Client: University of Rhode Island (URI)
Industry: Academia
Services Provided: Direct Mail Production, Postal Strategy Optimization

Client Profile:
The University of Rhode Island is a leading academic institution with a diverse range of programs and a strong focus on student outreach, fundraising, and community engagement. They rely on targeted direct mail campaigns to connect with alumni, prospective students, and donors.

Challenge:
In one of URI’s annual campaigns, they were sending a direct mail piece that was just slightly oversized, pushing it into the more expensive “flat” mailing category instead of the “letter” category. This size difference, though minimal, resulted in significantly higher postage costs. URI needed to streamline their costs while maintaining the effectiveness of the campaign.

Solution:
Signature Printing, led by Steve Cronin and Tara Flanagan, recognized this opportunity for optimization and immediately proposed a cost-saving solution. By reducing the size of the mail piece by just an eighth of an inch, Signature Printing was able to reclassify it as a letter-size piece, saving URI approximately $2,000 in postage costs. Additionally, this size reduction allowed the mail to move more quickly through the postal system, expediting delivery and further enhancing the efficiency of the campaign.

Key Results:

• Postage Savings: Signature Printing’s quick thinking saved URI about $2,000 in postage by resizing the mail piece to fit within the letter-size category.
• Increased Mailing Speed: The shift from a flat piece to a letter-sized piece enabled faster mailing, allowing URI to reach its audience more quickly.
• Collaborative Partnership: Signature Printing’s proactive approach, offering this solution before production began, highlighted their commitment to working closely with clients to meet both budgetary and campaign goals.

Bonus Program: Informed Delivery Campaign

In addition to the URI mailing campaign, Steve Cronin worked with one of Signature’s largest clients to leverage the USPS’s Informed Delivery Program. This initiative provides mail recipients with digital previews of their mail and offers businesses a chance to include interactive ads, increasing brand visibility.

Key Highlights of the Program:

• Postage Savings: In the first year, Steve’s client saved over $7,000 in postage through the Informed Delivery program. This year, the program has expanded, offering a 4% postage discount over a four-month period, doubling the previous year’s savings opportunity.
• Enhanced Campaign Tracking: The program allows businesses to gather valuable data on customer interactions with their direct mail, including how long recipients view the pieces and engagement levels with embedded ads. This data enables companies to refine their marketing strategies for greater impact and ROI.

Conclusion:
Signature Printing’s combination of deep postal knowledge and a client-first approach resulted in significant savings for URI and other clients while maintaining campaign effectiveness. By listening closely to their customers’ needs and offering strategic solutions, Signature Printing ensures that each campaign is as cost-effective and impactful as possible.

Signature’s comprehensive service offering—from print production to postal strategy—sets them apart as true partners in their clients’ success.

If you’re looking to optimize your next direct mail campaign, Steve and Tara are ready to collaborate with you, whether in person or virtually, to ensure your project is executed with the highest quality and efficiency.