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  • 10 Trends to Watch in Payer Marketing Campaigns in 2025

    10 Trends to Watch in Payer Marketing Campaigns in 2025

    As the healthcare industry evolves, payer marketing strategies are adapting to new trends and technologies. This blog explores the top 10 trends shaping payer marketing campaigns in 2025, including personalization through data-driven insights, digital transformation, and the rise of telehealth. We’ll delve into how payers are enhancing member engagement, emphasizing preventive care, and integrating social media and influencer marketing. Additionally, we’ll discuss the impact of regulatory changes, the shift towards value-based care, and the growing focus on health equity. Discover how these trends are redefining the way health insurance providers connect with their members and stay competitive in a dynamic market.

    Trend 1: Personalization and Data-Driven Marketing

    Patients and providers increasingly expect personalized engagements. As a result, payer marketers must enhance and customize communications and make every message more relevant using artificial intelligence (AI) data-analysis insights. Incorporating AI language models, machine learning, and deep learning lets marketers build foundations of trust and drive timely decision making from the launching of marketing campaigns through important enrollment periods and at every point in the member relationship. Marketers can track performance and analyze patient, provider, and policymaker treatment preferences and gain insights into cost-effective individual patient risk factors to improve care and produce better health outcomes.

    With a deeper understanding of patient and provider needs, marketers can more efficiently allocate resources and streamline communication operations. It’s possible to realize a better return on investment (ROI) with targeted promotions that elevate the customer experience and help simplify the often-complex healthcare world. Examples of personalized marketing campaigns included tailored health reminders around important dates, customized educational content, refined digital experiences and online interactions, and determining preferred methods of communication to improve service. AI-personalized and data-driven marketing lets you reach the right person with the right message at exactly the right time.

    Trend 2: Digital Transformation

    To improve communications with customers, payer marketers are adding engagements through digital platforms into marketing campaigns and customer outreach strategies. With digital friendly platforms that allow for better and faster integration of key patient and provider data, marketers are reaching customers through the channels they frequent and trust for information gathering and decision making. Consumers are becoming more comfortable with digital engagements and happy to provide information for tailored messaging that delivers immediate value and can help manage treatments.

    Digital platforms open two-way channels of communication and provide levels of interactivity with customers with individualized web portals for data-driven engagements that increase customer retention. Marketers can speak to customers remotely and directly to address their concerns about pricing, privacy, and payment, and to differentiate their product from competitors. Easy to navigate websites can be especially important during intense enrollment periods and websites can be used to promote in-network providers, telemedicine options, and cost-savings tips. Marketing on mobile apps can improve healthcare literacy for customers, integrate tracking and monitoring capabilities, and offer virtual consultations for members who have limited access to healthcare services.

    Trend 3: Increased Focus on Member Engagement

    Payer marketers must always explore ways to minimize marketing costs while maximizing the impact of every communication. A key trend taking shape is a shifting focus to produce relevant, personalized member engagements that place an emphasis on member retention to save money across the board. This is where marketers can use member data to help payers engage in more robust and proactive care management. Members can be offered convenient choices and flexibility with targeted messaging that focuses on treatment, education, assessment of needs, and that provides high levels of service during every interaction.

    Using member data, marketers can gain insights into the best way to reach out to members with customized care programs based on predictive models for member sentiment and concerns. Payers can offer incentives like gift cards and free and discounted wellness programs at health clubs for members. Health behaviors, nutrition tracking, and other beneficial lifestyle changes can be encouraged with mobile apps. Marketers can play a vital role in creating educational content and membership strategies that enhance member healthcare outcomes, increase their engagement across all marketing channels, support quality of care initiatives, and reduce costs.

    Trend 4: Emphasis on Preventive Care and Wellness

    Marketers are playing a vital role supporting efforts by payers to reduce long-term healthcare costs and promote healthier lifestyles for members and customers. This reflects a shift in the healthcare industry to value-based care and treatment models that improve the quality, value, and the efficiency of patient care while keeping healthcare costs down. Targeted communications delivered through a mix of traditional and digital marketing channels can keep members engaged. Clear, simple, and accessible text messaging, emails, and mobile apps encourage fuller participation in wellness programs and can offer nutritional guidance.

    Payer marketers are creating strategies to encourage preventive care and early intervention to reduce incidences of chronic disease. Educational brochures and videos prevent more serious and costly health issues. Integrating AR through QR codes can provide 3-D product information and demonstrations. Marketers improve member engagement with omnichannel communications and by leveraging AI predictive models to proactively improve retention rates. These strategies identify high-risk members to improve medication adherence and empower them with personalized options to make informed decisions about their healthcare. They could include financial incentives, gift cards, and other rewards for fitness activity and nutrition goal achievement or offers of courses and self-directed programs that focus on weight loss, exercise, and good sleep patterns.

    Trend 5: Regulatory Changes

    Payer marketers continue to implement robust systems to protect patient health information (PHI) and maintain compliance with HIPAA and other federal and state regulations and legislation. It’s vital that marketers regularly update data security measures to defend against cyber threats and allocate sufficient resources to align goals with regulatory requirements. Navigating the regulatory landscape can be challenging, but it’s crucial both for organizational integrity and to protect patients and members from the criminals who want to buy and sell their information for profit.

    There are several strategies they can adopt. Building a team of healthcare law experts that can develop compliance policies, establishing and conducting PHI handling training for employees who routinely handle this information, and implementing dynamic data protection measures are important first steps. To remove human error from the equation, there are automated data handling solutions that manage documentation and have features such as audit trails and encryption to maintain data safety and confidentiality. These systems can be integrated with different applications and easily be scaled as needed to handle workflows during busy enrollment periods.

    Trend 6: Use of Social Media and Influencer Marketing

    The impact of social media as a marketing channel for payer marketers and healthcare payers has been growing as a significant means to connect with consumers, manage member interaction, and use influencer marketing to increase engagement with targeted audiences. The ability to reach specific demographic groups with relatable micro- and nano- influencers helps build trust between payers and patients. They can establish credibility and authority when presenting what are possibly complex health topics and increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and generate qualified leads.

    There are large segments of the population, particularly Gen Z and millennials, who search social media for brands and authentic content that share their values and offer relevant experiences. Marketers are incorporating social media SEO practices to enhance the effectiveness of their messaging, and to build a vibrant communities and presence on social media platforms. Payers can engage consumers on platforms like Facebook, X, and LinkedIn with direct interactions to build trust and share valuable health information that promote health services. One example of a healthcare organization embracing social media is the Mayo Clinic’s Social Media Residency Program that trains staff members how to use social media effectively within regulatory constraints and create engaging content and manage communications with patients.

    Trend 7: Integration of Telehealth Services

    Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth is changing the way patients can access care and how payers can engage with their customers for comprehensive monitoring of health conditions. It lets healthcare organizations reach underserved areas and overcome geographical and infrastructural barriers to care. It allows them to optimize the potential for more frequent interactions and to track issues like medication adherence, monitor vital signs. Healthcare professionals can provide medical advice at convenient times of day without the need for time-consuming and costly office visits. It falls to payer marketers to create digital marketing strategies that optimize SEO and social media platforms and paid ads to reach new patients when they’re searching for telemedicine options and providers.

    Marketers can proactively emphasize the advantages of telehealth for patients and implement AI-powered messaging to focus on specific patient segments. Strategies address the unique needs of different demographics across the care spectrum. They can create compelling educational content such as blog posts and articles and case studies of successful experiences to demonstrate telehealth effectiveness. Social media drip campaigns keep health organizations top-of-mind and can be developed to help people deal with flu or other disease outbreaks and understand condition- and symptom-related terms in real time.

    Trend 8: Focus on Health Equity and Inclusion

    As health systems work to extend care to underserved areas and reach marginalized individuals, payer marketers are developing campaigns that distribute information through multi-channel promotions for data-driven and community-based initiatives. Marketing strategies address disparities in health care based on economic, social, or environments factors. They’re able to leverage the outreach and impact of social media and online platforms to share health information and create multilingual high-quality print and digital content to engage diverse audiences. They emphasize services such as telehealth and local community outreach programs, sponsorships, and events like free cancer screenings and health fairs.

    Marketers establish connections between vulnerable populations and organizations by providing relevant content using data analytics to identify and address barriers to care and improve access to healthcare. They play a key role in promoting follow-up care with preventive health reminders, medication reminders and vaccine notifications. Marketers spread awareness and build trust with engagements at every touchpoint of the relationship. By segmenting and using data-driven insights, pay marketers can create personalized marketing approaches that foster a sense of individualized treatment and attention.

    Trend 9: Value-Based Care Models

    With a greater focus on value-based care models of healthcare delivery, payer marketers are developing strategies that place an emphasis on educational content that contributes to improved health outcomes and leads to lower treatment costs. Patient-centered marketing relies on a coordination and leveraging of print, digital, and social media engagements that help individuals understand the benefit of collaborating with their healthcare provider to craft more personalized and goal-oriented solutions than traditional approaches. Just as value-based care models take a holistic approach to create personalized treatment plans, marketers incorporate and integrate personalized omnichannel marketing to highlight the importance of preventative services and disease management to patients.

    Marketing campaigns centered around value-based care often use patient success stories and case studies to build trust and demonstrate effectiveness. They optimize the significance of data analytics to track patient relationships and enhance their experience with informed messaging that highlights cost savings and other benefits of these programs. With tailored messaging, marketers can leverage the data for more timely, relevant, and personalized outreach with email campaigns, patient website portals, social media apps and ads, and print media. Promoting and inviting wider participation by patients can lead to healthier behavior and lifestyle modifications and greater value for all.

    Trend 10: Omnichannel Marketing Approach

    Omnichannel strategies allow for more touchpoints between healthcare providers and patients, enabling patients to engage on multiple platforms of their choice, which in turn leads to improved access to care. Through a seamless coordination of marketing platforms and quality content, marketers can enhance and personalize the patient experience with consistent messaging and a mix of offline and online communication. An integration of multiple channels leads to wider brand awareness and enhanced patient satisfaction with information that is relevant, timely, and customized to build trust and reinforce the brand. It lets marketers reach patients at every stage of the sales and marketing funnel as well every step in their relationship with a healthcare provider.

    With a robust through-channel marketing platform line Marketing.com’s Dot™, marketers can develop cohesive omnichannel marketing strategies that both interact with patients through websites and social media and handle sensitive PHI across every marketing platform. The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio uses its website as a comprehensive resource of detailed information about conditions and treatment options, patient stories, and an online symptom checker and successfully integrates the site into omnichannel strategies for a holistic approach to patient marketing.

    By implementing these payer marketing strategies into customer and patient relationships, you can create more meaningful connections between members and healthcare organizations, contribute to improved health outcomes, and ultimately drive business growth while enhancing the overall healthcare experience for everyone. To discuss ways these trends can improve your payer marketing, contact a Marketing.com marketing expert.

  • Instore Retail Marketing: Strategies for Bridging the Gap Between Online and Instore Experiences

    Instore Retail Marketing: Strategies for Bridging the Gap Between Online and Instore Experiences

    Now that shoppers are a few years removed from the COVID pandemic, they’re settling into a new comfortable balance between online convenience and in-person shopping experiences with their favorite retailers.

    As a result, brick-and-mortar retailers are developing strategies to reach out to and interest shoppers through the marketing channels that their customers favor. Whether it’s digital, social media, or print, and regardless of where their journey begins, the ultimate goal is for it to culminate with an instore experience.

    This integrated multi-channel online/instore planning requires consistency of messaging across all channels and the ability to use AI-powered data analysis to gain valuable customer insights. Retailers can use AI to tailor messaging and product recommendations based on preferences, often in real time. Retailers should also rely on AI-solutions to manage inventory in real-time to ensure stock availability across both online and offline channels.

    One of the most appealing aspects of online/instore marketing integration is that it benefits both the retailer and the customer.

    Four Benefits of Online/Instore Marketing Integration for Retailers

    1. Seamless Shopping Experience for Customers – Retailers recognize that not every customer arrives at check out from the same point of contact. Therefore, attracting their interest requires consistency of messaging content crafted to work best on the platforms they use and optimized for search on each according to key terms and browsing history. Brick-and-mortar retailers can break down the walls between the physical and the virtual, responding to customers with a unified and smooth operation that delivers satisfaction at every contact and improves foot traffic.
    1. Increased Brand Loyalty – Offering customers more online/instore shopping integration helps retailers keep their customers happy and engaged. Lines blur between the physical location and ecommerce experiences. Stores add AR kiosks or AR mirrors to let shoppers try on items virtually in store and customers pick up on-line ordered items the same day at a physical location.  Print packaging and signage bridges digital gaps through QR codes. Online/Instore retail marketing lets retailers optimize customer data in real time, deliver useful recommendations and wider inventory choices with AR, and create a frictionless experience that builds trust and repeat business.
    1. Reduced Order Returns – When retailers offer instore pickup for items ordered online, they can dramatically reduce their shipping and reshelving costs for returned items. Customers have the opportunity to inspect and try on an item in the store and if unhappy with their selection can exchange it for another item in the store. It also lets retailers restock items for resale more quickly and helps them track inventory more accurately. Retailers can also serve as return centers for products purchased by customers online, regardless of whether it’s the retailer’s product.
    1. Increased Revenue – When retailers reach customers on the marketing platforms they frequent and create a seamless strategy of communication across more than one channel through the buying journey, they see revenue growth and more impactful engagements. According to CapitalOne Shopping Research, retailers that use 3-or-more marketing channels increase customer engagement more than 250 percent over single channel retailers. The research also reports that when consumers spend $100 online and then visit the retailer’s physical location within 15 days, they spend an additional $131. 

    Three Benefits of Online/Instore Experiences for Retail Shoppers

    1. Convenience and Flexibility – Shoppers appreciate retailers that make it easy to pick up purchases at times that suit their busy schedules and let them receive their orders faster. When they can buy online and pick up at a physical retail location, or “click-and-collect” their purchased items, they have confidence that their order will be complete and waiting for them curbside or in a designated pickup kiosk or area.  This offering can lead to increased foot traffic and upsell and cross-sell opportunities for retailers as well.
    1. Customer Confidence – One-on-one time with a retail associate in store lets shoppers get answers to questions or guidance on product use that online shopping can’t deliver. Consumers visit numerous websites, read online reviews, explore social media, or study catalogs to learn about the products they purchase, and an in-store visit can be the final event where they can physically inspect, handle, and receive guidance and product instruction.
    1. Order Security – Unfortunately, there are criminals who steal delivered packages from the front porches or doorsteps when customers are at work or away from home. Security measures like door cameras can prove theft, but the item is still gone. Instore pickup eliminates this possibility, and your customer still has the satisfaction of receiving their package quickly. Instore pickups also reduce the possibility of product damage from handling during delivery.

    Components of Online/Instore Retail Strategies

    A well strategized online/instore marketing strategy will include and integrate these elements to reach across channels and deliver shoppers to your doorstep:

    • Hyperlocalization identifies opportunities to give shoppers product availability with “near me” SEO optimization, a local touch by including maps and directions, pickup location options, availability time notifications, and geo-fenced promotions that are triggered to engage customers the moment they walk through your door.
    • AI-personalized and timed communication delivers tailored messaging to customers at the ideal moment in their shopping journey and provides shoppers with relevant information that can anticipate needs based on behaviors to increase order value and retain customers.
    • Multi-channel marketing delivers content that shoppers find helpful and reaches them on several touchpoints as they explore product options and make their purchasing decisions. This can include email-to-store promotions, social media to physical conversion, and instore digital integration.
    • AR integration into online/instore multichannel marketing enables brands to let customers preview products in 3D before arriving at the physical pickup location. Shoppers can model clothing, try out new makeup shades and inspect items in detail while retailers personalize the entire experience with in-store journey mapping and recommendations.
    • A multichannel marketing platform like Marketing.com’s DOT® that efficiently manages and optimizes customer data and coordinates all facets of digital, print, and social media communications.

    Two Customer Journeys. Same Destination

    Here’s how two customer journeys might look when retailers deploy multi-channel, multi-platform marketing strategies personalized with AI data.

    Interest Stirred

    Customer A’s interest in a product is aroused when an ad appears on her preferred social media platform. The ad is personalized to reflect her browsing history, and the content can include video and other interactive elements to spur deeper engagement and eventually lead her to the retailer’s website.

    Customer B receives a personalized direct mail postcard in his mailbox at home that has been customized using information gained from past experiences or demographic profiling with innovative variable data print technologies. The mailer has photos and graphics that reflect the household’s lifestyle, a QR code that directs to a personalized landing page, and a coupon that contains a special code that can be used either instore or on the retailer’s website for special offers.

    Search Optimized

    Customer A uses apps on her mobile device to help her visualize products and make more informed decisions. She’s embraced AR as a way to see how a product might look in her home or as a way to virtually try on clothing. Her experience and the choice of products she sees have been tailored on past search behavior and shopping preferences.

    While searching on his laptop, Customer B shares his email to join a retailer loyalty program and to receive promotional emails. Shortly thereafter, he receives a personalized email from a local retailer triggered to coordinate with discounts patterned around his search habits and profile. The emails contain links to customized landing pages with product videos or other engaging content announcing a limited, in-store promotion.

    Selection Made with Confidence

    Customer A had been a little reluctant to buy clothing and shoes online and, the few times she had, the result was disappointing. Items had to be returned. She’d also heard reports from neighbors that packages had been stolen when delivered to an empty household. Now, after using AR to find and order the items she wants on her mobile device, she’s arranged to stop at the store on her way home from work. That way she can physically inspect and try on her items knowing they will be there waiting.

    Customer B always has a hectic Wednesday after work, depositing and picking kids up at sports and music practices. Before leaving work, he goes online to place an order for a meal with a favorite local restaurant to be picked up at a time that’s convenient for him. He also knows that even though the kids are picky eaters, and his order contains special dietary instructions, there will be no misunderstandings because the order was verified by return confirmation by both text and email.

    Convenient Instore Pickup

    Customer A arrives at the retail establishment and upon entering receives a text notification with pickup location and instructions, as well as promotional offers available instore to complement her order. A strategically placed printed poster grabs her attention, and she purchases an item that she unexpectedly finds on sale at the checkout counter.

    Customer B arrives at the restaurant and finds everything ready and prepared just as requested. He picks up some beverages and an impulse dessert before heading home. The cashier places a printed menu in his take-away bag.

    Attentive Follow Up

    Customer A receives a ‘Thank You’ text shortly after getting home that also asks her to rate her experience with the retailer, who will post her comments on online review platforms. There’s also a BOGO offer created around her shopping habits that she can print or use with her mobile device. After unpacking, she notices that the retailer’s shopping bags are attractive and made from quality, sustainable materials. She sets the bag aside for future use.

    As Customer B lays out the meal, his family watches a brief video about the restaurant’s food sourcing that they access through a QR code on the menu. The customer later gets an email in his inbox from the restaurant thanking him for his patronage and sharing a coupon for 20 percent off his next purchase. A few days later he receives the same offer on a direct mail postcard.

    As you can see, there are many touchpoints along a shopper’s journey when retailers can coordinate digital and social media channels with print and use AR to enhance the experience and bring customers through their doors. Develop a strategy that is flexible and adaptable to the lifestyles of your shoppers to increase both online and instore engagement.

    Marketing.com has the experience and experts to help you create a successful online/instore multichannel marketing campaign. Contact us today.

  • New 2025 Postal Promos & How to Leverage Them

    New 2025 Postal Promos & How to Leverage Them

    The USPS announced this past September that postage rates will not increase in January 2025and introduced  a slate of new and updated cost-saving promotions and incentives that will provide opportunities to reduce postage costs throughout the year for advertisers.

    The 2025 USPS Promotions and Incentive Programs are intended to encourage innovations in First Class Mail®, USPS Marketing Mail®, and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail® letters, cards, and flats and help to mitigate rising postage rates. Since 2015, with the introduction of the Emerging Technology Promotion, these programs have increased the effectiveness of direct mail, continued to enhance customer engagement, and improved response rates and return on investment (ROI) for mailers.

    “The 2025 USPS promotions represent a powerful tool for businesses looking to enhance their direct mail marketing efforts,” explains Janice Maraj, Director of Postal Affairs for Marketing.com. “By leveraging these initiatives and following best practices, businesses can unlock new levels of engagement and ultimately drive growth.”

    2025 USPS Primary and Add-On Programs

    In 2025, promotions will fall under two categories: Primary and Add-on. Primary promotions offer stand-alone discounts, while two add-on promotions provide extra discounts of up to 1 percent each when combined with primary promotions.

    One important change in the new year will be the way discounts are applied. In 2025, all per-piece discounts will be determined before calculating promotional discounts. Only one primary promotion discount for USPS Marketing Mail® can be applied even if the piece has other qualifying technologies or print treatments. Mailers may achieve additional discounts by qualifying for add-on promotions that stack on primary promotions, with the exception of the Reply Mail IMbA® Promotion. Add-ons are a new feature to USPS 2025 Mailing Promotions and give businesses opportunities to increase their discounts by up to 2 percent when paired with primary promotions.

    The 2025 USPS Primary Promotions are:

    Integrated Technology Promotion—Previously called Emerging and Advanced Technology, this promotion will have a flexible schedule and give businesses the ability to select their own start date from which USPS Marketing Mail® and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail® campaigns must run for up to six consecutive months.

    It offers 8 ways to build a new mail experience for customers by incorporating digital technologies, including Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), Virtual Reality (VR), Integration with Voice Assistant, Video in Print Technology, near-Field Communication (NFC), Mobile Shopping, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

    Mailers must include corresponding technology triggers with directional copy that enhances the purpose of the mail piece. Registration begins November 20, 2024, and the promotion offers a 3 percent discount each month for six months from the start date.

    Tactile, Sensory & Interactive Promotion – This promotion encourages USPS Marketing Mail® and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail® mailers to incorporate new developments in paper textures and paper stocks, substrates, finishing techniques, and specialty inks into their mailpieces to excite customers with multi-sensory experiences. It rewards businesses that apply sensory treatments to provide innovative elements of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch either on the mailing envelope or envelope contents.

    These include sending stock  textured through embossing, foil stamping, using tactile coatings, or adding visual effects with holographic treatments and colors that change with exposure to light and temperatures. Specialty coatings can provide unique aromas to engage through scents and three-dimensional elements created by pop-ups, intricate folds, and die-cutting engage add interactivity. This promotion offers a 4 percent discount for qualified mailers, and runs from February 1, 2025 to July 31, 2025. Businesses can begin registration on December 15, 2024.

    Continuous Contact Promotion – This USPS 2025 promotion rewards businesses for engaging customers at multiple touchpoints throughout the buyer journey using mailpieces that build upon, but not duplicate, previous mailings to the same address. Although there is no discount for the first mailing in the series, each subsequent mailer will receive a 3 percent discount. The content of the follow-up mailers must not be identical yet still related to the first piece and every piece must be sent during the Continuous Contact promotion period.  

    Businesses must claim the discount via a Component Characteristic Record (CCR) code placed on the first mailing, even though no discount applies, and printed on all mailings after that, which will receive the discount at the time of mailing. Mailing pieces must be pre-approved through the USPS Promotions Portal. Any deviations from approved mailers with not receive a discount. Businesses can register for the promotion beginning February 15, 2025, from April 1 to December 31, 2025.

    Reply Mail IMbA® Promotion – This promotion offers businesses a way to receive either a three percent or six percent discount by adopting Intelligent Mail® barcode Accounting® (IMbA®), Qualified Business Reply Mail™ (QBRM™) and High Volume QBRM™ payment and delivery efficiencies.

    Properly barcoded and designed return mail can reduce processing times. A static barcode provides a 3 percent discount and offers basic tracking capabilities, is easy to implement, and contains the same data across multiple mail pieces. A serialized bar code that offers a 6 percent discount is unique for each and contains data that enhances tracking performance and capabilities and is used for targeted campaigns requiring more exact response rate information.

    Enrollment begins May 15, 2025, and the promotion runs from July 1 to December 31, 2025. Mailers must receive pre-approval and will not receive any add-on promotions discounts, although the outbound mailing that distributes the QBRM pieces is eligible if it meets the requirements for other promotions. Discounts are claimed at the time of mailing.

    First-Class Mail® Advertising Promotion – When businesses include advertising on First-Class Mail® invoices and credit card and financial documents, or send standalone advertisements to their customers using First Class mailpieces, this USPS 2025 postal promotion provides a three percent discount. It helps them unlock opportunities to promote new products and services with mail that is delivered faster than other mailing options, is reliable, and has higher open and engagement rates than bulk or marketing mail.

    Various marketing messages, including discount offers, limited time offers, new product introductions, loyalty reward outreach, invitations to events, and personalized offers, are acceptable. Mail pieces must be pre-approved to qualify for the 3 percent discount and past acceptance/approval in a prior year does not guarantee acceptance for the 2025 First-Class Mail® Advertising Promotion. Registration opens on July 15, 2025, and the promotion runs from September 1 to December 31.

    The 2025 USPS Add-On Promotions are:

    Informed Delivery Add-On Promotion—This add-on allows businesses to create interactive campaigns that reach customers through regular mail and digital channels. It provides a 1 percent discount for each mailpiece. To further streamline USPS operational efficiency, it also gives businesses that submit postage statements and other documents using the eDoc Postage Statement Submitter an additional 0.5% discount. It will be available throughout the entire 2025 calendar year.

    Sustainability Add-On Promotion – This add-on promotion is intended to reward businesses for meeting certain sustainability certifications from recognized entities such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These certifications confirm environmentally friendly print practices. The Sustainability add-on encourages the use of paper and stocks that are responsibly sourced and produced. Businesses must upload proof of certification to receive the 1 percent discount offered by this promotion. It will be available throughout the entire 2025 calendar year.

    Layering Strategies to Maximize 2025 USPS Postal Promotions

    According to various marketing reports, using USPS promotions for direct mail can lead to a positive response rate ranging from 2.7% to 4.4% on average. Many marketers report response rates above 3% for mailing campaigns that take advantage of the promotions, signifying a significant potential for positive engagement with targeted mailings. 

    As a result of the scheduling of 2025 USPS postal promotions throughout the calendar year, businesses have opportunities to increase engagement and realize savings with a strategy that stacks and layers the promotions to provide the highest discounts available each month. Remember that it’s only possible to receive a discount from one USPS Marketing Mail® and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail® primary promotion at a time. The Informed Delivery and Sustainability add-on promotions can be added to every primary promotion, except the Reply Mail IMbA® Promotion, to give businesses 2 percent postal discounts all year long (plus receive a 0.5 percent discount for Informed Delivery eDoc submitters). Companies can receive discounts from both the First-Class Mail Advertising Promotion and Continuous Contact Promotion simultaneously in 2025.

    Businesses should be aware of the registration periods to ensure that mailpieces comply with the USPS requirements for the primary promotions. Close collaboration with mailing partners and mail fulfillment centers can help plan, design, and incorporate emerging technologies and personalized content into mailing campaigns. Professional print centers have the ability to deliver discounts and create envelopes and mailers that enhance the customer engagement experience.

    While there may not be a one-strategy-fits-all solution for every business to get the biggest discounts throughout the year, here’s one way a business could adopt USPS postal promotions to take advantage of the savings they offer all year long.

    • Register for the Integrated Technology Promotion as early as November 20, 2024 to start 2025 with this promotion that offers a 3 percent discount. Layer it with both the Informed Delivery and Sustainability add-on promotions to receive an additional 2 percent discount for 6 consecutive months. Total monthly discount is 5 percent (plus 0.5 percent for eDoc submitters).
    • Continue with Integrated Technology Promotion for up to 6 months, or on February 1, 2025 begin claiming discounts using the Tactile, Sensory & Interactive promotion (registration begins December 15, 2024). Until July 31, 2025 businesses can receive the promotion’s 4 percent discount as well as another 2 percent for layered add-ons. Total monthly discount with add-ons through end of promotion 6 percent.
    • On April 1, 2025 (registration begins February 15, 2025), businesses have the option of continuing the Integrated Technology promotion until 6 months have elapsed, running the Tactile, Sensory & Interactive promotion until the end of July, or switching the primary promotion to Continuous Contact for Marketing Mail that can run until the end of the year. This promotion offers businesses a 3 percent discount (plus 2 percent using both add-ons) for 9 months.
    • On July 1, 2025, business that incorporate reply mail in their mailings can switch to the Reply Mail IMbA® postal promotion (registration begins May 15, 2025) to receive either the 3 percent discount for static barcodes or 6 percent when deploying a serialized bar code. This promotion cannot be combined with add-on promotions, so unless the business is using serialized bar codes, it offers the lowest discount of all of the 2025 USPS postal promotions. It runs until the end of the year.
    • Beginning September 1, 2025 (registration begins July 15, 2025), businesses can begin receiving discounts with the First-Class Mail® Advertising Promotion for all First-Class letters, cards, and flats containing approved advertising content. Businesses receive a 3 percent discount, plus add-on discounts if used. It can run concurrently with the Continuous Contact promotions on USPS Marketing Mail® and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail® until the end of the year.

    Each 2025 USPS postal promotion requires enrollment and has its own pre-approval process, design elements, and messaging constraints that must be met to prevent mailers from being deemed ineligible. Businesses should also continuously monitor the USPS promotions because as these promotions evolve, the USPS reserves the right to adjust the sample process.

    Working with an experienced direct mail and marketing mail fulfillment partner helps businesses take advantage of the financial incentives offered by the 2025 USPS Postal Promotions. Marketing.com helps businesses adopt the latest print technologies that enhance customer engagement and streamline strategies to get maximum savings out of every mailer. Contact us today with your questions, and get ready to cut your mailing costs in 2025.

  • 7 Ways to Boost the Effectiveness of Your Print Marketing Collateral

    7 Ways to Boost the Effectiveness of Your Print Marketing Collateral

    Print marketing is far from obsolete. When executed thoughtfully, it can create a lasting tactile impression that digital mediums cannot touch. To truly make an impact, your print collateral needs to stand out, engage, and connect with your audience. Here are some key strategies to enhance your print marketing effectiveness for deeper engagements with your audience.

    1. Embrace Sustainability

    Sustainability is not just a trend; it’s a responsibility. More and more consumers are making purchasing decisions based on a company’s environmental practices. According to a Nielsen report, 73% of global consumers say they would “definitely” or “probably” change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact. Integrating sustainable practices into your print marketing can significantly boost your brand’s appeal. Position your business as a leader in sustainable practices by utilizing vendors with eco-friendly printing processes and options that align your brand with environmental responsibility:

    • Use Recycled Materials: Opt for print partners that offer recycled paper and soy-based inks. These choices reduce your environmental footprint and resonate well with eco-conscious consumers. Recycled paper offers a high-quality finished product. Soy-based inks are a renewable resource that reduces harmful VOC emissions.
    • Certifications Matter: Look for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper to ensure your materials come from responsibly managed forests. FSC certification is recognized globally as a mark of responsible forestry, assuring your audience that your brand is committed to sustainability.

    Consumer demand is dictating that products and packaging be made from environmentally friendly, sustainable, and recyclable materials. When your company invests in producing marketing collateral that protects natural resources and contributes to a greener planet, you’ll be letting your customers know that their concerns matter. 

    2. Experiment with Unique Folds and Finishes

    Printed material engages not only with visual design, but also connects with consumers through the sense of touch. Use unique folds and specialty finishes to elevate your marketing piece by establishing quick emotional attachments and the full attention of your audience.

    • Innovative Folds: Techniques such as gatefolds, accordion folds, tip-ons and pop-ups can capture attention and encourage interaction. With the help of Marketing.com’s efficient equipment, we can fold, convert, glue, tip-on and finish in a single pass!
    • Special Finishes: Embossing, debossing, foil stamping, and spot UV coating add a premium feel to your print materials, enhancing perceived value. Embossing and debossing create a raised or recessed effect, adding texture and depth. Foil stamping adds a metallic sheen that catches the light, making your design stand out. Spot UV coating applies a finish to specific areas, creating a contrast with the background and drawing attention to key elements. Adding elements such as soft-touch or lamination provide another tactile feature, enhancing interaction with your piece.
    • Die Cut: A versatile technique that involves cutting materials into custom shapes and designs using a steel cutting die. This process can create intricate and unique designs that make your marketing collateral stand out. Die cutting can enhance the visual appeal of your materials by creating intricate patterns, unique edges, or layered effects. 

    3. Utilize Direct Mail Campaigns

    Direct mail remains a powerful and effective strategy for engaging prospects and customers, driving website traffic, and enhancing marketing efforts throughout the customer journey. With 71% of consumers eagerly anticipating their daily mail, its relevance is undeniable. Here’s how businesses can leverage direct mail:

    • Acquisition: Direct mail is particularly effective in converting prospects into customers. By understanding buyer personas, both B2B and B2C companies can use actionable consumer data to identify and segment audiences. This targeted approach ensures that direct mail pieces offer real value, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
    • Loyalty: Direct mail fosters customer trust and builds loyal communities of repeat customers. It establishes brand familiarity and, with interactive print innovations like QR codes, can deliver personalized incentives based on customer habits and experiences.
    • Remarketing: Direct mail is an efficient method for retargeting and reengaging audiences. Businesses can automate their direct mail campaigns to send timely reminders, keeping their brand top-of-mind while the initial experience is still fresh.
    • Expanded Audiences: With a clear understanding of their target customers, businesses can leverage machine learning and customer data optimization through platforms like GoogleAds and Facebook Advertising. This approach creates lookalike audiences that share traits and behaviors with existing customers, leading to more relevant and effective ad targeting. The result is a greater ROI, improved cost-per-click (CPC), and an expanded customer base.

    4. Personalization and Variable Data Printing

    Personalization is key to making your audience feel valued. Variable Data Printing (VDP) allows you to customize each piece of collateral with unique information tailored to the recipient. Combined with print on demand (POD), you experience the benefit of adding variable elements to your marketing material and printing the items as needed. From a basic personalization of a recipient’s name to utilizing data about likes, past purchases, or interactions with your company, the personalization options are endless.

    • Tailored Messages: Personalized messages can improve response rates significantly. For example, including the recipient’s name or customized offers based on their past behavior can create a more personal connection. According to a study by Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences.
    • Segmented Campaigns: Use VDP to segment your audience and create different versions of your collateral, ensuring each group receives the most relevant information. Segmentation can be based on demographics, purchase history, or other criteria, allowing you to target your messaging more effectively.

    5. Explore Fun Packaging Ideas with Custom Mailer Boxes

    Are you looking for an easy way to leave a lasting impression on your audience? A custom mailer box is the perfect solution. The most innovative brands are leveraging custom mailer boxes to set themselves apart throughout the customer journey. Custom mailer boxes are a powerful marketing tool that can:

    • Create a memorable unboxing experience. Use custom mailer boxes for influencer marketing to make a strong impression with influencers who unbox your products.
    • Showcase your brand’s identity and distinguish your products on the shelves and in the mail with unique and custom boxes.
    • Engage your audience with a unique, tangible piece.

    6. Integrate Print and Digital Through Interactivity

    Capture the attention of your customers with printed marketing collateral that includes an interactive element like a QR code that bridges the gap between print and digital. When scanned, your print materials take customers through memorable and immersive experiences that can include augmented reality (AR), video, and animation, and introduce them to a wide range of product content, discount codes, and tutorials. Research shows that interactive content is more effective at grabbing an audience’s attention than static content; 88% of marketers reveal that interactive content is more effective in differentiating their brand from the competition.

    Adding interactive elements also provides measurement and analytics that static print content does not. Tracking customer interactions initiated through print content connectivity helps you uncover their preferences and behavior and provides a clear look at where marketing promotions are successful and where improvements can be made for better engagement.

    7. Effective Use of Multi-Channel Marketing

    It should come as no surprise that the most effective marketing campaigns work together seamlessly and are coordinated across print and digital channels. Your print collateral should be part of a cohesive marketing strategy that spans multiple channels to create a unified brand experience for your audience.

    The best way to manage and piece together every facet of your print and marketing campaigns is with a customizable multi-channel marketing platform. A fully integrated platform lets you prepare assets, streamline workflows, and provide up-to-date data analytic capabilities all through one user-friendly dashboard. The ideal platform will let you manage print jobs remotely, organize and access files easily, and improve collaboration and communication across marketing teams. 

    Keeping your print marketing collateral fresh and exciting requires keeping your messaging consistent and constantly adjusting to the preferences of your customers. Technologies and innovative print techniques give you better ways to create and manage content that motivates your customers and engages them at every stage of your relationship.

    As you explore these options, remember that the goal is to create a meaningful connection with your audience that extends beyond the printed piece. Want to dive deeper into any of these strategies? Contact a Marketing.com print marketing expert today to learn more about how we can help you connect the dots to build stronger relationships with your audience.