How to Manage Mail Costs for Your Small Business

If you are just starting out with your own small business, or own a venture that is celebrating the first few years of operations, chances are high that you will have noticed that a significant amount of expenditure is spent on shipping costs. Changes in costs and varying rates from domestic postal providers can spell disaster if you are looking to manage your overheads; however, there are a few small changes that you can make to help protect your bottom line. So, if you are a small business owner, read on to find out how to keep mail and shipping costs down and under control.

Consider your mailing parameters

Cost is not the only consideration when sending mail for business. You need to consider the terms on which you agreed to send the parcel out. If you promised a customer that they would receive it within 2-3 days, you are obligated to send it within that time frame. You also need to think about the urgency of your parcel being delivered within a specific timeframe: there is more urgency for medical supplies to be sent in a timely manner in comparison with a hair brush for example.

If your budget cannot sustain the level of delivery that you have promised your customers, you must review the terms of service, and manage your customer’s expectations. Typically, customers will not mind a longer delivery if they are aware of it from the outset; however, a delay in a delivery will cause people to discontent and provide a ground for complaint.

Keep mailing lists up to date

Sending mail shots to every customer on your list could be generating unnecessary and extra costs – in particular if you don’t keep your customer base up to date. If you gained a new customer a few years ago, are they still purchasing your products? If not, will they really be interested in receiving your latest product listings or publication? As the cost of mailing across the globe continues to rise, it makes sense to review your existing mailing lists and remove any erroneous or outdated addresses. Doing this can save your business hundreds of dollars. According to statistics, around 30 million Americans move home and 11 percent of all Zip codes change annually. So, the chances are high that you are sending out information to addresses that are no longer relevant.

Invest in a franking machine

You might not have seen or heard of a franking machine for years, and maybe surprised that these machines are still on the market; however, a franking machine can save your business both time and money when it comes to managing your mail. A franking machine means that you can weigh, brand and pay your business postage costs in house – saving your employees lost hours of time at your local mail office. Not to mention, if you are looking to give your company branding a boost, you can personalize the stamp with your business logo. All postage envelopes or parcels that leave your business can be given a professional edge with your branded logo. Click here to see how franking machine options can be selected to cater for your individual business’s size and mailing needs. So, if you hadn’t previously considered a franking machine as a solution for your business mail costs, then you will be pleasantly surprised.

Air to Ground Freight

Medium to large packages can be expensive to send out, no matter which provider you use. However, by changing from air to ground shipping can be a wise economical decision, especially if you send out high volumes of oversized items. Parcel Select, a service offered by the USPS is ideal for medium to large sized items if you are on the lookout for a more cost-effective mailing service. So, if you find your mailing costs spiraling out of control, review your shipping provider, as just by switching to ground shipping will allow save a significant amount of money – just remember to inform clients and customers of the extended delivery time.

While you expect to have mailing costs they can have an increasingly damaging effect of your profit margin which can be tough for small business owners, especially if you are distributing new brochures and catalogs to your customers on a regular basis. Just by making a few changes, such as reviewing and updating your mailing list, using a franking machine, and choosing ground shipping will help you to reduce unnecessary costs and time – enabling you to focus on the most important aspect of business: your customers.