Blase Ciabaton's Profile

QR Codes and Direct Mail: A Perfect Pair

Prognosticators predicted the death of the QR code more than two years ago, yet QR Code use continues to grow at a blistering pace. In fact QR code scans grew by 400% between the second quarter of June 2011 and June 2012. Continue reading

Posted Apr 29, 2013 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Direct Mail Versus Email Marketing: Who Wins the Battle?

The Direct Marketing Association reports that direct mail marketing is 10 to 30 times more effective than email. Continue reading

Posted Apr 16, 2013 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Great question! If you want to do your own mailings, you'll need to purchase a mailing permit from the USPS. The annual fee is currently $200. Before you do this, you'll also want to make sure that you have a solution in place for updating the addresses on your database before each mailing. To avoid the $200 fee, and the address updating requirement, you may want to consider working with us or another bulk mail professional. Best of luck!

Commented Apr 17, 2013 on Help, I’m a Nonprofit and Need to Get Set Up to Mail at a Nonprofit Rate! at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Great question Kathy! Yes, you still have to follow the same presorting and address updating requirements when using precancelled stamps. You still need to have a minimum of 200 pieces as well.

Commented Apr 15, 2013 on Getting First Class Attention Without Paying For First Class Postage at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Thank you! You're absolutely correct, as of Jan 27th, 2013 rates for EDDM retail have increased to 16 cents apiece. I've updated the pricing in this post to correspond.

Commented Jan 28, 2013 on How to Guarantee the Lowest Postage with Every Door Direct Mail at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

When Will the USPS be Closed in 2013?

This short post will give you the low down on 2013 USPS holidays so you can keep your critical marketing campaigns on schedule. Continue reading

Posted Jan 17, 2013 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Great question! Just sent you some follow up info via email.

Commented Jan 14, 2013 on Direct Mailers Take Note: January Effective Date for New Tabbing Regulations at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Great info Kurt! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

Commented Jan 4, 2013 on Direct Mailers Take Note: January Effective Date for New Tabbing Regulations at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

January 2013 Deadline for Mandatory Adoption of Intelligent Mail Barcode by USPS

The USPS is rolling out a mandatory adoption of the Intelligent Mail Barcode on January 28, 2013. How will it impact you? Continue reading

Posted Dec 27, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Mark, what an amazing post! Well written and well done. It illustrates the point that you're trying to make beautifully. Thank you for sharing!

Commented Dec 17, 2012 on Write a soap opera, not a news story at queer ideas

Direct Mailers Take Note: January Effective Date for New Tabbing Regulations

Effective January 5th, 2013, new tabbing regulations from the USPS. Bulk mailers and nonprofits take note! Continue reading

Posted Dec 12, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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How Will the January 2013 USPS Postage Hike Impact You?

An overall 2.57% United States Postal Service rate postage rate increase is scheduled to take effect on January 27th, 2013. Read this short post to see how it will impact you. Continue reading

Posted Nov 28, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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What You Need To Know About the New Every Door Direct Mail Website

If you use or are planning to use Every Door Direct Mail for marketing, you need to read this. The USPS recently made substantial changes to the Every Door Direct Mail website. Continue reading

Posted Sep 11, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Big Guys Get Personal Too

Every day, smart companies, both large and small, leverage customer data to personalize their marketing communication. What can we learn from big company examples of personalized marketing? Continue reading

Posted Aug 22, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Denise, thanks for your comment-great question! If you don't print the barcode on the mail piece, the USPS will. By printing the barcode yourself, or working with a vendor that does this, you save additional postage, so you may as well print the barcode. There is an area toward the bottom right of the mail piece where you can add the barcode so that it is less associated with the address. Good luck!

Commented Aug 2, 2012 on Getting First Class Attention Without Paying For First Class Postage at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Tom, Thanks much for stopping by, and thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, precancelled stamps do in fact require a permit. You can purchase your own permit, or work with a professional mailer, like myself, and avoid having to get your own permit. Best of luck to you!

Commented Jul 31, 2012 on Why does it take so long to get approved to mail at the Nonprofit Rate? at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Examples Showing The Power of Personalization in Marketing

Your marketing campaign is doomed to fail if you don't get your prospects' attention. Personalization is a very easy and very effective way to get their attention. Here are some creative examples. Continue reading

Posted Jul 18, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Thanks for your comment Bob! Good point about the pre-funding of pensions-that is an unfair burden. Still don't think it can be used as an excuse to provide business solutions filled with red tape and delays though.

Commented Jul 10, 2012 on The Latest USPS Fail, the Picture Permit Imprint Indicia at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

Angeline, thanks for your comment. I try to take a positive outlook with my posts, but I think you're absolutely right about this being an example of why the USPS is losing money. I take solace in the fact that they have introduced some positive new programs like Every Door Direct Mail. There's still time to the USPS to recover.

Commented Jul 10, 2012 on The Latest USPS Fail, the Picture Permit Imprint Indicia at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

The Latest USPS Fail, the Picture Permit Imprint Indicia

I'm sorry to report that the USPS has taken a potential benefit to business mailers and turned it into yet another bureaucratic blunder. Here's why, and here's a better alternative. Continue reading

Posted Jul 9, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Five Secrets For a Better Response with your next Mail Marketing Campaign

Based on my experience with hundreds of campaigns, here are five tips to improve the response of your next direct mail marketing campaign. Continue reading

Posted Jun 4, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Amy, thanks for your comment and thanks for recommending that free resource!

Commented Jun 1, 2012 on Save Time & Money with Direct Mail Automation at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

The Best Nonprofit Fundraising Advice

Wouldn't it be great if you could just unzip the heads of the absolute best fundraisers and cram their knowledge into your head? Of course it could never be that easy, but I may have found the next best thing. Continue reading

Posted Apr 16, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Are QR Codes Dead?

Have QR Codes gone the way of the dinosaur? If you look at current marketing efforts by Facebook, PayPal and Susan G. Komen, the answer is a resounding "no." In fact with the continued explosion in smartphone growth, it looks like QR Codes are even more relevant than ever. Continue reading

Posted Apr 5, 2012 at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business

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Mary, great question! If you are going to do your own bulk mailing production, you will need to pay for a mailing permit; however, if you work with a company to print & process the mailing for you, you can use their permit for free and still receive the nonprofit postage discount. I will e-mail you separately with instructions for getting a permit if you decide that's the best option for you. Good luck!

Commented Mar 29, 2012 on Why does it take so long to get approved to mail at the Nonprofit Rate? at Direct Mail answers for PR & Marketing Professionals, Nonprofits, and Small Business