If you are a direct mail marketer, you probably have already got an idea of what works best for you. If part of “what works” includes continuous testing and experimentation, then you might find a new product from the United States Postal Service quite intriguing: photo stamps.

One strategy that many direct mailers find effective is to make the piece look as personal as possible. In other words, hand-written addresses instead of computer printed addresses, hand-written return addresses instead of printed, and stamps instead of machine-printed postage.

Photo stamps can add another level of personalization to your mail pieces by allowing you to put your picture on every stamp, in a larger size than a standard stamp.

In addition to added personalization, having your personal photograph on your stamps could also help draw attention to the piece simply because custom photos on stamps is a relatively new concept – they would almost certainly stand out.

Stamps.com will allow you to upload any image you want, manipulate it, and order directly from the site. These stamps are more expensive (about twice the normal cost), but overall may yield a higher ROI on your marketing dollar.

What do you think about using photo stamps in your direct mail marketing efforts?

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Everyone is familiar with the saying “what’s in a name”, referring to the importance of branding in advertising. However, how often do you think about the way you present your name at networking events where you are personally representing your brand, which is so carefully presented in your mass advertising efforts?

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