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Create Compelling Direct Mail

What you need to know about developing Direct Mail that gets opened and gets a response.

Stand out and get noticed

You can create bigger, more eye-catching items to grab attention. By increasing the dimensions of your mail, you can help build anticipation and intrigue about what may hide inside. Use this added space to enhance the size or layout of your messaging. You could also include promotional merchandise that will help connect your customer with your offer.

Learn more about the larger sizes for Addressed Admail™—called Dimensional Admail.

Let your customers try before they buy

Get your samples right where you want them to be—in the homes of consumers who are interested in your product.

You can reach your target audience with the reliability of the country’s largest delivery network, with dependable access to homes, apartments and businesses coast to coast. Send your sample to specific addresses or targeted neighbourhoods.

Whatever you’re sending, wherever it’s going, you can count on Canada Post to get it there.

Affordable We will work with you to find a solution that meets your needs and budget. You have flexibility to send various shapes, sizes and weights of:

  • hard plastic boxes and carriers
  • pillow packs
  • blister packs
  • bulky envelopes
  • and, more

And now you have the option to send several samples in one package all for one low price.

More than your standard business envelope

We tend to think of Direct Mail as rectangular or square in shape. Ensure your Direct Mail gets noticed by designing your envelopes or postcards into unusual shapes, called “die-cuts”, to help them stand out from the crowd.

Die-cut mail constructed from paper-based card stock is easy to produce. Use a minimum 8 point card stock to avoid having the item bend too easily. You can also use a range of non-paper materials such as rubber, plastic, laminate, vinyl, leather or wood.

Some shapes to avoid, and why

  • Kangaroo with long tailLong, thin extrusions which run the risk of bending or breaking in transit
  • Spiral die-cut shapeDie-cuts that could become entangled with other mail articles.
  • Long, thin nailLong thin shapes which will bend easily.

Save time and money by providing us with a mock-up on the same card stock you intend to use before proceeding to final production. We will test your sample to ensure it can be processed.

Make your message stick

Sample of a Repositional Note

Grab your customers’ attention

While your customers might expect to see Repositionable Notes in the workplace, seeing them on the outside of mail will really get their attention! Since Repositionable Notes affix directly to the front of your piece and stay on until delivery, they hold centre stage when the recipient picks up your piece.

Get your target involved

Repositionable Notes can be moved and “repositioned” anywhere (to a computer, telephone, file cabinet, refrigerator, etc.) so they can help increase interaction with your mail package, help increase response, and make your message more memorable.

Motivate a response

Whether you have a special offer, reply deadline, new product or service, or a call to action, Repositionable Notes can help put your message front and centre. Use them to help generate interest and encourage customers to look inside your mailing to find out more.

Maximize your marketing dollar

Adding Repositionable Notes to your mailing is free—there is no extra postage fee when adding Repositionable Notes to your Addressed Admail, Unaddressed Admail™ or Publications Mail™ items.

Repositionable Notes guidelines for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) Addressed Admail and Publications Mail items

Roll over thumbnails below to view other applications
Application of RPNs on Presort Short and Long (S/L) Items
Application of RPNs on Presort Oversize (O/S) Horizontal Items
Application of RPNs on Presort Oversize (O/S) Vertical Items

Scented Admail

Did you know that smell is considered one of the most powerful of human senses? It can influence moods, evoke memories and trigger different types of behaviour. So why not consider using innovative scent-infused Direct Mail for your next direct marketing campaign? By applying scent to your Direct Mail pieces you can create an immediate, emotional response that may help lift response rates and sales, improve return on investment, and cement your brand.

  • Make your Direct Mail come alive with a new creative option
    Think of the possibilities! Combine a popular scent and intriguing graphic elements to make a positive and lasting impression on your customers.
  • Engage your customers for greater loyalty
    The sensory experience of brands can play a key role in creating brand loyalty—a great reason to add a scintillating scent to your Direct Mail.

Enjoy the convenience of a single supplier

A team of Canada Post experts will help you manage all aspects of your campaign—from start to finish—so you can concentrate on other things, such as your core business. Scented AdCard™:

  • Is a high-quality panel card produced in full colour on premium stock.
  • Comes in standard and custom formats, allowing you to choose the size and style that’s just right for your campaign.
  • Offers a wide range of creative options, including micro-encapsulated scent-infused ink and lacquers, scratch-and-win, fifth colour, die cutting, Repositionable Notes, perforations, variable printing, and much more.

Choose from dozens of scents

The invigorating aroma of coffee, the scent of home-baked apple pie and the unforgettable smell of new car leather are just a few of the fragrances that can help you connect with your customers.

Customize your scent to appeal to your target audience

Scented AdCard can help a wide range of businesses transmit an exact match of a specific aroma or fragrance simply, easily and cost-effectively.

How the scent is applied

An advanced micro-encapsulation technique is used to infuse scented oils into ink and lacquer, which is then printed directly on the Scented AdCard as part of the printing and production process. These inks and lacquers don’t need to be sealed, provided the scented patch complies with Canada Post requirements.

How the aroma is released

Fragrances are dormant until the specified area is rubbed, eliminating the risk of scents being released prematurely during the production and delivery process.

How long the fragrance will last

Scented inks and lacquers, which have been proven to withstand heat, humidity and pressure, have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years.

Dozens of Scents!

Customizable Business Reply Mail

Dress up your Business Reply Mail cards by adding your logo, graphics, message or customer’s name. There are specific areas on the front of a Business Reply Mail item (envelope, card or label) that are available for customization.

  • The "Customer Controlled Area" is the area for customers to include corporate branding, images and/or targeted messaging.
  • The title (first line of the BRM address) can contain up to a maximum of 35 characters, depending on the address format (unilingual or bilingual), font size and font type selected.

For the most current specifications, information and instructions on how to prepare and print domestic and international Business Reply Mail, review the Business Reply Mail Customer Guide.

Now You Can

Promote your product or service with personalized Direct Mail to specific individuals or addresses with Addressed Admail service.
Put Direct Mail to work for you—even without a customer list. Advertise to targeted neighbourhoods with Unaddressed Admail service.
Get all the benefits of Direct Mail, but with less effort. From targeting customers to delivering your mail, we take care of it all for you with AdCard service.
Make it easy for customers to respond to your messages by paying their postage. Business Reply Mail service is an easy and convenient way to reach you—at no expense to them.