With Royal Mail introducing a 20% rate rise in April, major UK charities face a sharp increase in direct mail costs. At a time when return on investment is under scrutiny, rising postage can quickly erode margin and suppress volume.
In an era dominated by digital noise, something unexpected is happening: mail is making a powerful comeback. Inboxes are overflowing, screen fatigue is real, and audiences are tuning out. But through the letterbox? That’s a different story entirely.
Join the Dots hosted the “Mail is Back” webinar. Making the definitive case for direct mail as a high-performance channel in the modern marketing mix. Drawing on our whitepaper and the expertise of industry leaders across print, data, measurement, and logistics, the panel explored why mail is resonating more powerfully than ever, and how organisations can harness it to cut through, connect, and convert.
From the data behind mail’s resurgence to the creative and logistical innovations making campaigns smarter and more measurable, it was a session packed with evidence, inspiration, and actionable takeaways.
Meet the speakers
Ben Briggs
Managing Director, Join the Dots, part of Salocin Group
Nathan Rose
Head of Media Planning, Join the Dots, part of Salocin Group
Josh Fowler
Senior Growth Consultant, Join the Dots, part of Salocin Group
Neal Dodd
Managing Director, The Letterbox Consultancy
Tom Ridges
CEO, Herdify
Our panel outlined practical adjustments charities can implement immediately, focusing on efficiency rather than volume cuts. As some organisations reduce mail quantities, those optimising audience, creative and channel integration are likely to see disproportionate gains.
What was explored
- The landscape: What is changing in April, how the 20% increase applies across products and why the effect multiplies across packs and segments.
- The impact: How postage interacts with format, weight, targeting and response rates – and where hidden cost drivers sit.
- The 5-lever framework:
Audience selection – reducing waste through tighter segmentation and suppression.
Creative performance – improving response to absorb higher unit cost.
Pack and format optimisation – adjusting weight and specification without harming results.
Integrated journeys – aligning DM with digital to lift overall return.
Planning cycles – smarter testing and forecasting to protect margin. - Case examples: Recent campaign adjustments delivering measurable uplifts and cost efficiencies.
Watch the webinar replay
You can also access the slide deck from the webinar here.
