The Smartest Way
to Do Direct Mail
Direct mail is a big investment,
make it as smart as possible!
DIRECT MAIL
Custom postcard are delivered to your neighbors!
EMAIL
USPS Informed Delivery arrives in the neighbors inbox
TEXTING
Free texting subscription with QR code increases engagement with potential visitors
SOCIAL
Coordinated social ad reaches your neighbors on their digital devices
How Outreach Smart Mail Works For You
Start With a Targeted Direct Mail Postcard
Soup To Nuts - We can help with everything from design, a targeted mailing list, printing, postage, and post office delivery. We also have a low price guarantee!* View Benefits of Direct Mail
Marketing Emails
A powerful digital marketing tool included with every mailing through free USPS Informed Delivery Emails. With over 62.4 million users, you will increase your postcard reach by 43.5%.**
Learn More About Informed Delivery
Free Texting & QR Code
Begin talking with guests before they arrive.We’ll help you to get a FREE texting number and QR code from Gloo (or use your own texting platform). When a person scans the QR code on your postcard, it will start a text conversation that your staff can respond to and make a visit to your church more likely. View Video of Gloo QR Setup
Social Media Ads For the Win
This is the icing on the cake. Our team will create and run matching ads on Facebook and Instagram to target the same homes as your postcard with an invitation to your church. This is an affordable add-on with a big impact. View Benefits of Social Ads
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smart Mail exclusively from Outreach?
Yes, Outreach has exclusively designed the Smart Mail solution to combine the power of direct mail, emails, texting, and social ads for greater Kingdom impact. You won’t find another solution that will produce better results and help your church reach more people.
Yes, it's completely free! Thanks to our partnership with Gloo, we offer free texting services. This includes setting you up with a free phone number through a Gloo account. Don't worry – our team is here to assist you every step of the way, from setup to ongoing support. We provide helpful how-to videos and free training sessions to ensure you get the most out of this service.
Where does the Texting QR code go?
There are two types of QR codes we offer: one that links to web pages and another that opens a text message (SMS QR code). When scanned, the SMS QR code opens the texting app on a phone with a pre-filled keyword, such as 'Visitor'. This keyword can trigger an automated texting series that you can fully customize to engage with your recipients over time. This will increase the effectiveness of your direct mail invitation and allow you to connect via text with potential visitors.
What's a texting series and how does it work?
A texting series is a sequence of pre-written messages automatically sent to recipients over a designated period, chosen by you. For example, scanning a QR code could initiate a series starting with a welcome message like, "Thank you for reaching out! This is Your Church Name Here. How can we pray for you?" These series are customizable, and our support team is available to guide you through the setup and customization process.
Why do I need Outreach for social media if someone in my church already handles it?
That's fantastic! If you already have someone managing social media at your church, we're here to support them or even collaborate with them to maximize your outreach efforts. Your team can run your own social media ads to the area where the direct mail invitations will be landing. Many churches choose to let our team run the social ads that are connected to a direct mail campaign so that the imagery matches, the target audience is the same and the timing happens when the invitations are sent. Our team has helped thousands of churches achieve impactful results through social media strategies, and we're eager to share our expertise to help you reach more people for Jesus.
How do I know if someone visited as a result of my SmartMail campaign?
Tracking the impact of your SmartMail campaign is crucial. We will provide your church an informed delivery report showing how many people received an email, opened it and clicked over to your website. You will also know how many people scanned the QR code on your postcard and started a texting conversation with your church. To know how many people responded to your direct mail invitation we recommend including a free offer when someone brings the postcard to your welcome center, or asking guests what influenced their visit on your physical or digital connection cards. Questions like, "Did you see our postcard or social media ad?" can help guests recall the various touchpoints that led them to your church. This approach underscores the effectiveness of multiple interactions in reaching and engaging your audience.
Do I need to do a social media ad with my mailing?
No, it's not mandatory to include a social media ad with your mailing. However, adding one can significantly enhance your campaign's effectiveness by providing multiple touchpoints. When you choose a social media package, we use the same designs as your postcard for the ad and target the people who will receive your postcards. When someone clicks on your Facebook/Instagram ad, it will take them to your website to learn more about your church.
What if we’re a small church and don’t have a big budget?
Whether your church is small or large, we understand the importance of stewarding your resources wisely. Our packages are fully customizable to meet your specific needs and budget constraints. Partnering with you to make a meaningful impact in your community is central to our mission, regardless of the size of your church. We're committed to helping you achieve your goals and extend your reach for Jesus.
Can I use my current texting platform?
Absolutely! If that works better for you, we’re happy to use whatever QR code you’d like that ties to your existing texting platform.
Is Smart Mail a good investment, and what kind of response can I expect?
Absolutely, Smart Mail is a great investment for your church. By combining targeted direct mail, emails, texting, and social media, Smart Mail helps you attract more visitors than any other solution. Studies show that the average giving per person, including children, in a church is $1,000 per year. If even one family joins your church from your mailing, it will more than cover the financial investment. More importantly, Smart Mail enables your church to reach new people in the community, many of whom may come to know Jesus.
In addition to gorgeous, impactful designs and high-quality printing, Outreach can help you deliver your direct mail postcards to the right people, in the most optimal way — ensuring you get the best results and are a good steward of your church's resources.
Church Direct Mail Services
In addition to gorgeous, impactful designs and high-quality printing, Outreach can help you deliver your direct mail postcards to the right people, in the most optimal way — ensuring you get the best results and are a good steward of your church's resources.
Get a FREE OnTarget Demographic Report, this snapshot provides you with basic demographic information within the postal carrier routes around your chosen address. With this system you can choose the best areas to send your postcards and save money by not mailing into areas that are less responsive.
This Demographic Reports shows:
- Number of Homes
- Median Age
- Median Income
- Median Home Value
- Percentage of Homes with Children
Demographic Report
Get a FREE OnTarget Demographic Report, this snapshot provides you with basic demographic information within the postal carrier routes around your chosen address. With this system you can choose the best areas to send your postcards and save money by not mailing into areas that are less responsive.
The OnTarget Reports shows you:
- Average Income
- Median Home Value
- Median Age
- Percentage of Homes with Children
By using complete carrier routes and "saturating" your community with postcards, you will pay less in postage, as low as 13.3¢! This postal rate is dependent on having a non-profit postal authorization from the post office - Outreach will help you apply for this authorization if you don't have it—FREE! (Please allow extra time for this application process) You do not need to purchase a bulk mail permit to get the low saturation postal rate.
Lowest Postage Available
By using complete carrier routes and "saturating" your community with postcards, you will pay less in postage, as low as 13.3¢! This postal rate is dependent on having a non-profit postal authorization from the post office - Outreach will help you apply for this authorization if you don't have it—FREE! (Please allow extra time for this application process) You do not need to purchase a bulk mail permit to get the low saturation postal rate.
Guaranteed Delivery!
Outreach will guarantee your postcard mailing arrives in time for your event. Learn More
When you order a mailing from Outreach, you can also choose how to have your cards delivered:
Direct to Post Office
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped directly to the Post Office so they can be on the way to homes in your community fast. You can choose your in-home delivery date when you order.
Direct to Church
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped to your church in mail trays with the proper postal paperwork. Then you can deliver them to the Post Office.
Delivery Options
Direct to Post Office
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped directly to the Post Office so they can be on the way to homes in your community fast. You can choose your in-home delivery date when you order.
OR
Direct to Church
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped to your church in mail trays with the proper postal paperwork. Then you can deliver them to the Post Office.
Saturation List
The lowest postage price available is through a Saturation List because the postcards are delivered to every home in the postal carrier route - making it easy to deliver and thereby "saturating" the neighborhood with your postcard. When you choose Saturation, you will receive the OnTarget demographic analysis to review. Based on the demographics you can remove entire carrier routes to reduce your list or add entire carrier routes that fit your demographic target. (You can not add or subtract parts of a carrier route)
Saturation List Postage:
With Non-profit Authorization: 13.3¢
With Standard Postage: 23.1¢
Demographic Lists
Send your postcards to a more targeted list. Outreach can provide you with very specific demographic lists so you can target the people who are usually more likely to respond to your message, thus maximizing your effectiveness.
A good example is a postcard promoting a summer VBS program - you may want to only send the cards to households with children who are a certain age - and not to people who have no children in the home.
Demographic List Postage:
With Non-profit Authorization: 21.5¢
With Standard Postage: 37.9¢
Customer Supplied
There are times you may want to send a special event promotion to everyone in your database. With Outreach postcards, you can supply us with your own "house list" for a mailing. Once you place your order, our Outreach Specialist will contact you with details on how to submit your list.
Customer Supplied Postage:
With Non-profit Authorization: 24.8¢
With Standard Postage: 43¢
Customer Supplied + Merged
If you are doing a mailing into the community but also want to include your own house database of names, this option accommodates both lists. We merge your house list with a saturation or demographic list, remove the duplicates and deliver your cards.
Customer Supplied + Merged Postage:
With Non-profit Authorization: 24.8¢
With Standard Postage: 43¢
Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM)
Outreach can help you with this mailing service provided by the US Postal Service. EDDM service is restricted to certain sized postcards and works best with the extra large 11" x 5.5" Outreach postcards. Outreach prints the postcards and addresses them according to EDDM standards, with "Postal Customer" as the recipients name on the cards. Once printed, the postcards are delivered to your church, and you will need to bundle them in packs of 50s, add facing slips on the bundles and deliver to your local post office where you pay for the postage.
Ready To Choose A Postcard Design?
Delivery Options
Direct to Post Office
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped directly to the Post Office so they can be on the way to homes in your community fast. You can choose your in-home delivery date when you order.
OR
Direct to Church
Your cards are designed, printed, addressed and shipped to your church in mail trays with the proper postal paperwork. Then you can deliver them to the Post Office.
Mailing Options
Saturation List
The lowest postage price available is through a Saturation List because the postcards are delivered to every home in the postal carrier route - making it easy to deliver and thereby "saturating" the neighborhood with your
postcard. When you choose Saturation, you will receive the OnTarget demographic analysis to review. Based on the demographics you can remove entire carrier routes to reduce your list or add entire carrier routes that fit your demographic target.
(You can not add or subtract parts of a carrier route)
Demographic Lists
Send your postcards to a more targeted list. Outreach can provide you with very specific demographic lists so you can target the people who are usually more likely to respond to your message, thus maximizing your effectiveness.
A good example is a postcard promoting a summer VBS program - you may want to only send the cards to households with children who are a certain age - and not to people who have no children in the home.
Customer Supplied
There are times you may want to send a special event promotion to everyone in your database. With Outreach postcards, you can supply us with your own "house list" for a mailing. Once you place your order, our Outreach
Specialist will contact you with details on how to submit your list.
Customer Supplied + Merged
If you are doing a mailing into the community but also want to include your own house database of names, this option accommodates both lists. We merge your house list with a saturation or demographic list,
remove the duplicates and deliver your cards.
Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM)
Outreach can help you with this mailing service provided by the US Postal Service. EDDM service is restricted to certain sized postcards and works best with the extra large 11" x 5.5" Outreach postcards.
Outreach prints the postcards and addresses them according to EDDM standards, with "Postal Customer" as the recipients name on the cards. Once printed, the postcards are delivered to your church, and you will need to bundle them in packs of 50s,
add facing slips on the bundles and deliver to your local post office where you pay for the postage.