Digital + Direct Mail Working Together
Boost Your Direct Mail Response Rates with eMailAhead™
eMailAhead™ delivers a personalized pre-mail email to every household member before your direct mail piece arrives — creating a powerful Triple-Touch campaign at just 1.5¢ to 3¢ per address*.
62M+
Households Enrolled in Informed Delivery
60.6%
Daily Email Open Rate (3× Industry Average)
3×
More Touchpoints Than Direct Mail Alone
1.5¢–3¢
Per Address — eMailAhead Add-On Cost
Watch the Video
See eMailAhead in Action
Watch how the Triple-Touch strategy puts your brand in front of every household member before, during, and after mail delivery.
The Triple-Touch Advantage
How eMailAhead Works
Three coordinated touchpoints in a single campaign window — designed to maximize recognition, engagement, and response.
01
eMailAhead Email Sent
A personalized email goes to every member of the household — announcing that a special offer is on its way. Builds anticipation and primes the audience before the mail arrives.
02
USPS Informed Delivery Preview
Subscribers receive their daily USPS Informed Delivery Digest with your full-color interactive ad and a clickable link — reaching 62 million enrolled households at a 60%+ open rate.
03
Physical Mail Arrives
Your direct mail piece lands in a household that has already seen your message twice. The offer is recognized, the brand is trusted, and the customer is ready to respond.
Result: Improved Campaign Response Rates
Compared to standalone direct mail — documented across multiple industry studies and USPS case data
Why eMailAhead
The Smarter Way to Amplify Every Direct Mail Campaign
Direct mail already delivers the highest response rates of any marketing channel — 5.3% average for house lists vs. 0.12% for email alone. eMailAhead multiplies that advantage by surrounding the mailbox moment with coordinated digital touchpoints that build anticipation and drive faster response.
Pre-mail email sent 3 days before delivery — builds anticipation
Reaches every member of the household, not just one name
USPS Informed Delivery adds a 60%+ open-rate digital touchpoint
Priced at just 1.5¢ to 3¢ per address* — exceptional ROI
Proven improved response rates vs. mail alone
Fully managed — we handle email deployment and Informed Delivery setup
* Based on ANA/DMA Response Rate Report, USPS Informed Delivery campaign data, and multi-channel marketing industry benchmarks.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
eMailAhead Pricing
Add the full Triple-Touch advantage to any direct mail campaign for a fraction of the cost of traditional digital advertising.
You Have Three Email Match Options
Individual Match
Matches the email to the specific named individual on the mailing record. Best for personalized, high-value offers where precision matters most.
Average match: 40–60%
1.5 cents
per address
Household Match
Matches the email to anyone in the household, expanding reach while staying relevant. A broader audience and more bang for the buck.
Average match: 70–110%
2.3 cents
per address
Address Match
Matches emails by address regardless of the named recipient — ideal for occupant or saturation-style mail.
Average match: 100–160%
3.0 cents
per address
*Pricing based on number of addresses in the mail file. $45 setup charge. Minimum quantities apply.
Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
What is eMailAhead?
eMailAhead is a pre-mail email service that sends a personalized email to every member of a household 3 days before a direct mail piece arrives. Combined with USPS Informed Delivery, it creates a Triple-Touch campaign that dramatically boosts response rates.
How does the email get to every household member?
We use household-level email matching — our database links physical mailing addresses to the email addresses of all adults in the household. This means your message reaches every decision-maker, not just one name on the list.
What is USPS Informed Delivery?
Informed Delivery is a free USPS service with over 62 million enrolled users. Each morning, subscribers receive an email showing grayscale images of mail arriving that day. Businesses can add a full-color interactive ad with a clickable link — at no additional postage cost.
How much does eMailAhead cost?
eMailAhead is priced at 1.5¢ to 3.0¢ per home address depending on the email match type selected. This is in addition to your normal direct mail costs and represents exceptional ROI given the documented improvement in response rates.
How far in advance do I need to plan?
We recommend providing your mailing list at least 5–7 business days before your mail drop date to ensure the pre-mail email is deployed 3 days before delivery. Contact us to discuss your specific timeline.
Can I see an example of the email and Informed Delivery ad?
Absolutely. Contact us for a live demonstration and sample creative. Our design team can also create custom email templates and Informed Delivery ride-along images that match your direct mail piece.
Get Started Today
Book a Free Consultation
Ready to boost your next direct mail campaign? Our team will walk you through how eMailAhead works, review your mailing list, and build a custom proposal — at no cost or obligation.
Request a Free Consultation
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