Due to the projected winter storm that is expected to impact the East Coast, we wanted to alert
everyone that we may experience delays in mail transport. The weather may impact projects scheduled to be picked up on Friday, 1/23, to drop on Tuesday, 1/27, and for Monday, 1/26 pick-ups. We will be monitoring the situation closely over the weekend and will keep you informed of any changes.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Good news! The US Postal Service recently announced it will not raise postage rates in January 2026.
Now is the perfect time to squeeze even more value from your postage budget before the expected price increases in mid-2026.
The postage savings experts at MailSmart Logistics have always provided mailers with consistent, predictable mail delivery at a significantly lower cost, and now we’re offering a new, 3-step strategy to maximize your savings even more.
By entering mail deeper into the USPS system and closer to recipients, you save on postage by taking advantage of USPS “workshare discounts”. You also keep your delivery timing predictable, so your mail arrives when you expect it to. We will help you prepare your campaigns for SCF (Sectional Center Facility) entry to maximize savings.
If you’re already delivering mail to an SCF, we can help you earn extra postage discounts by following USPS rules for how trays or pallets are organized. Now you’re adding savings on top of your targeted entry workshare discounts.
Combine eligible USPS Promotions discounts like Informed Delivery®, Tactile/Sensory/Interactive, Mobile Shopping, Earned Value, and Catalog Insights to offset rates AND make your direct mail more engaging, which could help boost year-end fundraising and Q1 membership renewals mailing results.
MailSmart Logistics’ new 3-Step Postage Savings Strategy combines the very best SCF discounts with the optimal mix of USPS Promotions that make sense for your mailings. And we’ll make it easy for you.
At MailSmart Logistics, we’re constantly looking for ways to save our clients’ money on postage and offer consistent, predictable mail delivery. And now, we’re excited to offer a new innovative solution designed to mitigate the impacts of this year’s USPS workshare discount changes.
We also continue to offer traditional commingling and drop shipping services. We have everything you need to get your mail delivered on time at the lowest possible postage rate, and we handle all the details.
We manage the mail for over 1,000 organizations nationwide and look forward to working with you!
Get a quick, no-obligation estimate of your 3-Step Postage Savings Plan for 2026! We’re ready to analyze your program and provide a customized proposal to maximize your savings.
MailSmart Logistics is thrilled to welcome Jacquie Verish to our team as our new Client Services Account Manager. With nearly two decades of experience managing large-scale direct mail campaigns, Jacquie brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for delivering results.
Since 2008, Jacquie has overseen national direct mail programs involving up to 20 million mail pieces annually. She’s managed everything from design to budget to production to postal logistics optimization, which makes her an invaluable addition to our team.
Jacquie has also successfully led kit fulfillment projects for colleges and universities, creating memorable admitted student packages and graduation kits. Her ability to manage the end-to-end sales and processing of complex print and mail projects for a diverse client base allows her to understand and anticipate our clients’ needs.
When she’s not orchestrating complex mail campaigns, Jacquie enjoys an active and flavorful life. She loves playing pickleball, baking chocolate chip cookies, and making meatballs from her great-great-grandmother’s family recipe, which originated in Calabria, Italy. Jacquie is also a dedicated volunteer with her local Lions Club, where she helps organize several community events, including the Meal & Presents program for families in need.
Please join us in giving Jacquie a warm MailSmart Logistics welcome. We’re excited for the expertise, energy, and heart she brings to our clients and our team
Please download the chart and print out as many copies as you need for easy reference. Some clients find it helpful to place a copy in each job folder, while others prefer displaying them on their walls or bulletin boards.
Did you know that you can take advantage of additional postage savings ranging from 3% to 6% by participating in USPS promotions?
Let us help you identify the most beneficial promotions and seamlessly implement them into your direct mail program. We’re here to make it easy!
MailSmart Logistics and the PMG Family are excited to share that Chris Bast’s role has been expanded to full-time Transportation Coordinator!
Chris plays a vital role in quality control, providing assurance that client mailings are processed as scheduled.
Chris has been supporting the team’s postal logistics transportation operations for 7 years in a part-time capacity, and we look forward to an even greater contribution to MailsSmart Logistics’ smooth and efficient operations in his expanded role.
Congrats Chris!
This week, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers released the new postage rates that will take effect starting January 21, 2024. The new rates proposed by the USPS are currently awaiting Postal Regulatory Commission approval. Approval is just a matter of time based on past rate increases.
The expected increases are in the 1-3% range overall, depending on the type of mail. You can find current and proposed rates by clicking here.
At MailSmart Logistics, we advocate for our clients every day. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on postal savings opportunities. If you have January mailings planned, please note these cutoff dates for the current rates:
MailSmart Logistics is a proud Corporate Sponsor of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, a grassroots organization of nonprofits working to preserve affordable, reliable U.S. Mail so our Nation’s nonprofits can continue to fulfill their vital missions.
Got questions? Contact your MSL representative. We are standing by to help in any way that we can.
This May, the National Postal Forum (NPF) was held in Charlotte, North Carolina and PMG and MailSmart Logistics representatives were on hand to engage with their fellow industry experts. The NPF partners with the USPS to produce this event each year which brings together the mailing industry for a one-of-a-kind educational and networking experience. This year’s NPF theme was “Delivery for America” which is also the name and theme of the USPS’s 10-year transformational plan that was published in 2021 and focuses on changing and adapting to the future.
Collaborative sessions were led by industry experts and USPS employees. PMG’s Leigh Ann Doyle attended several sessions on topics including direct mail in a digital world, USPS promotions, the supply chain, the “perfect address”, industry trends, and more! Here are our top takeaways from the NPF:
The NPF was a great experience and we look forward to next year’s event in Indianapolis! In the meantime, please reach out to your MailSmart Logistics representative for any additional information on omnichannel marketing solutions, innovative formats and postal savings opportunities.
It is time to prepare for impacts to your mailings scheduled for summer and fall. The USPS rates go into effect on July 9, 2023. To view the updated USPS Rate Chart, please click here.
The increases are substantial and we strongly urge you to take advantage of the discounts offered by the USPS Promotions and Incentives Programs. Looking to next year, the 2024 USPS Promotions were also approved and all promotions will be returning.
2023 Promotions and Incentive Programs:
Be sure to work closely with your mail service provider, agency, or production partner to assist you with the implementation process for all these promotions. Please note, you can only participate in one promotion at a time per campaign. However, there is one caveat, the Reply Mail IMbA promotion because it applies to incoming mail rather than outgoing mail.
As always, MailSmart Logistics stands ready to help you get the absolute best rates possible by utilizing commingling, drop shipping, or a combination of the two. We analyze every mailing for our clients to determine the most cost-effective delivery strategy to help you meet your delivery and budget goals.
Please let us know if we can answer any questions or assist in any way. Feel free to reach out to your representative or drop us a line below and we’ll get in touch with you.
Three USPS Promotions offer mailers potential postage savings and a great opportunity to mitigate the upcoming postage increase.
1) The Emerging Technology promotion began on May 1st and continues through November 30th. This promotion provides up to a 3% or 4% postage discount depending on the technology used.
The Emerging Tech promotion now includes Mobile Shopping so utilizing a QR code is one way to implement this! If you add a QR code to your mailing that directs to a mobile-optimized donation page you can qualify for up to a 3% discount. The mail piece must also include a return envelope to respond or a thank you must be sent via the mail.
2) Registration opened on May 15th for the next promotion, Reply Mail IMbA which begins July 1st and runs through December 31st, 2023. This is a two-tiered discount being offered for Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM). Mailers can receive a 3% postage discount for using a static barcode (one barcode applied to all reply envelopes within one mailing), or receive a 6% postage discount using a serialized barcode (a unique barcode applied to each reply envelope within one mailing.)
There are two types of BRM accounts that qualify for this promotion, Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) and High Volume QBRM. Here are the steps you must take to prepare for this promotion according to the USPS Promotion guidebook:
For Mailers who already have QBRM but not enrolled in IMbA, you must:
For Mailers who have QBRM and IMbA setup already you must:
For mailers who have not used QBRM before, you must:
3) On June 15th, registration opens for the Informed Delivery Promotion. Receive up to a 4% discount on postage by pairing a digital, clickable ride-along image and an optional representative image with your mail campaign. This promotion will run from August 1st through December 31st, 2023.
Be sure to work closely with your mail service provider, agency, or production partner to assist you with the implementation process.
As for the next postage increase expected to begin on July 9th, the PRC (Postal Regulatory Commission) has not yet approved the new increases but is expected to in the next few weeks.
Stay tuned for our next PMG Postal Update which will include more information and guidance on the upcoming postage increase, along with our recap and insights from the National Postal Forum (May 21st-24th).
There are two promotions that just began February 1 and run until July 31. We believe the most advantageous choice for nonprofits and commercial mailers is the Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive promotion. Mailers can achieve up to a 5% discount on postage for using various techniques that enhance the mailing, engage the senses – and get the donors and buyers to interact! From various stocks, coatings, even affixed member cards – there are a variety of techniques that may qualify.
The other promotion is the Personalized Color Transpromo. However, it is a bit more niche, as it is only for First-Class Mail presort and automation letters containing bills and statements and making use of digital variable technology. This promotion has also begun, and runs until July 31. The USPS provides upfront discounts up to 3%-4%; 3% to mailers who use dynamic and variable color print for personalized, transpromotional marketing messages on their bills and statements that do not include CRM or BRM and 4% discount for CRM or BRM inclusion.
The next upcoming promotion which will run from May 1- November 30, is the Emerging Technology promotion, which now includes Mobile Shopping. It can be as simple as placing a qualifying QR code on your mailing that leads to a donation page or as exciting as augmented or virtual reality! The postage discount ranges from 3-4%, depending on the technique that is used.
We expect more information on the new Reply Mail IMbA and Retargeting promotions, and the updated guidelines for the 2023 Informed Delivery promotion to be released soon!
As always, MailSmart Logistics is here to help you get the absolute best rates possible by utilizing USPS promotions, commingling, and/or drop shipping. We analyze every mailing for our clients to determine the most cost-effective delivery strategy to help you meet your delivery and budget goals.
Please let us know if we can answer any questions or assist in any way.
