Direct mail is a longstanding tactic in maintaining relationships with customers. Despite the advent of the digital age, “snail mail” remains to be one of the most effective ways to retain your customers’ loyalty. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, investing in a mailing system will save your company time and money.
Why Add Mailing Equipment to Your Office Technology Fleet?
Mailing equipment products are used for direct mail marketing and are a vital part of any company’s overall communication and marketing strategy. Issues can often arise when sending physical mail to your customers, and some businesses prefer digital mailing methods, like email. But how many emails do you get a day? And how many of those emails do you ignore?
Direct mail marketing still works today. Hard copy direct mail is a great way to stand out from the crowd, as there are proven results with this method of marketing. Many businesses trust direct mail marketing when it comes to deciding what products to purchase. There are non-marketing related tasks that necessitate adding mailing equipment to your in-house technology fleet as well. Hard copy invoices, formal letters, business documents, and more all need to be mailed. Doubling down on your investment will allow you to send additional promotional materials, such as flyers, postcards, promotions, and more to your customers easily. Modern mailing equipment can help you streamline the mailing process to ensure all of your hard copy materials are accurately and efficiently mailed to your customers.
Criteria When Choosing Mail Solutions
The direct mail postage solutions available today are focused on certain key areas, and you have to choose the solution that best fits your company’s needs. The first thing you should determine is how often your business sends business-related mail. Do you send direct mail daily? Or, are you visioning a future for your office where you intend to send not only hard copy materials but also promotional pieces out on a more regular basis?
Most companies regularly send and receive numerous pieces of mail concerning typical business communications, promotions, and advertisements. Investing in tools like folding machines, letter openers, and mailing software can be a tremendous boon for a business that sends out pieces of mail frequently.
Companies that mail larger packages have specific shipping standards that must be met. Shipping parcels, packages, and flats has never been easier, with automated solutions designed specifically for growing companies. From label printers to scales and software, affordable, modern mailing equipment solutions are available that fit your business needs.
Different Business Mailing Equipment Explained
Several mailing equipment solutions can help your business thrive. Below are a few popular examples.
1. Postage Meters
Postage meters are tools that calculate the correct postage amount for the mail item you are sending. The calculation is usually done through assessing the unit’s dimensional weight and size, as well as the cost of the postage. The correct calculation of the postage is a great way for your business to save money, as you will avoid paying for unneeded stamps or postage overages.
The federal government regulates the use of postage meters. This is why this equipment can only be derived and leased from a legally permitted supplier, like On Demand. Renting postage meters is allowed by the federal government wherein you have to execute a contract with a supplier for a specific period of time.
2. Folding Equipment
Sending direct mail and letters in large quantities can be a hassle for your team to accomplish efficiently. Folding equipment can remove this burden from your staff while minimizing administrative costs. Furthermore, the usual time spent in processing mail can be reduced dramatically, which makes it worth the investment.
These machines are designed to fold and process different sized packages, which makes it even more beneficial because you can use it for various sized letters and parcels.
3. Mailing Software
Due to ever-evolving technology advances, present-day postage meters have software included. A postage meter with software can perform the following tasks:
- Addition of logos and other image designs
- Shipping label production
- Shipping rates comparison of different carriers
- Tracking of direct mail
- Batch processing
- Proof of delivery
- Usage history and expense reporting
- Report generation
Mailing software is a tool that can add functionality to your office technology suite while saving you money and staff time.
4. Printing Equipment
Ultimately, mailing can’t be done without the help of printing equipment, like the equipment sold by On Demand. Once your postage amount is determined, printing equipment will provide you with the appropriate label to affix to your parcel. These printers are designed to easily handle the voluminous output required to keep up with your daily, weekly, and monthly mail. That is why businesses who utilize printing machines for mailing purposes find value in these devices.
Best Direct Mailing Best Practices
In conclusion, you need to see to it that you follow these best practices in direct mailing:
- Send relevant mail to your customers to gain an edge over their inboxes.
- Don’t forget to include a call to action for engagement purposes – even in non-marketing materials.
- Be mindful of the frequency you send direct mail pieces (even “snail mail” can be considered as spam).
- Let your customers know how to respond to your direct mail to develop relationships and grow your business.
Adhering to the best practices listed above can lead you to success. By following them, you’re boosting and optimizing your mail marketing approaches.
Contact On Demand today for information on mailing equipment in the Houston area.