We all know that mass mailers are an effective way to advertise, but the cost of getting into all those mailboxes can be staggering! What’s a small gym owner to do?
First of all, let’s take a look at what NOT to do. DON’T BUY A MAILING LIST. They are almost always too expensive. Say you wanted to purchase a mailing list so you could send a mail piece to every home within a 5-mile radius of your gym. Depending on where your gym is located, a list like this could easily cost well over $1,000! Keep in mind that doesn’t include the costs of printing or postage – that’s just the mailing list!
The second thing NOT to do is DON’T SEND LETTERS. Send postcards instead. Very rarely would you want to send letters out bulk mail to a lot of recipients. Why not? The postage on a letter is 14¢ more than the postage on a postcard. Add the cost of the envelope and you’re spending about 15¢ more per envelope vs. postcards. Multiply that cost difference by thousands of recipients and soon you’re talking about real dollars!
So what are some secrets to saving money on mailings?
The first thing is to decide who your audience will be. Are you mailing to everybody in town or just to people you have identified as good leads (prospects)?
Consider using the bulk postcard mail services of the United States Postal Service. They wrote the book on bulk mailing, and they can help you reduce costs. Some USPS links you may find useful are:
www.usps.com
http://www.usps.com/directmail/welcome.htm
http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/
Another suggestion is to utilize the services of a print shop. A good print shop can produce postcards for you at a great price by using a ‘press’ rather than a regular photocopier. What’s the difference? A lot of money saved! We’ve found full-color, glossy single-sided postcards for less than 6¢ each (size 4.25 x 5.5). By using a ‘press’ instead of a photocopier, the price drops significantly.
When choosing a printer, be sure to ask them if they have a bulk mail permit for customer use. Why? To save money! Bulk mail permits must be purchased from the USPS, and the cost can be tough for the small gym to handle. Your print shop may let you use their permit if you do other business with them – saving you money.
Of course, one of the most effective ways to get into a lot of mailboxes is through coupon books or postcard packets. Different companies offer these around the country, and prices vary widely. Be sure to shop around! The best price we’ve seen is 1.2¢ per piece, which includes full-color design, printing and mailing. While this option is inexpensive, the drawback is that your ad is included in a pile of ads from other companies.
There are also some direct mail companies out there that can handle your mass mailing needs and greatly simplify the process.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to mass mailing and advertising through the mail. Hopefully these few suggestions will help you save money and increase membership!
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