To help marketers prepare earlier for its upcoming mail promotions, the U.S. Postal Service for the first time is publishing a yearly promotions calendar. The 2013 Mailing Services Promotions Calendar will include six promotions designed to generate continued interest in the various uses and benefits of mobile barcodes in direct mail as well as provide opportunities for marketers to be more successful with traditional integrated marketing campaigns.

The 2013 Mailing Service Promotions Calendar includes:

March 1 – April 30, 2013:

• Mobile Coupon/Click-to-Call: This promotion provides an upfront 2 percent postage discount on the integration of mail with mobile technology and will promote the value of direct mail in two ways. First, it will encourage customers to integrate hard-copy coupons in the mail with mobile platforms for redemption. Second, it will drive consumer awareness and increase usage of mail with mobile barcodes that provide click-to-call functionality. Registration is Jan. 15, 2013, to April 30, 2013.

April 1 – June 30, 2013:

• Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion: First-Class Mail Business Reply and Courtesy Reply mailers will receive a $0.02 postage credit for each Business Reply Mail (BRM) or Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) piece that is scanned in the postal network. This promotion is designed to encourage mailers to promote First-Class Mail as a primary reply mechanism for their customers and to keep the CRM/BRM envelopes in their outgoing mail pieces by providing a financial benefit when the CRM/BRM envelopes are used. Registration is Jan. 15, 2013, to March 31, 2013.

August 1 – Sept. 30, 2013:

• Emerging Technologies: Providing an upfront 2 percent postage discount, this promotion is designed to build on the successes of past mobile barcode promotions in promoting awareness of how innovative technologies, such as Near-Field Communication, Augmented Reality, and Authentication can be integrated with a direct mail strategy to enhance the value of direct mail. Registration is June 15, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2013.
• Picture Permit: The Picture Permit promotion is designed to promote the use of picture permit imprint indicia, which can improve a mailpiece’s visibility and impact as a marketing tool. The fee of 1 cent per mailpiece will be waived for First-Class Mail letters and cards, and the 2 cents fee will be waived for Standard Mail letters and cards. Registration is June 1, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2013.
• Product Samples: Designed to re-invigorate product sampling via the mail, the Product Samples promotion will provide mailers with a 5 percent upfront postage discount on qualifying mail that contains product samples. The promotion will raise awareness of the new “Simple Samples” pricing in Standard Mail, effective Jan. 27. Registration is May 1, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2013.

Nov. 1, 2013, – Dec. 31, 2013

• Mobile Buy-it-Now: This promotion provide mailers with an upfront 2 percent postage discount to encourage them to adopt and invest in technologies that enhance how consumers interact and engage with mail and demonstrate how direct mail combined with mobile technology can be a convenient method for consumers to do their holiday shopping. Registration is Sept. 15, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2013.