The new 31-digit Intelligent Mail barcode (65 bars) has significantly greater data capacity than the old postnet barcodes. This capacity can allow mailers to encode specific information on more than a billion pieces of mail per mailing.

Sales Tip: Intelligent Mail Barcode

The new Intelligent Mail barcode has created a fair amount of anxiety in the minds of many direct marketers, but fear not: The new barcode has features that will allow you to significantly improve the value of your direct mail service, and further integrate multi-channel communication.

The new Intelligent Mail barcode has the ability to encode significantly more data than the previous barcode formats. This added data allows for additional services to be added to the mail piece. One such service is the ability to confirm when mail arrives. This process is known as USPS "Confirm Service," and has been integrated with the MindFireInc LookWho’sClicking system.

Let’s walk through how this works: When a mailer is preparing their mail file for a personalized URL, they are required to upload a database to the LookWho’sClicking (LWC) system. In addition to generating the PURL, the LWC system now has the ability to generate an "encoded string." This encoded string is what will be used to create your barcode. This string includes a unique identifier that will be embedded in the barcode and can then be tracked by the postal service.

The postal service will then scan barcodes at the final distribution center. When the barcode is scanned at the final distribution point, a computer generated file will be sent to the LookWho’sClicking system notifying LWC that the mail is "out for delivery." When this information arrives in the system, you will now have visibility to track when direct mail is dropping in particular markets.

Perhaps the most compelling function of the mail reporting is the ability to trigger outbound emails. What does this mean? As mail pieces arrive at a final distribution center, the postal service will report back electronically to the LWC system. This information can then be used to trigger an outbound email. Imagine for a moment that the recipient receives an email that says "Check Your Mailbox For Special Offers From ABC Company." When they arrive home that night the direct marketing piece is in their mailbox.

One important item to be aware of in the selling process is to manage client expectations. This service is dependent on the USPS infrastructure. Since the program is new, not all postal facilities have the ability to report back results. What this means is that some mail pieces that are in fact delivered may not track correctly through the mail system. This can create questions in the customer’s mind if the expectations are not set in advance. It is important to position this service as cutting edge, and help the client understand that each day the USPS system is becoming more robust.

Integrated marketing has gone to a new level. With marketers demanding increased results and improved reporting, this new functionality can truly be a point of differentiation for many Solution Partners. As a sales professional you have the ability to address specific business issues that markets face today. Be sure to build value by articulating the importance on increasing results, and improving the visibility of reporting.

Tech Tip: Configuring Intelligent Mail Barcodes

What is the process for generating an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB) encoded mailing? The first time you generate an IMB mailing you will need to take a few extra steps to get set up. We recommend that you either use this new functionality for a self promotion campaign or give yourself an extra day of turn around the first time you use the system. The following is a quick start guide to IMB integration:

1. You should set up your mail file as you would with any other process. Make sure that field headers are correct, and conduct data management functions such as de-duping. It is important that you start with a clean database.

2. Log into your Control Panel and download the IMB font package. This can be found by clicking the "Resources" tab in your Control Panel. At the bottom of the Control Panel you will see hyperlinks for the USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode font packages.

3. Contact the support desk at support@mindfireinc.com and ask them to activate the IMB functionality in your Control Panel. This functionality does carry a slight premium, so you should also contact sales@mindfireinc.com in advance of your mailing for pricing information.

4. Once these steps are complete you can begin the process of uploading your data file to the LWC system. This process is very much like the process of generating a personalized URL for your database. You will use the import wizard as you would with any database; within the wizard you will also notice a new step called USPS Tracking. At this step in the process you will select the check box that says "Generate Encoded Strings for Intelligent Mail Barcodes." You will then need to select the class of service you want to use for your mailing. For our purposes, let’s say you want to use standard mail. After you have completed the wizard, the LookWho’sClicking system will generate an output file. This is much the same as the files you are already familiar with. This file will include all the fields that you mapped into the system, but additionally, the file will include a field for the personalized URL and the "encoded string" for the barcode. This encoded string will be a long set of letters. These letters are the underlying "code" that will generate the IMB (intelligent mail barcode).

5. Now that you have your data base, you can use the file just like any other file to set up your variable data printing. The important thing to remember is the string for the barcode needs to use the IMB font that you downloaded and installed earlier. This should be set up as 16 point font size.

6. To trigger an email or SMS (text message) based on the arrival time of the mail piece is simple. Much like you would configure an email or SMS today you will need to create a new message by clicking "Email and SMS." The only difference is that you will now select the "Triggered" version.

NOTE: If you would like to use Confirm tracking in LWC along with other services you are already receiving from the USPS, please contact the support desk at support@mindfireinc.com.

Data Management: Deactivating Campaigns

As a Solution Partner you may have dozens of campaigns in your Control Panel. At times it can become difficult to manage the billing of each of these campaigns. In these challenging financial times, Solution Partners are looking for ways to manage expenses. The addition of some new functions in LookWho’sClicking can help. Here is a quick overview of the new "Deactivation Date" function of LWC:

While some campaigns are generated for ongoing programs, many are used for shorter periods of time. As a Solution Partner, you are responsible for managing the billing cycle of these campaigns. Many Solution Partners have developed a monthly ritual of deactivating campaigns on the last day of the month to avoid additional billing. This is often done for those campaigns that have been active for more than three months. A new function in LWC allows you to automate this process. The benefit of this is a savings in payroll and hosting fees.

When a campaign is configured in LWC you will need to set up your Global Properties. Frequent users of the system may have noticed some new functionality in the Global Properties section called "Deactivation Date." This will allow you to predefine the date that a campaign will switch to inactive. By having a date set for deactivation you will avoid the end of month crunch to review old campaigns. It will automatically happen. This will also help you avoid any unintended expenses that can impact the profitability of a campaign. This date can be changed while a campaign is live to push the deactivation date out if needed. For more information about this functionality please refer to the release notes in the resource section of your Control Panel.

Case Study: Weatherall Printing and USPS Confirm Service

Wade Kellett of Weatherall Printing in Tupelo, MS is a direct marketing expert and a MindFireInc Solution Partner. Wade is one of a number of MindFireInc partners that have been using intelligent mail barcodes with the USPS confirm service for some time now.

Weatherall Printing supports numerous clients, but one particular area of expertise is in the academic market. They have developed a cross media solution for colleges and universities that combines a number of great technologies including the MindFireInc’s LookWho’sClicking system and the USPS Confirm Service.

Weatherall Printing has developed a complete turnkey solution for college recruiting that has evolved over the last several years. At the outset of the campaign, USPS Confirm Service was not available. When using cross media without confirm service, the number of visits averaged just over 3.5%. Many direct marketers would be happy with those results, but Wade Kellett and the team at Weatherall Printing knew they could drive even more.

Starting last year, a new dimension was added to the multi-channel campaign. By integrating the USPS Confirm Service, the team at Weatherall was able to track when the mail arrived. They would then send an email that would coordinate with the arrival of the direct mail piece. “Timing the delivery of an outbound email significantly changes the response rates,” shared Kellett. After adding this coordinated approach to email delivery, the campaign results skyrocketed. The overall visit rate to the PURL jumped to an impressive 10.69%.

The new functionality in the LookWho’sClicking system will now allow you to trigger emails automatically when the mail piece is delivered. Currently, service providers are finding that post office scan rates can vary. It is important to be aware that some pieces may be delivered as expected, but the final delivery data is not captured.

When asked about the new functionality, MindFireInc’s product manager Matt Orenstein said, “We are 100% confident that LookWho’sClicking is capturing all of the data provided by the Post Office.” For more information about adding this functionality to your control panel, please contact MindFireInc Support at support@mindfireinc.com.