2025 is looking good already.
This past fall, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recommended NO price increases in January 2025 for Market Dominant products, which includes First-Class Mail. And that recommendation was accepted by the Governors of the United States Postal Service.
The result — the price of a stamp to mail a 1-once single-piece First-Class letter promoting your products or services to potential customers will not increase. But that's not all...
The Postal Service’s strategies should help boost service reliability, cost efficiency, and overall productivity.
“Our strategies are working and projected inflation is declining,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “Therefore, we will wait until at least July before proposing any increases for market-dominant services.”
Key Takeaways for 2025 Postage Rates
1. No January Rate Increase
The USPS is pausing biannual rate adjustments, providing stability for your marketing campaigns in 2025. The USPS has shared details via two webinars – one in August and one in November. Those webinars are available on demand if you'd like to view them, click here: Part 1 and Part 2.
All promotions need pre-approval by submitting electronic samples via the Mailing Promotions Portal (MPP) on the Business Customer Gateway (BCG).
Here's a look at the 2025 Postal Promotion Landscape
2. Tactile, Sensory & Interactive Promotion
- Discount: 4% (up to 6% with add-ons)
- Period: February 1 - July 31, 2025
- Detailed Strategies:
- Specialty Inks/Coatings: Use textured, metallic, or raised print techniques that create a memorable tactile experience. Examples include embossing, spot UV coating, or thermochromic inks that change color with temperature.
- Sensory Treatments: Incorporate elements that engage multiple senses beyond visual perception. This could include scented papers, sound-producing elements (like embedded audio chips), or textural variations that create a unique touch experience.
- Interactive Design Elements: Create mail pieces that require physical interaction. This could include 3D pop-up structures, fold-out sections, removable components, or puzzle-like designs that encourage potential customer engagement.
"...we will wait until at least July before proposing any increases for market-dominant services."
—Postmaster General Louis DeJoy
2. Continuous Contact (new for 2025)
- Discount: 3% (up to 5% with add-ons)
- Period: April 1 - December 31, 2025
- Targeted Follow-up Strategy:
- Develop a sequential marketing approach where subsequent mailings build upon the initial communication. This might involve:
- Personalized follow-up catalogs with updated product selections
- Complementary offer materials that extend the narrative of the initial mailing
- Segmented communications that reflect recipient interactions with the first mail piece
- List Management: Carefully curate follow-up mailing lists, maintaining consistency while showing evolution in messaging and design
3. Reply Mail Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting (IMbA)
- Discount: 3-6% depending on barcode type
- Period: July 1 - December 31, 2025
- Technical Implementation:
- Static Barcodes: 3% discount for basic Intelligent Mail barcode implementations
- Serialized Barcodes: 6% discount for more advanced tracking and accounting methods
Strategic Benefits:
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- Improved response tracking
- Enhanced data collection capabilities
- Streamlined return mail processing
4. First-Class Advertising (new for 2025)
- Discount: 3% (up to 5% with add-ons)
- Period: September 1 - December 31, 2025
- Advanced Implementation:
- Transactional Mail Integration: Seamlessly embed marketing campaign messaging within essential communications like billing statements or account updates
- Postcard Optimization: Leverage postcards up to 6" x 9" as cost-effective marketing vehicles
- Reliability Advantage: Utilize First-Class Mail's faster delivery and higher perceived value
5. Integrated Technology
- Discount: 3% (up to 5% with add-ons)
- Flexible Period: Any 6 consecutive months in 2025
- Innovative Technology Integration:
- Mobile Shopping: QR codes linking directly to mobile-optimized shopping experiences
- Voice Assistant Compatibility: Include voice-activated content triggers
- Augmented Reality: Embed AR markers that unlock digital content when scanned
- Near Field Communications: Create interactive touchpoints for smartphone engagement
- Video in Print: Integrate small video screens or QR links to video content
- AI-Assisted Content: Use AI-generated to help with personalized imagery or copy
Additional Cost-Saving Opportunities
- Full-Service Discount: Maximize per-piece savings by implementing comprehensive Intelligent Mail barcode marketing strategies
- SCF Pallet Discount: Optimize mail sorting to reduce USPS handling costs
- Catalog Incentive: Refine your products or services catalog submissions to qualify for additional discounts
- Mail Growth Incentive: Adjust your marketing strategy to increase mail volume to unlock 30% credit
Strategic Recommendations
- Pre-register early for promotions
- Submit comprehensive electronic samples
- Explore innovative combinations of multiple promotions
- Align your marketing strategies with specific promotional requirements
- By strategically leveraging these promotions, marketers can potentially reduce 2025 postage costs below your 2024 levels
Need Help Getting Started?
If you need cost-effective creative and production ideas for your next campaign — or any form of direct marketing, let us know. J&C can help you use our proven techniques and tactics to help increase the performance of programs you’re already running or kick off a new one. J&C has over 40 years of experience and would be happy to learn more about your company and your goals. Contact J&C today. That way, we can give you an honest assessment of how we can work with you to achieve better results.
