The Skinny on USPS 2025 Promotions
Today, the USPS isn’t just about stamps and sorting anymore. They’re pushing for innovation, and we’re here for it!
The USPS has released its 2025 Mailing Promotions, which means savings opportunities for nonprofit marketers that rely on direct mail for many of our campaigns.
You may already be familiar with some of the discounts from prior years, but for 2025, there are some significant changes to the offers. Here’s a breakdown.
Promotions
This year, there are four Standalone Promotions to take advantage of:
Integrated Technology (3%)
Tactile, Sensory, Interactive (4%)
Continuous Contact (3%)
Reply Mail IMbA (3% Static or 6% Serialized) – Not Eligible for an Add-On
Standalone Promotions cannot be combined with each other but can be combined with the add-on(s) listed below. Discounts are deducted from the postage costs of qualifying product categories that are paid at the time of mailing.
Add-Ons
There are two Add-Ons offered and can only be claimed — one or both — in addition to a Promotion listed above (excluding the Reply Mail IMbA promotion).
Informed Delivery (1%)
Sustainability (1%)
Read on for more details about each of the Promotions and Add-Ons.
Integrated Technology (formerly Emerging and Advanced Technology)
This one is probably the easiest one to take advantage of … think QR codes that will take donors straight to an optimized donation page. Keep in mind that the QR code must be printed on a component that is kept by the recipient — this means you should not place this on a reply form or reply envelope. Additionally, the QR code must be accompanied by directional copy on how scan the code. Augmented, mixed, or virtual reality also qualify for this discount and can be explored as well.
Registration: November 20, 2024, to December 31,2025
Promotion Period: Any 6 consecutive months in 2025
Tactile, Sensory, Interactive (TSI)
This promotion encourages mailers to excite donor’s senses by incorporating innovative techniques. We’re talking about textured stocks; embossing; coatings like spot varnish, UV, soft touch; zipper pulls; clean release or affixed hard cards; specialty inks like metallics or temperature-responsive inks; scented paper; or Trailing Edge Die-Cut (TED-C) envelopes. This is a fantastic opportunity to get creative with your mail piece but it will be important to keep in mind the cost-benefit analysis of this approach, which may be costly from a production standpoint and outweigh the discount offered. Consider whether or not any of your existing controls includes these elements already.
Registration: December 15 to July 31,2025
Promotion Period: February 1 to July 31, 2025
Continuous Contact
This promotion is great for Renewal and Appeal mailings. Eligible mail includes nonprofit letters and flats being sent to repeat households. The USPS will need to review the mail pieces in the Mailing Promotions Portal and confirm that each mail piece must be iterative or complementary, but not duplicative, of a prior mailing. For example, mailings that are from the same organization with a similar offer (request for donation) and contain least minor differences in message and/or design can qualify for this discount. The initial mailing does not get the discount, but all subsequent mailings do, as long as they are sent during the promotion period.
Registration: February 15 to Dec 31,2025
Promotion Period: April 1 to December 31, 2025
Reply Mail IMbA (Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting)
This promotion encourages companies to use a new barcode system that makes processing mail more efficient. Instead of relying on traditional methods to track and charge for returned mail, this system uses a smart barcode to automatically count and bill accurately. In return for adopting this technology, businesses can qualify for the discount, making it a cost-effective way to handle reply mail while also improving tracking and processing speed.
For those who would like to take advantage of this promotion, a static barcode or serialized barcode ness to be used with Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM). Your organization will need to obtain a permit for QBRM and sign up through the Customer Gateway.
Since each promo is tied to individual mail pieces, this can technically run with another promotion: one on the outgoing mail piece, and IMbA on the return.
Registration: May 15 to Dec 31,2025
Promotion Period: July 1 to December 31, 2025
Add-Ons:
Informed Delivery
What is Informed Delivery? When consumers sign up for the free USPS Informed Delivery service, they are able to preview incoming mail and track packages via email, the USPS app, or the online portal. Typically, mail is scanned in black and white to display to recipients, but by taking advantage of this add-on discount, organizations can develop more creative and engaging elements for mail recipients to view as they track what’s coming to their mailboxes. To participate in this discount, a “Ride-Along” image needs to be developed to accompany the scanned mail piece. The Ride-Along must be tied to a live vanity URL and presents an opportunity for recipients to be driven directly to the donation page for this campaign!
Available January 1 to December 31, 2025
Sustainability
This add-on promotion enables discounts when environmentally friendly practices that reduce waste are incorporated into mailings. This includes using recycled paper, eco-friendly inks, or envelopes that can be easily recycled — as long as the stock is used on one component and it is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). It’s a win-win for you and the planet! However, given the expense of these stock, if your program isn’t already using qualified stocks, the increased cost of switching to these components would likely outweigh the 1% discount.
Available January 1 to December 31, 2025
Reach Out to Connect!
If you need a dedicated and experienced production partner to help you navigate through identifying effective promotions and cost-effective strategies, reach out to us here!