Direct mail & outbound
Ballpoint Marketing
Ballpoint Marketing is a family-owned direct mail company producing handwritten-style letters, greeting letters, and postcards. Its main market is real estate investors and agents, with mailers also sold to home service trades - roofing, HVAC, plumbing, pest control, electrical, landscaping, garage doors, and cleaning - and to non-profits.
Orders run two ways. One-time campaigns are bought from the online catalog: pick a product, complete the order form, review the digital proof at checkout, and send the list. Sequences are series of mailers, usually six or seven, scheduled over time and billed monthly on autopay, with each batch mailed automatically. A free strategy call is offered for planning a campaign and choosing a targeted list.
Prices are published per piece in the catalog and include postage, with volume discount tiers on many products; the catalog runs to 137 products across letters, postcards, and sequences. Customers can submit their own designs or request copy changes, and the company advises that postcards work best at about 35 words or less. Pre-sorted and First-Class postage are both available, though First-Class letters are bulk-shipped to the customer to stamp and mail locally.
The company says it ran three years of tests in competitive US markets before launching, and reports typical response rates of 0.5% to 2%. There are no refunds once an order is placed or a batch is in production; sequences can be cancelled with at least 10 days' notice before the next billing date. Contact is 636-242-8196 or hello@ballpointmarketing.com.
Best for
Real estate investors, agents, and home service businesses that mail repeatedly and want handwritten-style pieces rather than obvious bulk print. Not for anyone who may need to back out: orders in production are non-refundable.
What they do
- Handwritten-style greeting letters
- Direct mail postcards
- Six- to seven-touch mail sequences
- Campaign strategy and list planning calls
- Custom design submission and copy changes
- Digital proofing before print
- Pre-sorted and First-Class postage handling
- Industry-specific mailers for home service trades
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Private |
| How they charge | Mailers are priced per piece in the online catalog with postage included; volume discount tiers apply, and sequences are billed monthly on autopay. |
What stands out
- Catalog of 137 products across letters, postcards, and multi-touch sequences.
- Reports typical response rates between 0.5% and 2%, depending on market, list quality, and mailer type.
- Prices include postage, and volume discount tiers apply to many products.
- Says it tested its formats for three years in competitive US markets before launching.
Common questions
- Do prices include stamping and mailing?
- Yes. Postcards and letters include postage and are mailed directly to the prospect list unless the product description says otherwise. The exception is First-Class letters, where the printed letters are bulk-shipped to the customer, who drops them at a local post office so they carry local stamps.
- Do I need a list before ordering?
- No. An order can be placed first, but the list has to follow promptly, because jobs are not held for weeks waiting on one. If the quantity ordered turns out to exceed the list supplied, the difference is not refunded.
- What is the difference between a one-off mailer and a sequence?
- A one-off mailer is a single batch sent once. A sequence is a series of mailers, usually six or seven, scheduled over time so the message reaches the same prospects repeatedly. Sequences are billed monthly on autopay and each batch is mailed automatically.
- Can I use my own design or change the copy?
- Yes to both. Custom designs can be submitted by emailing the company to coordinate, and the default templates can be rewritten on request. The company notes that postcards perform best at about 35 words or less, while letters allow more copy, and offers a free strategy session for layout help or creative feedback.
- What is the refund and cancellation policy?
- There are no refunds once an order is placed or a batch has entered production. Sequences and subscriptions on autopay can be cancelled at any time, provided notice is given at least 10 days before the next billing date.
- What response rates should I expect?
- The company reports typical response rates between 0.5% and 2%, varying with market, list quality, and mailer type, and says volume and consistency matter most. Its worked example is 1,000 postcards at a 0.5% response rate producing about five calls.