Cost of mailings.

[maxreferrals]

Bulk mail also doesn't get returned to you, unless you
print it "ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED" on the front
of the piece (which you pay xtra for.)

Otherwise, your bad addresses -- > go into the
U.S. Postal black hole.

Bottom line: NEVER mail bulk rate. EVER.

 

[angwagner1974]

Yes, it is true that you do not get your bad addresses returned but we have done both ways (first and bulk) and have received about 2% as undeliverable. We live in a beach community and most of the homes that are bought here are 2nd and 3rd residences so their houses do not have a mailbox. Our post office does return our returned bulk mail to us for free (sometimes) and it has never been so many that we feel we are taking a loss.

When you bulk mail you have to run your addresses through cass and print reports to atleast make sure that the address is set up correctly. The data companies guarantee their data to cass out at a certain percent. Most data companies that we have used have been at 100% or just below.

Also, we only mail to our lists once or every few years so if there is a little address fallout it is not detrimental. You can't mail the same people over and over again, especially final.

I am not trying to talk you into bulk mail either way... but it has REALLY helped us out. Of course, we have a lot of agents spread over the country and the cost issue alone would not allow us to do first class.

Make sure the start up cost of permits make it more cost efficient to mail bulk.

 

[Insuranceman]

I have found that the best lead from mail is when the prospect calls me on my 1 800 # verses a postage reply card. However, I get more leads on postage reply card.

 

[Guest]

I have found that the best lead from mail is when the prospect calls me on my 1 800 # verses a postage reply card. However, I get more leads on postage reply card.

I have had good experience with this as well.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

What market are you 2 in?

 

[agent007]

I've been looking into the postcard thing as well. Just not sure what avenue to take at the moment.Postcards, selfmailers, telemarketers, buying leads direct and telemarketing those leads...........just alot of factors to weigh out still.

 

[pfsthib]

You can go to www.usps.com and try netpost. They print and mail everything for you at a very good price. Do the flyer it is very cheap. There is a calculator so you can see how much it cost. this way you can see if a permit would pay for itself. A bulk permit will cost you a one time $160 setup fee and $160 per year. 250 pieces minimum each mailing.

 

[The New Guy]

Have you looked into doing an insert in your local daily paper, or weekly paper, with a flier. They can do a target insert of the zip codes your looking to hit, or area wide coverage. Just call them, and ask what their cost per thousand is for inserts.

 

[Newby]

Have you looked into doing an insert in your local daily paper, or weekly paper, with a flier. They can do a target insert of the zip codes your looking to hit, or area wide coverage. Just call them, and ask what their cost per thousand is for inserts.

I just did this very thing. I ran 14,000 inserts twice for $1,600 including the printing. I already had my own business reply account and paid for the returns (about $1.50 each.)

I did it on pre-need funeral insurance. I recieved 16 replies. MOST of the replies have been the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick.

I've made three sales from it so far paying about $2,000. I have one more lead (husband and wife good ages good health) that I count on about 80% that I will close within 60-days. I have about 3-more that I give a 30% possibility to.

I don't consuder this campaign a success. I have had much better results with direct mail and seminars. I will do this again and tweek my insert to try for better results.

 

[Insuranceman]

My printer lets me mail under their bulk mail permit. It saved me $ 360.00 in bulk mail permit costs.