Questions on mailshots

We offer a range of products and services for businesses wishing to market themselves by mail. Whatever the size of your mailing, we have tailor-made solutions to help you send it out, and a range of response services that will make it easier for your customers to respond. We also have specific services for distributing magazines, fulfilment and lightweight ‘teaser’ mailings. For more about our mailshot products and services, go to Bulk Mail Savings and Mailshots.

The cost of our mailshot services depends on the size and scope of your campaign and on the geographical area involved. For the service that suits your campaign, go to Bulk Mail Savings and Mailshots Online.

Our response services range from formal Business Reply Envelopes to a Freepost Name that you can write on any envelope or card. Which service you should choose depends on the aims of your campaign and the nature of your market. You can find out more at Response and Fulfilment or call us on 08457 950 950 for a copy of our brochure 'People Respond to Response Services'.

Your chosen response mechanism, such as a pre-addressed envelope or card, is sent out with your mailshot – it’s included as part of your mailing. This provides an easy and convenient way for your customers to respond to your offer - free of charge. You can choose to have the response delivered to you by First Class or Second Class mail. You can find out more at Response and Fulfilment or call us on 08457 950 950 for a copy of our brochure 'People Respond to Response Services'.

Visit our Freepost section or call us on 08457 950 950.

Yes. Royal Mail has a number of services for international mailshot campaigns. To find out more, visit Saving on Overseas Bulk Mail.

No, but we can give you advice on how and where to obtain lists. Go to our Mailshots section.

No, we do not provide postcode maps or prospect details. But there is a Licensed Resellers programme to which specialist companies belong, using Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF) as a basis for offering services of this kind.

Unlike mailshot campaigns, door to door campaigns are unaddressed mail or door drops. You can find out which type of mailing best suits your campaign by visiting Mailshots or Door Drops. For more specific information on how we can help you run your door drop campaign, see Royal Mail Door to Door.

As the UK’s leading mailshot supplier, we can give help and advice on using mailshots to both new and experienced users. Our How to use mailshotssection will guide you through every stage of planning, developing and despatching a mailshot or door to door campaign. 

If you are looking for the correct postcodes for a small number of properties, you can use Postcode Finder. If you are after postcodes for a whole area or a number of areas, see our Address Products for specialist products and services.

A number of Royal Mail's Licensed Resellers combine geodemographic information with either the Postcode Address File (PAF) or the National Change of Address (NCOA) to provide profiled data.

This website contains detailed guidelines for preparing and executing a mailshot campaign. The What is a mailshot? section gives a general introduction and overview of mailshots and how they can make a real impact on potential and existing customers. Why mailshots work takes a closer look at the advantages of mailshots, showing the difference they can make in the minds and purses of your customers. How to use mailshots shows each step of the process for a successful mail campaign, from planning and creating it to evaluating its success afterwards.

Targeting is a complex process, but when done properly it produces substantial rewards. For information, go to How to target mailshot campaigns and How to target door drops.

Your starting points should be our International section, where you can find out about international mailing, and our International Response Services.

You will find a helpful step-by-step guide in our How to use mailshots section, which will take you through every stage of planning, developing and despatching a mailshot or door drop campaign.

You will have to pay VAT in the normal way to mailshot suppliers such as graphic designers, printers and mailing houses. At present, there is no VAT on Royal Mail postage charges for domestic or international mailings.

Mail marketing is governed by legislations about advertising and data protection. If you are planning a mailshot campaign, you need to be aware of these regulations. To find out more, see our Legal section.

That depends on several things: the nature of your mailing, how many people you are trying to reach and whether you plan to do the work yourself or use specialist suppliers. Look at Mailshots Online for a simple, cost-effective answer to mailshot campaigns, and Royal Mail Door to Door for our nationwide door drop distribution service.