Postal Roundup

mailbox

National Postal Forum is Back After a two-year COVID break and a smaller in-person iteration last year in Phoenix, the National Postal Forum (NPF) was back to its full size and energy level when we gathered in Charlotte, NC at the end of May. There were more than 4,300 attendees and nearly 900 companies exhibiting […]

How to Leverage Your Postage Spend and Drive Best Results with Direct Mail

Couple Returning Home Together

If there’s one thing my colleague Michelle Fuchs and I agree on, it’s that direct mail needs to be part of any successful marketing campaign. As we move into 2023, I want to share a few thoughts on how marketers can best take advantage of direct mail to drive better results for their campaigns, along […]

Household Diary Study Results Show Direct Mail Works!

Woman collecting mail from mailbox

I must confess—I am one of those “Mail Geeks” you see on LinkedIn, proclaiming the glories of advertising with direct mail every chance I get! So, when my colleague shared the USPS Household Diary Study (HDS) 2021 Annual Report with me, I began to read it with the same enthusiasm most have for the latest […]

The USPS and IWCO Direct: Delivering Joy This Holiday Season

IWCO Direct is proud to partner with the USPS to make the holidays shine for children in need. Would you or your organization like to join our efforts by adopting a child’s letter to Santa? Keep reading to learn how we support Operation Santa®. The USPS historically has received thousands of letters from children who believe […]

Postal Service Announces January Postage Pricing and Upcoming Mailing Promotions

person removing newspaper from mailbox

On October 7, the Postal Service filed its proposal to adjust postage pricing for Market Dominant products in January 2023 with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The PRC has 45 days to review the proposal, so we should know their decision on whether to approve the proposal just before Thanksgiving.  The effective date for the new postage […]

IWCO Direct Presents Live at NPF “Direct Mail: The Key to Marketing Success”

NPF conference promo

Wow! Who would have thought when the postal community gathered in May 2019 for the National Postal Forum (NPF) in Indianapolis that it would be three long years before our community could get together in-person again? That’s why this admitted “postal geek” is so eager to reconnect with his mailing industry friends at this year’s National […]

Postal Reform Becomes Law as USPS Announces 2022 Postage Rate Increase

Person grabbing mail from mailbox

March and April have been eventful months for the mailing industry and marketers. The President has signed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 into law. The Postal Service also filed a proposal for a 2022 postage rate increase with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), with rates set to increase in July. Postal Service Reform […]

Digital Commingling: The Next Step in Postage Optimization

Postage optimization process

Optimizing postage spend is built into IWCO Direct’s DNA. In our announcement last week on the addition of seven new HP digital presses we discussed how our new equipment will drive shorter production cycles with less time from data to delivery for our clients. Another benefit this expansion of our industry-leading digital print platform offers is the […]

To the USPS: Focus on Mail Volume Growth, Not Postage Rate Increases

assortment of stamps

After the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) released its 10-year strategic plan, Delivering for America, I shared my thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of the plan. Two of my largest concerns were the limited focus on growing mail volume and the plan’s reliance on price increases to drive financial stability. Since the plan was released, the USPS has […]

USPS Promotions are Becoming More Important Than Ever

man using smart phone at cafe

With a significant postage rate increase on the horizon, the postage discounts that can be earned from participating in USPS promotions have become increasingly important to many marketers. As an added bonus, these promotions encourage marketing techniques that can make the direct mail portion of multichannel campaigns more relevant and engaging for the recipients, driving higher response […]