job.
8. Look beyond your backyard for printers or lettershops. Overhead is lower in smaller communities and opportunities are fewer. Prices can be very competitive.
9. Compare print prices using your printer’s house stock. This will always be priced lower than special order paper stocks.
10. Don’t make embarrassing errors or last minute changes. These are avoidable costs with proper planning and communications.
11. BONUS TIP – Proof your mailpiece design with a lettershop before printing. Many customers send their PDF proof to A.M. prior to printing. You can too!