Higher Education Direct Mail

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Marketing Solutions for Education 

Today’s colleges and universities are facing increased challenges to attracting top students, driving applications, and increasing donations. Our interactive designs are helping

Tactile dimensional mail uses surprise and engagement to put messaging front and center with students and alumni, while Video Mailers, Web Keys and VR viewers bring virtual campus visits to top prospects. Take a look below to see how other schools are using Red Paper Plane to meet their goals.

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Increase Admission Applications

The recruitment mailer for Sul Ross State University was so successful, that it resulted in 26% more applications for admission than the previous year.

 

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Recruit Top Student Prospects

Western Michigan University used our horse mascot in their admissions department.  Mascots can be customized with your branding and have proven to be highly effective marketing tools by helping colleges meet new student recruitment goals.

 

 

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Combine Print With Digital To Increase Engagement

50% of the 4,900 Admission Acceptance Packet recipients scanned the QR code included on the Pop Up Cube, which drove them online to their Admitted Student Portal.

 

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Bring The Campus Visit To Them

University of Notre Dame delivered the experience of being at their school by using this Video Mailer.   

 

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Keep Alumni Donors Engaged

The University of Georgia surprised top Alumni Donors with the Pop Up House as a Birthday card. They wanted to send something fun, and received high praises for the interactive nature of the mailer.

 

 

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Inform Student Prospects On Your School's Offering

Harvey Mudd College used The Flapper® design as an informational tool for prospective students. The multiple panels allowed for the school to promote its various majors and campus culture.

 

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Send A Lasting Holiday Greeting

University of Maryland used this 3" Pop Up Cube mailer as a holiday card for student prospects. It automatically and unexpectedly sprung from the mailer once opened, capturing their attention.

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Capture The Attention Of Top Student Prospects

Rice University's Owl Mascot was shared in a Facebook Group for High School Guidance Counsellors and got amazing traction and exposure as a handout and part of their acceptance packages.

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Announce A New School Opening

The University of Canterbury was tasked with promoting their newest school that was set to open to students in 2018. They used the Flapper®, which constantly unfolds in itself, to inform this audience.

 

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Send Donors An Engaging "Thank You"

Skidmore College used this Video Mailer as a "thank you" and visual demonstration of donors' contributions to the music program on campus, presenting a multi-sensory experience.

 

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Bring the Campus Tour To Them

Hilbert College used this video mailer as a student recruitment mailer for top prospects. It provided recipient's with a virtual tour of the campus, and information on various majors and athletics.

 

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Increase Event Attendance

Skidmore College used this 4.25" Pop Up Cube as an invitation for a recent fundraising gala. The cube popped into shape automatically and unexpectedly once removed from the belly band

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Take Student Prospects On A Virtual Tour

To promote their online Graduate Programs, Asbury University used this VR Viewer to immerse student prospects in a virtual tour of the School of Communication Arts facility.

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Drive Students To Your Online Communications

Great Basin College drove prospective students online with this Web Key. It launches a pre-programmed URL when inserted into a USB port.

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Show Donors Their Impact On Students

The Non-profit company, Look For the Good, developed this engaging mailer to show donors how much their contributions have impacted students. Once removed from its belly band, the cube pops into fully dimensional shape.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how higher education institutions use direct mail to increase enrollment, engage alumni, and improve fundraising results.

Why Should My College or University Use Direct Mail for Marketing?

Universities use direct mail to increase student applications, campus visits, and donor contributions. Unlike email, dimensional and interactive print marketing solutions create memorable, hands-on experiences that strengthen brand awareness and build meaningful connections with prospective students, alumni, and donors.

What Are the Benefits of Using Higher Education Direct Mail?

  • Higher Response Rates: Dimensional direct mail can generate significantly higher engagement than email campaigns.
  • Tangible & Interactive: Video Mailers, Moving Message Mailers, and Pop-Up Brochures combine physical and digital experiences.
  • Personalization: Customized messaging helps improve recruitment, enrollment, and fundraising conversion rates.

What Types of Direct Mail Work Best for Colleges and Universities?

Colleges and universities often achieve strong results with:

  • Video Mailers for alumni fundraising campaigns and donor outreach.
  • Virtual Reality Viewers to showcase campus life and immersive campus tours.
  • Pop-Up Mailers and Moving Message Mailers with QR Codes to encourage campus tour registrations, applications, and community engagement.
  • Web Keys that direct recipients to exclusive content, application portals, or donor pages.

How Can Higher Education Direct Mail Improve ROI?

Interactive direct mail combines print, video, and digital engagement to drive stronger results. By creating memorable experiences and encouraging action through personalized content, universities can increase student enrollment, boost application rates, and generate more alumni donations.

How Can Universities Use Direct Mail for Alumni Engagement?

Alumni are more likely to engage with visually appealing and interactive mailers. Personalized video brochures, dimensional mailers featuring donation QR codes, and pop-up thank-you mailers help maintain relationships, strengthen alumni connections, and encourage ongoing support for fundraising initiatives.

What Role Does Direct Mail Play in University Fundraising?

Direct mail remains an important component of successful university fundraising campaigns. Interactive mailers can include QR codes, web keys, or personalized calls-to-action that direct donors to online giving portals, creating a seamless donation experience and improving campaign performance.