For large volume mailings the Royal Mail operate several methods for business customers to pay for postage which attract savings and discounts for bulk postage such as Postage Paid Impression. This specifically designed indicia called a PPI contains a unique client reference number (licence number) which is printed in the top right corner of the envelopes and is unique to Royal Mail business account holders. When the envelopes are scanned through the postal sorting systems at Royal Mail the mail can be charged back to the postage customer’s account. This means, postage is only charged to the postage account holder for what is processed and delivered by the postman.
What is a Royal Mail Digital Stamp?
The Royal Mail Digital Stamp works just like a regular PPI but is designed to look like an ordinary postage stamp. One of the reasons for this is because bulk mailings look mass produced and one initiative to increase mail traffic and postage revenue is to increase the use of Direct Mail. Generally Direct Mail is advertising mail or mass business communications by post. To increase the use of Direct Mail, businesses need to see a return on their investment and therefore try many ingenious and interesting designs to encourage many of us who receive post through our doors to open their mail and not ignore it or discard it before even opening the envelope. An increase in the number of recipients who open a Direct Mail piece often leads to increases in the number of responses to that mail and in turn encourages companies to increase their mail output.
The general idea of the Royal Mail Digital Stamp is that when we first receive our post, it increases the response if it has what looks like a real postage stamp on it and doesn’t look like another one of the numerous mass produced mailings. When there is a Digital Stamp on the envelope it appears personal to us and looks like someone has taken the time and effort to affix a postage stamp – which would only usually be done when a mailing is very small and personal. That all helps to make the mail stand out from the other mail. Let’s face it, when we receive several items of mail we all subconsciously recognise subtle characteristics of repetitive mailings which help us prejudge what is inside and then we prioritise our mail, usually statements and bills last, preceded by personal or social mail such as letters or greetings cards are opened first. The Royal Mail Digital Stamp must be printed to a strict criteria and only by envelope printers approved by the Royal Mail, which is why Heritage Envelopes is proud to have achieved this approved status.
