By Lee Garvey
There was a time when sending direct mail felt like launching messages into a void. Businesses would prepare campaigns, drop them at the post office, and then… silence. No tracking, no visibility—just the hope that mail would reach its destination.
Those days are over. Today’s mail campaigns leverage sophisticated tracking technologies that transform what was once a black hole into a transparent, data-rich marketing channel. With intelligent mail barcodes and integrated tracking systems, businesses can monitor deliveries, measure effectiveness, and optimize their direct mail strategies with unprecedented precision.
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What Is the Intelligent Mail Barcode?
The Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) is a 65-bar barcode used by the U.S. Postal Service to sort and track letters, cards, and flats more efficiently. It consolidates the functions of older barcodes (POSTNET and PLANET Code) and allows multiple services—such as tracking and automation discounts—to be embedded in a single barcode.
Required for automation-priced mail like First-Class postcards and Certified Mail, the IMb improves visibility into the mailstream and supports three usage levels: non-automation, basic automation, and Full-Service.
This type of mail tracking technology has revolutionized direct mail marketing, providing clear visibility into every step of a mail piece’s journey.
“You used to drop mail off and it went into this black hole,” explains Carly Brown, customer support manager at Click2Mail. “Now, with intelligent mail barcodes, you know if your info made it to the recipient.”
This evolution has fundamentally changed mail campaigns:
- Real-time delivery confirmation – Track when mail pieces reach destinations
- Geographic insights – Analyze delivery patterns across regions
- Delivery performance metrics – Measure actual delivery times against expectations
- Problem identification – Quickly spot delivery issues affecting specific batches
- Proof of delivery – Valuable for legal notices and time-sensitive communications
The intelligent mail barcode (IMb) serves as the technological backbone of this revolution, containing destination-specific information and unique identifiers that enable tracking throughout the delivery process.
Getting Started with Intelligent Mail Tracking
Implementing mail tracking may seem daunting, but modern solutions have made it more accessible than ever. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, adding intelligent mail barcodes to your campaigns is easier than you might think.
Choosing Your Implementation Path
For businesses looking for a simple solution, services like Click2Mail automatically integrate intelligent mail barcodes into every mail piece they process. This turnkey approach requires no technical expertise—tracking is built into the service.
For organizations with existing mail operations, USPS offers direct registration for Intelligent Mail barcode services. While this option requires more setup, it provides greater control over data collection and integration.
Connecting Tracking Data to Your Systems
The true power of mail tracking emerges when connected to your existing business systems. Most modern mail tracking services offer API connections that feed delivery data directly into your CRM, marketing automation platform, or business intelligence tools.
“We’re working with developers to create tools that integrate mail tracking seamlessly with digital workflows,” explains Lee Garvey, founder and CEO of Click2Mail. These integrations allow businesses to trigger follow-up communications based on physical mail delivery events.
Starting Small and Scaling Up
Begin with a pilot program to familiarize yourself with tracking capabilities and data analysis. Testing a direct response campaign is a great way to evaluate the impact of mail tracking. As you gain insights, expand tracking across all mail communications to build a comprehensive view of delivery performance and customer engagement patterns.
Leveraging Direct Mail Analytics for Campaign Optimization
Tracking data isn’t just for monitoring deliveries—it provides powerful opportunities for refining campaigns and maximizing results.
Beyond Conversions: Tracking User Engagement
Modern mail analytics provide visibility into earlier stages of customer engagement that can inform future campaigns.
“You have to track conversions, but you also want to figure out who even looked,” Carly notes. “If you looked once you’re worth reaching out to again.”
Intermediate engagement data builds a more complete picture of campaign performance beyond simple conversion metrics.
Actionable Insights from Mail Data
Sophisticated mail marketers use delivery analytics to inform not just their mail strategy but their broader marketing approach. By analyzing which pieces generate the strongest responses, which areas show highest engagement, and which timing patterns yield the best results, marketers can refine their entire customer journey.
Take Control of Your Mail Campaign Performance Today
Direct mail no longer operates in the dark. With modern tracking and analytics, you can monitor every step of your mail’s journey, optimize delivery timing, and measure real-world impact—just like digital marketing. Click2Mail’s intelligent mail tracking empowers businesses of all sizes to eliminate guesswork and make data-driven decisions that enhance engagement and ROI.
Whether you’re running a one-time campaign or integrating direct mail into your broader marketing strategy, their platform provides the tools you need for precision, efficiency, and measurable results.
Take the uncertainty out of your direct mail efforts—visit Click2Mail today and start leveraging mail tracking to drive smarter, more effective campaigns.
About Lee
Lee Garvey is the founder of Click2Mail, a pioneering platform in cloud-based direct mail automation since 2003. Under his leadership, Click2Mail has become a trusted USPS partner, helping thousands of businesses streamline their mailing processes and effectively bridge the gap between digital and physical marketing.
