I want to test 100–300 postcards to warm leads before my bfcm promotion. For whoever tried this tactic in the past, how did you sync timing with email/SMS, track codes/URLs, and measure lift? Share vendor tips and costs if you can.
Great testing postcards to warm leads ahead of your BFCM push is a smart idea. Below is a breakdown of how folks I’ve seen do this, with recommendations on timing, tracking, vendors, costs and best practices.
Vendor tips
Ask for list-preparation services: Are addresses cleaned, deduped, updated (NCOA)?
Ask for tracking & reporting dashboard: How will you see delivery status, redemption tracking, etc?
Ask for turnaround time: With your BFCM timeline you may need quick design-to-mail.
Ask for small-run pricing: Since you’re only testing 100-300 pieces, confirm the minimums and per-unit cost.
Ask for integration with your promo code/PURL setup: Can they print a unique code or PURL per card, or is it a single code for all pieces?
Specify the mail date to align with your digital sequence above.
Confirm composition: Size of card (4×6 vs 5×7), finish, color both sides, address panel.
Consider personalization: Even simple variable data (first name, “we’ve missed you”) can increase response.
If you have an ecommerce store, ask if the vendor can integrate with your CRM/analytics to push responses back into your system.
Here’s a sample budget and timeline for your test of ~200 postcards:
Design (you may do in-house or minor freelancer): ~$75
Printing + mailing (200 pieces at ~$0.70 each): ~$140
Postage/fulfillment included in that ~$0.70 estimate
Total cost: ~$215
If you get e.g. 5 redemptions at average order value $120 → revenue $600
CPA = $215 / 5 = ~$43
ROI (gross revenue – cost) = $600 – $215 = $385
Then compare to control group (email/SMS only) to see incremental lift.
If the lift is promising, scale (say send 1,000 postcards) ahead of your BFCM promotion.
Hey there! @Cafn8me
Love that you’re thinking outside the box with direct mail for BFCM.
For syncing direct mail with email/SMS, the key is to align the send dates—plan your postcard drop so it lands in mailboxes a day or two before your digital campaign goes out. That way, your audience sees your message in multiple channels at the right time.
To track effectiveness:
- Unique discount codes or custom URLs on your postcards help you see who’s responding to the mail specifically.
- In Shopify, you can create and monitor these codes using the built-in analytics and discounts section.
- For deeper insights (like understanding how postcards perform versus email/SMS and measuring lift), Mipler reports can break down sales by discount code, channel, or cohort—super handy for A/B testing these campaigns.
Vendor-wise: Check out PostPilot, Lob, or Inkit—they all handle small-batch postcard mailings and can integrate with Shopify and your email/SMS tools. Pricing varies, but for 100-300 cards, expect $0.75–$2 per postcard, depending on size and personalization.
Good luck with your campaign, and let me know how it goes!