New Year Boost Sales- Decrease Cost

Is your New Year’s resolution to increase sales without increasing your costs?

A growing number of retailers are looking across the pond to find new customers and increase revenues. Most businesses in the U.S. are asking themselves the same kind of questions.

The international sale is far more complex and difficult than selling in the US. The result is an average of 17% increase in revenue. One secret is a new emerging trend of using international parcel forwarders.

Sellers benefit from the fraud free solutions and consumers benefit from the low cost of shipping through consolidation. The possible revenues are worth considering…

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Is your move update plan working for you?

Where is SANTA's MAIL going?

Making sure your mailings reach the right destination is crucial to your success.

NCOA Basics

Mandatory Move Update requirements with the USPS save you money. You must be in compliance by January 2010 to avoid paying heavy penalties!

Making sure your mail reaches the right destination has become even more important this year!

If you are not using NCOA, it is even more crucial to start now! If you are using NCOA, there are some important updates you will need to know about for your business needs this coming year. NCOA Information- so really Where DOES Santa's Mail Go?

Why is NCOA so important?

Starting January 2010, the USPS will begin mandatory regulations with Move Update requirements. If you are sending mailings without it, and reach a certain threshold, you will be required to pay as much as 20% penalties.

Find out more about how to be compliant before you get hit with stiff penalties by talking to your Freelance Consultant today. Call 888-970-9944 (Toll-free)

How to avoid paying penalties?

It’s important to have a software provider to stay on top of market trends and present to you the best information available about your options. NCOA requirements for your business can be complicated. We offer you the best resources for figuring out the conditions and rguations, helping you make the best business decision.

Choosing the best NCOA package can take valuable time and resources. Let us take the guesswork about different options out of the equation and provide honest insight about your personalized solution!

Intelligent Mail® barcode (IMB) Market Trends

Intelligent Mail® barcode (IMB) is one of the newer catchwords for mail solutions on the market but what does it mean for you?

Primary benefits include:

The Intelligent Mail barcode is the result of the Postal Service’s efforts to develop more robust codes capable of encoding more information, while minimizing the space used on the mailpiece. The Intelligent Mail barcode offers:

• Continue earning lowest postal rates
• Better customer intelligence
• Free Address Change Service
• Visibility into the mailstream
• More effective returned mail processing
• Better scan rates and improved deliverability
• Better looking mail pieces (fewer barcodes)
• Delivery ConfirmationTM
• Access to new services

What are the real concerns facing Mailers?

Price. In todays market, the biggest concern is how much this will cost or save. The savings can add up if you mail in quantity. Early compliance for the Intelligent Mail barcode discount offers:

$.01 per 1000 pieces of mail Standard

$.03 per 1000 pieces of mail First class

For smaller mailers, there are other incentives. Indirect savings through a more efficient mailing system also save everyone money and peace of mind. As you consider how to implement Intelligent Mail in your company, you should recognize that every approach offers unique solutions:

• Saving space on the envelope means less product waste
• Less undeliverable mail means higher ROI
• A forward thinking green approach will give you marketing advantage

Why should mailers care about the IMB?

Two reasons: First, mailers must be using the Intelligent Mail barcode on their mail as of May 2011 in order to qualify for automation prices. Planet Code bar codes will no longer be in effect after the May 2011 deadline. The second reason is the extra data and tracking capabilities available through IMB. Even basic IMB can track mail and predict delivery dates. Those using Full-Service IMB will receive mail feedback about address quality and get automated address correction information.

Facts about the INTELLIGENT MAIL® BARCODE (IMB)

To obtain the lowest automation prices on Letters and Flats, mailers must use the 65-bar Intelligent Mail® barcode on each mail piece, encoding the delivery point information plus four new fields including an assigned Mailer ID, the class of mail, an optional endorsement line, plus a mail piece sequence number that must remain unique for 45 days.

New 24-digit tray barcodes and 21-digit container barcodes.

Electronic documentation using Mail.dat,®Wizard Web Services or Postage Statement Wizard® will be required for the full-service option.

Must acquire Mailer ID number(s) from the Postal Service, encode all data into the barcode components and then graphically render this barcode on every mail piece, tray and container.

Program optimization means that you must:

• Create mechanisms to capture data provided by the USPS
• Link USPS data back to your source data
• Leverage this data to improve your business
• The USPS will provide mailers with two options: Full-Service and Basic.

So what does that mean?

The Basic option will have fewer requirements. The Full-Service option will provide access to more services (such as free ACS and Start the Clock information*) and will enable mailers to earn the greatest postal discounts as of the fall of 2009. The details below apply to the Full-Service option.

Where to find more information on the Intelligent Mail barcode...

FTI Q&A Breakdown of questions from the DMNews source:

• Are there other key dates that mailers should be aware of between now and the May 2011 deadline?
• Why should mailers care about the IMB?
• How does it work?
• How do mailers benefit from the Intelligent Mail barcode?
• What are the steps mailers should take to implement the basic IMB?
• What services use the Intelligent Mail barcode and when can I start using it?
• What is the difference between basic IMB and Full-Service IMB standards?
• What is the process for Full-Service IMB clients to qualify?
• What about automation prices?
• Am I required to use the Intelligent Mail barcode in lieu of POSTNET and PLANET codes?
• Where can I place the Intelligent Mail barcode?
• What are the dimensions of the barcode?
• Will I have problems passing MERLIN® program requirements?
• Will I need to complete CASS™ or MASS™ certification again?
• Tell me about the “start-the-clock” statistic and its significance for mailers?
• How many mailers are already using IMB?
• What should printers know about the IMB?
• What tools are available to help me or my provider adopt the Intelligent Mail barcode?
• Where can I find more information on the Intelligent Mail barcode?

For the latest information on the Intelligent Mail barcode, including the full dimension specification, visit the Rapid Information Bulletin Board System (RIBBS) website at:http://ribbs.usps.gov/OneCodeSolution/

IMB is in the Green

IMB is in the Green- incentive to economize your mailing system and get data quality up to par!

New Intelligent Mail barcode specifications will help save space on envelopes and get mail on its correct route with little tolerance for undeliverable addresses.

This eco-friendly move will also put more cash back in your pocket with financial incentives to be compliant when it went into effect on May 11th, 2009.

Now is the time to take a realistic look at your company’s green initiatives and ask whether or not the practices undertaken are “evergreen” – promoting not only environmental conservation, but also sound business practices and solid return on investment so as to be sustainable in good economic conditions as well as bad.

Did you know that six million trees and more than 300 million pounds of paper are wasted each year on undeliverable-as-addressed mail (UAA) Standard class mail? It costs the USPS over two billion dollars annually to process this true “junk mail”. And the cost to mailers is even more dramatic – UAA mail costs direct mailers over six billion dollars a year...

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Why is NCOA so important? NCOA Update - National Change of Address information

Move Update- Do you know where your mail is going?

Making sure your mail reaches the right destination has become even more important this year! The Move Update standard requires periodic matching of a mailer's address records with customer-filed change-of-address (COA) orders. Its goal is to reduce the number of mail pieces in a mailing that require additional handling for forwarding or return.

If you are not using NCOA, it is even more crucial to start now! If you are using NCOA, there are some important updates you will need to know about for your business needs this coming year.

Recently, a notice was filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to describe the new method that Business Mail Entry Units (BMEU) will use to determine whether or not to assess the $0.07 Move Update charge to First-Class Mail and Standard Mail pieces evaluated during acceptance

For consistency with the treatment of Standard mail, they will also apply the same effective date to First-Class Mail. Both classes will be assessed the additional postage charge on pieces determined at acceptance to have an error rate above a 30% tolerance level. Sample testing will be done for each mailing accepted at MERLIN locations, and the BMEUs will provide feedback to the mailer on the effectiveness of their Move Update process. The assessment applies only to those pieces in the mailing that are found to exceed the tolerance level, based on the sampling.

When will the new regulation take effect?

Starting January 2010, the USPS will begin mandatory regulations with Move Update requirements. If you are sending mailings without it, and reach a certain threshold, you will be required to pay as much as 20% penalties.

For example: if a mailing is found to have an error level of 50%, then 50% minus 30% (tolerance level) = 20% of the mailing that will is assessed $0.07 per piece. Any mailing that has five or fewer update errors is not assessed the fee, regardless of the percentage that is not updated.

How to avoid paying penalties?

It’s important to have a software provider to stay on top of market trends and present to you the best information available about your options. NCOA requirements for your business can be complicated. We offer you the best resources for figuring out the conditions and regulations, helping you make the best business decision.

Choosing the best NCOA package can take valuable time and resources. Let us take the guesswork about different options out of the equation and provide honest insight about your personalized solution!

Find out more about how to be compliant before you get hit with stiff penalties by talking to your Freelance Technologies consultant today. Call 888-970-9944 (Toll-free)

Why use free services to help get the best mailing software for your business needs?

Many people today ask why use a dealer when you can go straight to the manufacturer? In hard times, its actually one of the best solutions to have a company with vested interest in your success working for you... for free!

Why use Freelance Technologies, Inc?

The most important reason not to go straight to the manufacturer is that it doesn’t save you money! In fact, it may cost more. Here's why.

When you talk to a representative from a software vendor selling only one brand of software, you do not have options outside that product line. Their mission is to fit you to their product, whether or not it’s the best choice.

Talking to a freelance rep provides more of an overview about the different products on the market and makes a best match to your business needs. The savings is the same, and in many cases, better. Freelance tech reps know when and where the sales are, so may be able to find another line offering the same type of product at a better fit for your budget.

Do we really have your best interests at heart?

It’s important to have a software provider to stay on top of market trends and present to you the best information available about your options. Over the long term this will provide a value to your investment. Our business succeeds only if yours does.

Much like a travel agent, our revenue comes from the product, and you don’t pay the difference, the manufacturer does. So, why not take advantage of an added level of service at not cost to you!

Choosing a product can take valuable time and resources. Let us take the guesswork about different options out of the equation and provide honest insight about your personalized solution.


Freelance Technologies Inc. working since 1986 to bring you the best value in data quality and mailing software solutions.

20 percent postage rebate- USPS Update presort first class mail

The Postal Service proposes to offer eligible companies a 20 percent postage rebate on qualifying presorted First-Class letter, flat, and card volumes mailed between October 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

To be eligible for the First-Class Mail Incentive program, a company must have mailed 500,000 or more non-parcel First-Class Mail pieces between October - December 31st, through permit accounts owned by the company or through permits set up on behalf of the company by a Mail Service Provider. Also, to participate in the first class mail incentive program, your compay must have mailed 500,000 or more non-parcel First-Class Mail pieces between October through December in 2007 and 2008 as well. The Postal Service will mail a letter to all eligible customers explaining the program in detail.

This change affects First-Class mail presort letter, flat and card prices.

More Information:
http://freelancetech.com/News_bigmailerdiscount.html

Postal Details:
http://govpulse.us/entries/2009/09/24/E9-23024/postal-service-incentive-pricing-program

Transpromotional Marketing

In the current economic climate, transpromotional marketing is a win-win situation for both consumers and shareholders. Leverage existing customer statements and turn attention into action with the use of promotional messages.

What is Transpromotional Marketing?

The phrase “transpromotional” refers to the use of transactional opportunities, such as statements, to deliver personlized promotions and marketing. Transactional documents like monthly statements and invoices present new opportunities for personalized marketing messages.

Why does it Work?

Statements work because they are expected by the recipient and usually require action. They are also high-involvement documents which many consumers spend 1-3 minutes reviewing and are viewed more than once. The real value is the ability to use transactional documents to turn consumer attention into action.

The ultimate objective is to combine information delivery with data-driven personalization and promotional offers to generate faster and higher response rates. Transpromotional marketing is growing fast. Many organizations are moving to convert traditional billing and statements to transpromotional messages because they understand the value of leveraging data they already have on their customers to create new opportunities for additional revenue.

Organizations utilizing transpromotional printing typically see the following results:

• Response Rates: Up 36 percent
• Average Value of Order: Up 24.5 percent
• Repetitive Orders/Retention: Up 47.6 percent
• Overall Revenue/Profit: Up 31.6 percent
• Response Time: Up 33.9 percent
  

Source: Adobe

The clause is to always keep the message to the customer and its validity in mind. This is the key to making it work. What offer/action is appropriate for this customer? How can I personalize it and make it attractive to them? How do I correctly include risk in my calculations as to what to offer.

How is it Green?

By using transactional documents as marketing tools to cross-sell products and services, transpromotional marketing not only enhances a company’s communications by offering customers additional information, it reduces the need for direct mail, making it more cost-effective. Crucially, it also ticks the CSR box on the environment by saving waste, as well as postage.

What is VDP?

Technically speaking, the Transpromotional transaction, or Variable Data Printing, VDP, is a form of on-demand printing in which elements such as text, graphics, and images can be changed from one printed piece to the next using information from a database.

VDP has been shown to boost the effectiveness of printed output, whether it’s measured by response rates, readership, ROI, or customer satisfaction.

How does it work?

To produce personalized communications, in high volume, requires a substantial amount of data about your customers and software that will allow that data to be utilized effectively. Collecting the data is a CSR task you may already have in place. Providing you with the software to perform transpromotional functionality is our job. Transpromotional Products

It is also recommended to have an output device that can handle color and VDP with great efficiency. Increasingly, more transactional print providers are turning to FTI products because of the low cost, small footprint, and high level of reliability. Printers

The thinking is "in your hand" ad messages on transactional documents that are relevant to you, your needs and interests should generate more sales and profit (for the vendor). Transpromotional Products

What do I need to do Transpromotional Marketing?

Making this new promotional tool possible is the rapid decrease in color printing costs combined with high quality data quality software. These new generation software tools and printers allows for top quality full color ad messages to appear on invoices without breaking the bank in terms of production costs for each bill run.

Where can I find out more about Transpromotional Marketing?

More companies are beginning to use transpromotional marketing efforts to reach consumers with more targeted advertising messages that address specific needs and/or loyalties. Check your mailbox, transpromotional marketing may be coming in your next invoice.

More about Transpromotional Marketing:

• Product Info
• More Detail

Related Posts:

§ The Future of Direct Mail

§ Wikipedia Definition Transpromotional Marketing

§ CCI Increase response with Transpromotional Marketing

§ Wall Street Journal Marketplace

Direct Mail Marketing Tips

Recession proofing your business during this economy is tough. It's become ever more important to stay in front of your customers than to cut corners on all your marketing. An affordable way to keep customers engaged and your sales growing is direct mail.

Whether you communicate best online or face-to-face, direct mail marketing through traditional mail allows you to stay connected to your valued customers and reach out to new customers without spending a fortune.

Whats your Objective?
Develop your mailing objective. Outline a strategy, the direct mail call to action, to keep your design and your direct mail goals simple. Whether you are aiming for new customers or driving more traffic to your store, make your mailing target a measurable one.

Package your Message
Based on your campaign strategy, use only direct mail components critical to effectively communicate to your customers. If your goal is to drive customers to your website or to educate customers about a new service, a small black and white postcard may work. Just remember- less is more.

Keep it Simple
Put your customer needs on the table. With tight budgets, don’t try to sell the moon. A practical idea will be more compelling than everything under the sun at deep discount. If you are able to do more with less, direct mail can help you close the sale at a fraction of the cost of traditional sales methods. Use to-the-point copy and small, thoughtful graphics. Keep it simple - get in front, call to action, and get out with a user-friendly way to respond.

Push the Envelope
Once your mailing package is perfected, don't forget the envelope. The envelope plays a critical role in direct mail. Now, with IMB and NCOA upgrades helping to ensure the mailing reaches the intended recipient, the envelope can also help improve results. Here’s an idea based on research by the Direct Marketing Association, “if your direct mail looks like personal correspondence you can significantly increase the open rate.”

Choose an envelope that is different than a standard white business envelope. A card shaped envelope may look like a wedding invitation and thus be more likely to be opened. Personalized font or real postage stamps also give your mailing a more unusual appearance and reduce the number of unopened parcels that get tossed.

Direct mail offers you a cheaper way to keep your business in front of your customers. Improve your sales prospects even in a recession, with just a touch of simple creativity.