When it comes to direct marketing, saturation mailing is one topic that is consistently discussed. Basically, saturation mailing is an easy on the pocket method of reaching a majority of the clients residing in a particular area. Saturation mailing allows you to saturate each business and household in the location in a postal carrier path with your direct mail. A postal carrier route is extremely simple, as it is a bunch of addresses delivered by a postal carrier in their daily and regular route. In simple words, saturation mail is a method of reaching a wide audience at cheap postal rates.
Using this technique of direct marketing, the cost could be lowered by at least 70% per lead. This explains the enormous benefits related to saturation mailing. Other advantages include reaching a well targeted community audience and saving well on First class as well as Standard mail rates. Working with a saturation mailing list is indeed one of the best practices for direct marketing campaigns.
TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE SATURATION MAILING
Saturation mailing works best for local businesses that are trying in-store visits and word-of-mouth techniques. Here are some great tips for achieving an effective campaign for saturation mailing for your business:
1. BULK MAILING IS THE KEY
Obtain a permit for bulk mailing from the local post office prior to mailing at the special postage rates. While this will require you to pay a small amount of fee as you apply for the permit for the first time as well as when you renew it after every 12 months, the benefits will definitely outrun this little cost you will have to pay.
2. GET YOURSELF A WALK SEQUENCE MAILING LIST
A walk sequence is the actual order in which the postal carrier takes the route. If you obtain a walk sequence mailing order, it will not only save the labor of the U.S. Postal Service but also help them in making a quicker delivery. At the end of the day, you get faster yet cheaper service as you will be getting discounts by the Postal Service, controlling your postage costs.
3. MATCHING YOUR LIST TO THE 90/75 RULE
Getting a saturation mailing list does not mean that you can no more target or narrow down your saturation list. In fact, you can still do that with the same degree of freedom you get with a consumer list. With saturation mailing lists, you can get rural routes, post office boxes, certain apartments, businesses as well as residential addresses.
However, you must apply the 90/75 rule which indicates that your mailing must target at least 75% of the residential and business addresses or 90% of the residential addresses in a particular carrier route. This is how you will be allowed to get the lucrative discounted postage rates on your saturation mailing list.
4. QUALIFYING FOR THE ENHANCED RATES FOR CARRIER ROUTES
Finally, for being subjected to the ECR rates, all of your mails must be able to meet the requirements of a standard mail. This includes being a part of at least 200 pieces of minimum mails that must be sorted out to particular carrier routes within a ZIP code of 5-digits.
5. ASKING THE EXPERTS
Now, the last thing you can do to make sure that you qualify for the exclusive saturation mailing rates is to visit the official website of the U.S. Postal Service’s Business Mail.