High prices are pushing consumers away from dining out in an effort to cut costs. That’s according to new data released by SmartSense by Digi, an Internet of Things (IoT) Sensing as a Service solutions provider, which noted that 66% of consumers are cutting back on dining overall as 59% of consumers report worsening economic conditions over the past six months. The most common type of restaurant consumers plan to curb spending at is full-service restaurants, with 78% reporting that they plan to do so. Nearly seven-in-10 (69%) say they will decrease spending at fast-casual restaurants, primarily fast counter service locations with customizable order options.

There’s no lack of evidence suggesting direct mail delivers results. Take its average response rate: A respectable 5-9%, towering over that of email at less than 1%. Yet despite the smorgasbord of statistics underpinning its advantages, only about 50% of businesses report using direct mail in their marketing strategy, compared to over 80% utilizing email. Spoiler, it comes down to cost. The physical production and shipment of a printed mail piece typically comes with a larger price tag than that of digital mail. However, a strong mail campaign doesn’t have to be the budget-consuming super beast it’s cracked up to be. Knowing how to navigate USPS tools, and take advantage of postage efficiencies can cut costs significantly, and ultimately, increase your ROI. Here we’ve outlined some of the smartest ways to boost your return on investment and make your direct mail campaigns work harder without chewing through your budget.

Barnes & Noble and University Book Store are proud to announce a unique partnership and the opening of the Barnes & Noble University District Bookstore in Seattle, WA, on Wednesday,…