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Your First 100 Mailers

Who it's for​

Anyone sending their first thanks.io campaign who wants a structured approach that actually gets a response - not just a test send.

The play​

Send a single, clear postcard to 100 people you already have some relationship with - past customers, prospects who went cold, neighbors of a recent sale, or leads from a list. One strong headline, one sentence of context, one CTA, and a QR code to track who responds.

100 pieces is enough to get real signal without a large upfront cost.

Expected signals at 30 days​

  • QR scan rate: 2–6% (2–6 responses from 100 pieces) is typical for a warm-ish list with a relevant offer
  • Cost: roughly $100–$160 depending on postage class and plan; check current pricing at thanks.io/pricing
  • If scan rate is below 1%: the list, offer, or design needs work - not the channel

Step-by-step​

Send method: Send Mail Wizard — this is a one-time send. Open it via Send Mail in the left navigation.

1. Pick your 100 people​

  • Past customers → the most responsive; they already trust you
  • Cold leads who requested info → second best
  • Neighborhood farm → use Neighbor Blast if you have a trigger address
  • Purchased list → usable, but expect lower response than a warm list

Have your list ready as a CSV with these columns: First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, Zip. You'll upload it inside the wizard in step 5.

2. Open the Send Mail Wizard​

Click Send Mail in the left navigation (or New Send on the dashboard). This opens the wizard and walks you through the rest of the steps.

3. Choose your mailer type​

Select 4×6 Postcard — it's the lowest cost and fastest way to proof a first campaign. Upgrade to 6×9 if you want more visual impact.

4. Select an Image Template and set your Message Template​

  • Image Template: upload your own photo (property, product, team, office) or choose from the gallery.
  • Message Template: select a saved template from Message & QR Templates, or type a new message directly in the wizard. Add %FIRST_NAME% to personalize it and enable the QR code. Set the QR destination to a simple landing page or your phone number.

5. Add recipients​

In the Recipients step, click Upload CSV and map your columns. Your list goes in here — not before you open the wizard.

6. Review the proof and place your order​

Check the print-ready proof: confirm your name, address, and message all look correct. Click Place Order.

7. Watch the Global Scan List​

In the first 7–14 days after expected delivery, check your Global Scan List. Anyone who scanned is a warm lead. Follow up within 24 hours.

Copy starter​

Hi %FIRST_NAME%,

I wanted to reach out personally - [one sentence about your business and why it's relevant to them].

[Your offer or CTA - e.g., "Call me at %YOUR_PHONE% to get a free estimate" or "Scan the QR code to see current listings in your area."]

%YOUR_FULL_NAME%
%YOUR_COMPANY%
%YOUR_PHONE%

Replace all %VARIABLE% placeholders with your details or use Replacement Variables to pull them from your list automatically.

Pitfalls​

  • Sending to a cold, unrelated list. Low relevance = low response. Warm beats cold every time.
  • No QR code. You'll have no idea if it worked. Add one.
  • Sending once and giving up. Direct mail builds over repetition. If 100 pieces don't yield a response, a sequence of 3 touches over 6 weeks often does.

Run this play​

  1. Start a Send Mail Wizard send
  2. Enable QR tracking on your Message Template
  3. Watch scan results in the Global Scan List