If you're in B2B sales, you know email alone isn’t cutting it. Direct mail can get attention—but doing it by hand for every prospect? Forget it. That’s where Postal comes in. This guide is for sales teams who want to automate sending smart, personalized direct mail, without turning it into another bloated tech project.
Let’s cut to the chase. Here’s how to actually get Postal working for you, what to watch out for, and why “set it and forget it” is a myth.
1. Get Clear on Why You’re Sending Direct Mail
Before you touch any software, ask: Who are you trying to reach, and why would they care about getting something in the mail from you? If you’re just sending swag to tick a box, you’ll waste time and budget.
Direct mail works best when: - You’re targeting key accounts (not blasting everyone). - You have a real reason to reach out (event follow-up, contract renewal, stalled deal). - The mailer ties back to your message, not just “look at our logo on a mug.”
Skip direct mail if: - You have no idea who’s actually a qualified prospect. - Your offer is generic. - You’re not ready to track results.
Pro tip: Start small. Pick one campaign, one segment, and nail it.
2. Set Up Your Postal Account and Integrate Your CRM
Postal is built for automating direct mail, but only if your data’s in order. Messy lists = wasted money.
What you’ll need: - A Postal account (obviously). - Your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, or whatever you use). - A clean list of contacts with mailing addresses. If you don’t have addresses, Postal has tools to help, but don’t expect miracles.
Setup steps: 1. Create your Postal account. 2. Connect your CRM. Postal has direct integrations for most big ones. If yours isn’t supported, you can upload CSVs, but don’t expect magic—manual imports get old fast. 3. Map fields. Make sure names, addresses, and company info sync correctly. Garbage in, garbage out.
What doesn’t work:
Automating mail to people with missing or outdated addresses. If you’re guessing, your mail will end up in the recycling bin, or worse, never arrive.
3. Build Your Direct Mail Catalog
Not all mailers are created equal. Postal has a marketplace of gifts, swag, handwritten notes, and more. You can also source your own items.
What works: - Relevant, useful items. Think “something I’d keep on my desk,” not “random branded junk.” - Handwritten notes (yes, Postal can automate this) get more attention than another water bottle. - Timing matters—send with a purpose, not just because it’s Q3.
What to ignore: - Overly expensive gifts for early-stage prospects. It comes off as desperate. - Anything that will get tossed immediately (stress balls, anyone?).
How to build your catalog: 1. Browse the Postal marketplace for items that fit your brand and campaign. 2. Add a mix of options (low-cost, mid-tier, and a couple of “wow” gifts for special cases). 3. Set rules for who gets what—don’t trust reps to always pick the right thing.
Pro tip: Test a few items on yourself. If you wouldn’t want it, your prospects won’t either.
4. Set Up Automation Triggers
Here’s where the real power is. Postal lets you trigger mailings based on CRM events, prospect behavior, or sales stages.
Common triggers: - Deal moves to a certain stage (e.g., after a demo). - Prospect opens/clicks a key email. - No response after X days.
How to do it: 1. In Postal, go to the Automation or Triggers section. 2. Pick your trigger—usually a CRM field change or activity. 3. Choose the mailer to send and personalize as needed (see the next section). 4. Set limits. Don’t spam people with mail every time a tiny deal moves a stage.
What doesn’t work: - Over-automating. If every prospect gets the same thing, it’s obvious and loses its punch. - Triggers based on flaky CRM data. If your sales team isn’t updating the CRM, your triggers won’t fire correctly.
5. Personalize—But Don’t Overthink It
Personalization is the difference between “nice touch” and “straight to trash.” But you don’t need to write a novel for each recipient.
Keep it simple: - Use merge fields: first name, company, key pain point. - Reference a recent interaction or shared interest if possible. - For handwritten notes, Postal uses your template and automates the writing. Still, keep it short and sincere.
What to avoid: - Overly generic templates. “Hi {FirstName}, hope you’re well!” doesn’t cut it. - In-jokes or references that could backfire. Keep it professional.
Pro tip: Personalization matters most for high-value prospects. Don’t waste cycles on mass mailers for cold leads.
6. Track, Measure, and Optimize
Don’t assume direct mail is working just because it feels “special.” Postal has tracking, but it’s not magic—most gifts won’t give you instant feedback like an email open.
How to measure: - Use unique URLs or QR codes for calls to action. - Monitor CRM activity after mailers—did meetings increase? Did deals move? - Tag campaigns so you can run reports later.
What to ignore: - Vanity metrics (number of gifts sent). Focus on pipeline movement, meeting rates, or whatever actually matters to your team. - Obsessing over ROI on every single mailer. Look for trends, not perfection.
7. Keep Your Sales Team in the Loop
Automation doesn’t mean “hands off.” If your reps don’t know what’s being sent, when, or why, you’ll get confused prospects and missed follow-ups.
Best practices: - Train your team on what triggers mailers and what to say when a prospect mentions receiving something. - Give reps visibility into what’s been sent and when—Postal’s dashboards help, but don’t expect everyone to check them. - Gather feedback. If prospects hate your mailers, or nobody mentions them, change things up.
What goes wrong: - Sales and marketing not talking. If you’re not coordinating, you’ll waste money and create awkward moments. - Treating Postal like a magic fix. It’s just a tool—your reps still need to do the work.
Real-World Tips (From People Who’ve Tried It)
- Start with a pilot. Test on 20–50 accounts, measure results, improve, then scale.
- Don’t automate everything. Save budget for manual, high-touch gifts for your biggest deals.
- Expect returns and mistakes. Some mail won’t arrive, items get lost, addresses change—build in a margin for error.
- Beware “shiny object” syndrome. Direct mail isn’t a replacement for a broken sales process. Fix your targeting and messaging first.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Direct mail automation with Postal can absolutely help your B2B sales team stand out—but only if you keep it targeted, personal, and tied to real business goals. Don’t over-complicate it. Start small, watch what works, and tweak as you go. The best campaigns aren’t the flashiest—they’re the ones that actually get your prospects to respond.