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The Buck Starts Here: Get Started with Buckslips in Direct Mail
Direct Mail
November 15, 2022

The Buck Starts Here: Get Started with Buckslips in Direct Mail

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by 
Stephanie Donelson

Testing, testing! Actually, we’re done with our testing so now it’s your turn to test using buckslips in your direct mail marketing campaigns. We’re thrilled to announce that a new mail format, a fan-favorite in financial services, is now available in Lob: Buckslips.

What is a buckslip?

Buckslips are small inserts, the size of a U.S. Dollar or a buck, that can be sent with letters. These inserts are ideal for introducing new products, sharing time-sensitive promotional offers or a coupon, or calling attention to a very important message, all without adding an additional page to your letter send or additional postage expenses.

Buckslip example
Source: Lob's template gallery

What can I do with buckslips in direct mail?

There are many creative use cases for buckslips in direct mail campaigns and there’s no wrong way to utilize this mail format. We rounded up some examples from the real world to show how different brands, and different industries, are using buckslips to add some color and make a statement in their marketing campaigns or regularly scheduled communications.

Let’s take a closer look at eight examples of brands using buckslips well in their direct mail marketing campaigns.

Marketing mailer from Prosper
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Pre-approval notice

Probably the most popular way to use buckslips in direct mail is to notify the recipient they’re pre-approved for a product or service. For example, your customer has Credit Card A but now they’re approved for Credit Card B, you can create a buckslip that shows all the key benefits, rewards, and important disclosures about Credit Card B, as well as tell them how to get their new credit card.

Marketing mailer from Progressive
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Launch new products or call attention to other product lines

Another common way brands use buckslips is to announce new products, services, or cross-sell other existing product lines to loyal customers, which can keep CAC down. Progressive used a buckslip to remind its customers that it also offers other forms of insurance as an opportunity to cross-sell and acquire more business.

Marketing mailer from Next Insurance
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Customer acquisition

Letters can be a fantastic way to acquire new customers but those unfamiliar with your brand may skim the actual letter portion of your mailing. Get their attention with a buckslip, affectionately known as a “statement stuffer,” that boils your message down to a key point they should take away and how they can take action, all with adding a splash of color to your mailing.

Recommended reading: How iExit drives 155% ROI with intelligent direct mail

Marketing mailer from Upgrade
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Prove your value or highlight benefits

This example from Upgrade Inc. was included in a pre-approval letter but demonstrates a great use of the extra real estate by quickly showing the value of the card compared to its competition, and it shows all the major benefits that come with the card.

Marketing mailer from Inspire Clean Energy
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Special offer or reward

Similar to a pre-approval notice, using a buckslip to tell a customer about a special offer or rewards program they can enroll in is a great way to use this mail format. Buckslips feel promotional by their very nature so lean in and use it to promote something your brand is offering.

Marketing mailer from Texas Bank and Trust
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Invite them to visit your brand in person

Financial services companies can get great use out of buckslips when opening a new branch location. Segment your marketing list and add a buckslip that welcomes them to visit the new branch or even entice them with a free gift when they stop by. Similarly, you could use a buckslip to notify customers of a branch that they’ve visited before that’s closing and tell them where the next nearest location is.

Marketing mailer from Discover
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Share testimonials

Let your customers do the marketing for you by featuring customer testimonials or quotes on a buckslip to provide that social proof that customers and prospects look for.

Buckslip from Quick Credit Connect
Source: Who's Mailing What!

Reiterate key marketing messages

In marketing, we spend a lot of time creating impactful messages so we never want those messages to get lost among other text. Use a buckslip to make your strongest message stand out and reinforce it with your target audience.

Measuring the results of your buckslip-based marketing messages

Like any marketing method you need to have proper tracking in place so you can measure how your campaign performs, and buckslips don't get to slip through the cracks when it comes to measuring performance. It's almost like sending a series of multiple emails where you want to attribute results to the email doing the heavy lifting. With buckslips, you can use dynamic QR codes or pURLs to show results at the individual level, and separate them from the other collateral or CTAs in your mailer.

How do I get started with buckslips in Lob?

Buckslips can be sent with Lob’s Campaigns API or UI, making it extremely easy to send hyper-targeted direct mail campaigns based on your goal for adding buckslips.

Some quick things to note about sending buckslips via Lob:

  • Buckslips are sized at 8.5” x 3.5” and can be double-sided
  • Buckslips are printed on 80 lb. text stock and can be either matte or gloss
  • Letters can be no more than five sheets and there is a maximum of one buckslip that can be inserted per letter
  • Buckslips have a minimum order quantity of 10,000

See buckslips in action:

Ready to add buckslips to your next direct mail send? Visit our template gallery to quickly find the right option for your campaign. You can also learn more about Lob's buckslips in our Help Center.

If you need more information about how to add buckslips or even simply get started with direct mail through Lob, please contact our team of direct mail experts.

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