Direct mail is effective at reaching customers and prospects. But did you know it also can be remarkably cost effective? Here are ways to save money on your direct mail campaigns:

1. Clean up your mailing list. Don’t waste paper and postage sending to addresses that aren’t current.
2. Mail to your in-house customer list. It costs less than purchasing a list, and you’ll sell more to current customers than you will to others. If you buy a list, make sure you can mail to it more than once.
3. Plan ahead. Avoid rush charges on paper delivery, printing and other services by giving yourself plenty of time to write, design, produce and mail your campaign. Remember to add more time to the schedule than you think you need to accommodate delays you can’t anticipate.
4. Simplify the design. Maybe you’ve always used a letter sent in an envelope without thinking about whether it was cost effective or was the best vehicle for your message. Would a less expensive postcard generate the same — or even better — response?
5. Get bids. Too many times, marketers work with the same printer repeatedly because it’s easy to stay with what’s familiar. Request bids from several printers to make sure you’re working with the best vendor for this particular job.
6. Involve your printer early. Show your rough design to the printer before finishing it to get input on design adjustments that might save on printing or postage. Get your printer’s opinion on cost-effective ways to add pizzazz or improve the design’s impact with ink and paper.
7. Print in advance. If you’re planning to repeat the mailing using the same envelopes, buying the full quantity in advance could get you a bulk discount. In addition, printing them once and storing them for subsequent mailings will save printing costs.
8. Look for ways to “co-pallet” and “commingle.” Authorized service providers can help you save money on large mailings by combining your mailing trays with those of its other clients to get maximum Postal discounts.
9. Connect with your local Post Office.™ Meet with a U.S. Postal Service^® business specialist to learn how Postal Service™ products and services can help you save money.

Executing any of these tips will help your business eliminate waste or maximize Postal discounts. Watch your costs go down while your results soar thanks to smarter mailing techniques.