Highland Marketing ONLINE
Spent More but Saved a Fortune using Lettermail Postcards
It is not often that we suggest that our clients use Lettermail for mailing promotional postcards, but in this example it made perfect sense.
Our client was promoting a seminar in Vancouver that was to be held about three weeks later. Fortunately, they sent us a PDF of the postcard. When we reviewed it, we realized that, since it takes about three weeks for Addressed Admail to be delivered from Ontario to B.C., the postcards would probably arrive at around the same time that the seminar was to be presented. This meant that Lettermail was the only viable option to get the postcards there in time. However, we also realized that the postcard dimensions were out of spec for the lower Standard Lettermail postcard rate. As such, they would have been classified as non-standard and mailed at a cost of $1.10 each.
Based on the concentration, had the client mailed as LCP Addressed Admail, the average postage would likely have been about $0.37 per piece. This is far less than the current Standard Lettermail Postcard rate of $0.52. The following table illustrates the cost breakdowns for mailing 20,000 pieces with each of various postage options, and according to today’s postage rates:
| Class of Mail | Postage Rate | Cost for 20,000 pieces | Delivery Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addressed Admail | $.37 | $7,400 | 3 weeks |
| Standard Lettermail Postcard | $.52 | $10,400 | 4 days |
| Non-Standard Lettermail Postcard | $1.10 | $22,000 | 4 days |
As noted above, after the client made some basic modifications to qualify as a Standard Lettermail Postcard, they were able to mail at $0.52 per piece. As a result, it only cost them $3,000 more to guarantee delivery in sufficient time to adequately promote the seminar. If we had not had the opportunity to advise the client before the postcards were printed, the slight difference in size would have cost them an additional $11,600 in postage, since they would have been forced to mail the cards at the $1.10 rate.
As it turns out, the additional $3,000 that they did spend was well worthwhile, as all rooms, facilities etc. had been booked for several weeks in advance.
Case Notes:
CN.1. What made this case interesting is that we were dealing with an experienced mailer. We had discussed the importance of delivery times with them before, but this information had not been conveyed internally, to the individual who was promoting the seminar.
CN.2. Our client also assumed that the specifications would be the same for Standard Lettermail postcards as they were for presorted, Addressed Admail Postcards. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and such assumptions have likely cost unknowing mailers a lot of money!
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