Direct Mail Printers vs Mail Houses

Running a successful direct mail campaign requires more than an idea and a mailing list. To get your campaign into the mailboxes of prospects it takes graphic design, a curated mailing list, a quality printer, and a marketing strategy to tie it all together. Then you need a way to track and measure it all to know what worked and what needs improvement.

As a business, handling everything it takes to get a direct mail campaign off the ground can be overwhelming. Luckily, you can choose from several business partners to get the job done, including direct mail printers and mail houses. While it’s true that most direct mail printers offer some mailing house services, and most mail houses offer printing services, that doesn’t mean they are equal.

So, is there an advantage to choosing one over the other? Yes, there are several and we’re going to talk about the top four reasons you should partner with a full-service mail house for your next direct mail campaign.

Why You Should (Almost) Always Choose a Mailing House

Exactly what is a mail house? A mail house, or mailing house, acts as a one-stop-shop for all your direct mail needs. They print your materials, handle the mailing process through the United States Postal Service (USPS), obtain viable mailing lists for your campaign, and track campaign results. In many ways, mail houses become a temporary team member, helping your company execute on your direct mail campaign ideas.

A direct mail printer may offer services that appear similar at first, but in reality, their expertise centers on the printing process. While having quality printed materials is important, it means very little if you can’t get those materials in front of the right people. On the other hand, a mailing house not only prints your materials, but has expertise where it matters most – getting your campaign into the homes of prospects.

Mail houses have industry-tested strategies and tactics designed to make your direct mail campaigns successful. When you add it all together, it’s easy to see why mailing houses are usually the best option for businesses. Still not convinced that mail houses are the best choice? Let’s look at some of the specific ways they excel compared to direct mail printers.

Direct Mail Automation

One of the key benefits of working with a mail house is direct mail automation. This streamlines and automates some of the more tedious aspects of your direct mail campaign. The end result is a hassle-free experience with no time wasted on the logistics of mailing thousands of pieces of mail. It also reduces the cost of direct mail campaigns, stretching your marketing dollar.

Better Mailing Lists

Another advantage of working with a mailing house is having access to, and help with, mailing lists. Experts agree that direct mail is a viable part of a multichannel marketing strategy but it only works if your mail ends up in the right hands. This requires a good list but you also have to understand mailing list options and select the best one for your campaign. A mailing house has a great deal of experience with lists and can help you make choices that set the stage for a successful campaign.

USPS Address Verification

Mailing houses help ensure that you’re sending mail to updated and accurate addresses by verifying them through the USPS address verification system. This helps your campaign materials get to the right people, but it also saves postage and printing cost by reducing the risk of undeliverable mail. Direct mail printers generally have less experience with this, so you may spend money sending your campaign materials to bad addresses.

Optimized Campaigns

Mail houses have specialized knowledge and experience tracking and measuring the success of direct mail campaigns. This means you don’t need to have a direct mail expert on your team to leverage direct mail in your marketing efforts. The right mailing house can help you launch, optimize and evaluate the success of your campaign. They can even confirm delivery and help mitigate postage price fluctuations by finding ways to reduce costs, such as bulk mail discounts.

While a direct mail printer may have considerable printing knowledge, they may not have all the tools you need for your campaign to be a success. This makes choosing a mailing house a smart decision for your business, especially if you have a small marketing team, limited direct-mail experience and are budget-conscious. Not only will a mailing house print your campaign materials, but they can also deliver those materials to high-value prospects and offer insight and guidance along the way.

Full Service Mail House

One Stop Mail is more than just your average mail house- we are a direct mail marketing partner. The experts at our full service mail house are here to help with your direct mail campaign from start to finish. We will help you find the right mailing list to meet your goals, create customized direct mail designs, personalize your mailers with variable data printing, and mail your pieces in an efficient and timely manner.

If you have questions about direct mail campaigns, how to leverage the services of a mailing house, or how One Stop Mail can help improve your campaigns, call (602) 233-3003 or drop us a line today.