The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced the 2016 Promotions Program. The USPS started their Promotions Program back in 2011 by encouraging participants to include mobile-friendly barcodes on their mail pieces in exchange for a postage discount on their bulk mailing.
The success of that inaugural program has led the USPS to continue to put incentive programs in front of mailers, enabling them to take advantage of postage discounts and rebate opportunities for mailings that qualify.
The promotions for 2016 will have five different ways to save:
Earned Value Promotion
With a tentative schedule of April through June, the Earned Value Promotion will be available for First-Class Mail® only, and aims to encourage mailers to promote First-Class Mail as their primary reply mechanism.
By keeping CRM/BRM envelopes in outgoing mail, mailers will receive postage credit for each mailpiece that is returned to the mailer during the promotional period. The promotion is in the form of a credit on qualifying BRM/CRM reply pieces; which can then be applied to postage for future mailings.
Registration for this promotion will run from February 15 to March 31, 2016.
Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion
Tentatively schedule to launch August through December, 15, the USPS continues to encourage mailers to use color messaging to form greater connections with consumers. An upfront 2% postage discount will be applied to mailings leveraging dynamic/variable color print for personalized transpromotional marketing messages on their bills and statements.
Registration for this promotion will run June 15 to December 21, 2016.
Emerging and Advanced Technology / Video in Print Promotion
Tentative to launch March through August, mailers integrating mobile technologies and embedded video technologies will receive an upfront 2% postage discount. Mobile technologies include the use of standard Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies, as well as augmented reality experiences that super impose digital images and content over a live image in the mailpiece. These technologies are helping the recipient to engage in digital experiences triggered from the printed mail piece. Additionally, pieces featuring embedded video on the mail pieces themselves will qualify.
Registration for this promotion begins January 15 to August 31, 2016.
Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Mail Piece Engagement Promotion
Included as part of the Emerging & Advanced Technology Promotion in previous years, the USPS developed a brand new promotion focused solely on the tactile and sensory experience of the mail piece. Aimed to launch March through August of 2016, this promotion will reward a 2% postage discount upfront to mailers incorporating interactive print elements.
These include specialty inks, sensory elements, textured papers, creative folding techniques, and other dimensional elements that the recipient can interact with and manipulate on the mail piece.
Registration for this promotion runs from January 15 to August 31, 2016.
Mobile Shopping Promotion
Tentatively scheduled to be offered from July to December, this promotion rewards mailers with an upfront 2% postage discount on pieces integrating mobile technology with direct mail. Ranging from QR codes, to Snap Tags, to Watermarks and beyond, consumers are launched from the mail piece to an online shopping experience.
Social media opportunities have been added this year through “Buy It Now” features highlighted to support shopping during social media activities. With an overall goal of creating consumer excitement, this promotion will highlight the connection between the printed direct mail piece and the digital shopping experience.
Registration for this promotion runs May 15 to December 31, 2016.
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