The Royal Mail has announced the launch of a new service for small businesses this week: Mailshot Maker.
Online Mailshot Tool
Mailshot Maker is a new online tool designed to allow small businesses to create their own professional, cost-effective mailshots. There is no contract involved and businesses do not have to agree to a minimum usage deal, making it ideal for smaller businesses.
The tool includes a free image library of over 100 pictures and graphics, which will continue to be updated and expanded, and a range of design templates and creative themes to suit different types of business and branding, including a ‘blank canvas’ option for companies wanting a little more creative freedom.
Users can choose from three mailshot formats: an A5 postcard, an A4 letter or a sealed-mailer. There are expert tips embedded in the tool and Royal Mail claims that a new mailshot can be created in just a few minutes, with business owners having the option to review a free sample of the designs they create before making a final decision.
This means that small businesses can launch new marketing campaigns within three days (if using a First Class option), from just 49p a mailing including postage.
Royal Mail: Responding To Need
The new Mailshot Maker tool is the Royal Mail’s response to their research, which revealed that 69% of UK small businesses prefer to develop and manage all their marketing in-house. Only 16% of the businesses surveyed said they prefer to rely solely on external agencies or providers for their marketing, while 15% said they were happy to use a mixture of external agencies and in-house designers to develop marketing materials.
Jonathan Harman, Managing Director at Royal Mail MarketReach, said: “We wanted to break down misconceptions that mailshots can be old-fashioned, complicated or expensive. That is simply not the case. Mailshots can bring businesses to life in an engaging, impactful way. MailshotMaker is made for business people, be they the company owner or a marketing executive, who want a simple, fast and affordable solution to drive a positive response among consumers. It is designed to help businesses bring more customers through the door and ultimately generate more sales.”
Have you tried Mailshot Maker? Let us know what you thought of it.
