Have some direct-mail campaigns set for next year? The U.S. Postal Service is about to introduce its first annual calendar designed to encourage mobile barcode use and help marketers get the word out for less in 2013.
The six promotions in the 2013 Promotions Calendar, subject to Postal Regulatory Commission approval, will be:
- Mobile Coupon/Click-to-Call (March 1 – April 30): Upfront 2% postage discount when you send mailed coupons with mobile barcodes.
Registration: Jan. 15 – April 30.
- Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (April 1 – June 30): 0.02 cent postage credit for each Business Reply Mail (BRM) or Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) piece scanned. This “to encourage mailers to promote First-Class Mail as a primary reply mechanism for their customers and to keep the CRM/BRM envelopes in their outgoing mail pieces.” Registration: Jan. 1 – March 31.
- Emerging Technologies (Aug. 1 – Sept. 30): Upfront 2% postage discount to promote “awareness of how innovative technologies, such as Near-Field Communication, Augmented Reality, and Authentication can be integrated with a direct mail strategy.”
Registration: June 15 – Sept. 30.
- Picture Permit (Aug. 1 – Sept. 30): 1 cent discount per First-Class letter and card and 2 cents per Standard Mail letter and card when a picture permit indicia is used.
Registration: June 15 – Sept. 30.
- Product Samples (Aug. 1 – Sept. 30): Upfront 5 cent discount on mail containing product samples.
Registration: May 1 – Sept. 30.
- Mobile Buy-it-Now (Nov. 1 – Dec. 31): Upfront 2% discount to encourage marketers to use “technologies that enhance how consumers interact and engage with mail and demonstrate how direct mail combined with mobile technology can be a convenient method for consumers to do their holiday shopping.”
Registration: Sept. 15 – Dec. 31.
Whew.
