Advanced: Competition Mail Business Letter Services

Introduction Australia Post Competition Mail™ can enable companies to receive a rebate of up to 7.7 cents on each fully stamped response received – a minimum number needs to be reached, and the competition needs to be an eligible trade promotion or lottery. In this module This module introduces you to Competition Mail and provides an overview of Australia Post’s requirements for access to this rebate. Learning outcomes By completing this module, you will be able to: List the features and benefits of Competition Mail Identify Australia Post’s requirements for Competition Mail Locate the current value of the Competition Mail rebate

Competition Mail at a glance What is Competition Mail ? Competition Mail is a rebate offered by Australia Post to promoters of competitions who choose mail as the medium of response, and request entrants to purchase a standard local postage stamp to post their entry. Competition Mail can enable companies to receive a rebate of up to 7.7c on each fully stamped response received – a minimum number needs to be reached, and the competition needs to be an eligible trade promotion or lottery (sometimes called sweepstakes, contests or giveaways). By involving and stimulating consumers in a competition, companies can: Generate new sales; Generate product trials; Raise their market profile; Raise their brand’s market profile; Build prospective customer lists; and Grow customer knowledge.

Competition Mail at a glance Features and benefits When mail is chosen as one of the competition entry methods companies can: Capture all the information needed to make customer communications work harder; Build relationships with new and existing customers through future direct mail activities; Encourage more involvement with their brand by asking entrants to answer a question, draw a picture, or write a story; Enable access to everyone via the means they find easiest – regardless of their location or lifestyle; Offer a secure and trusted way for entrants to provide personal details, like their name and address; Charge a low single rate of just 50c nationally, and Be certain their product or service has been purchased, by asking entrants to include a receipt or part of the product or packaging suitable for posting with their competition entry.

The Competition Mail cycle

Competition Mail at a glance More information Full details of the Competition Mail service are shown on both the Application Form and the Claim for Rebate form. Both are available from auspost.com.au/competitionmail or call to have one posted. Information about Competition Mail is also included in the Competition Mail Fact Sheet.

Competition Mail requirements To be eligible for the Competition Mail rebate, the competition needs to: be registered with the appropriate State or Territory Authorities and have obtained the relevant permit/s if necessary be registered with Australia Post at least four (4) weeks before the promotion commences, as mail responses must be directed to the competition address supplied; attract a minimum number of stamped entries Entries must be a Small Letter (no larger than 130 x 240mm, no thicker than 5mm, no heavier than 250 g and oblong in shape), eligible for the standard local postage rate. Entries that exceed these dimensions fall into the Large Letter or Small Parcel category, which require extra postage and are ineligible for the rebate. The content of entries should not be too rigid or stiff to ensure that they can be processed through automated letter sorting equipment and avoid damage to both the article and the equipment – ie bottle tops and other hard articles are unsuitable. The competition draw for allocation of prizes must not take place for at least five (5) clear business days after the closing date for submission of entries specified in the promotional material. After this the promoter can submit a Claim for Rebate to Australia Post. Competitions held wholly or partially in VIC, NSW, QLD: Minimum entriesRebate value First three months of competition:15,0007.7c Each subsequent month of competition:5,000 Competitions held wholly or partially in SA, WA, NT, ACT or Tasmania: Minimum entriesRebate value First three months of competition:5,0004.4c Each subsequent month of competition:2,000

Competition Mail requirements Applying for Competition Mail Complete an application form and post or fax it to the Competition Mail Co- ordinator in the appropriate state/s or territory/ies. (Addresses and fax numbers are listed on the application form). Application forms are available from auspost.com.au/competitionmail or call to have one posted. If all criteria are satisfied, the promoter will be advised of their approval in writing, including their Competition Approval Number, and the free post office box address to be used for the duration of the competition. The promoter is responsible for collecting entries received during the competition; however, if this is not convenient they can arrange for the mail to be onforwarded or delivered. Fees may apply to these services. When the competition closes, complete the Claim for Rebate form and send it, with the Competition Mail Delivery Record or other supporting evidence of the number of entries received, to the Competition Mail Coordinator.

Competition Mail requirements Claiming the rebate: Complete the Claim for Rebate form, and post or fax it along with the volume details provided by Australia Post, to us for payment. (Address and fax numbers are listed on the Claim form). Payment will be made by cheque or direct deposit to the nominated bank account. Claim for Rebate forms are available from auspost.com.au/competitionmail or call to have one posted.

Competition Mail – Quick facts Response envelopes can be up to 130mm x 240mm, 5mm thick, 250g in weight and oblong. This ensures smooth processing, and these are the maximum envelope dimensions for a 55c stamp. A standard local postage stamp on each entry. The rebate is calculated on standard local postage, and state regulations require that the entry cannot cost more than a standard local postage stamp. If the entries include proof of purchase, ensure it’s not too stiff for our automated letter processing. Items such as bottle caps or ring pulls cannot travel through our letter processing machinery. They could damage the entry or our machinery and invalidate the rebate. Apply to Australia Post at least 4 weeks prior to the commencement of the competition. Approval from Australia Post is required to gain the rebate and prepare our systems to accommodate the competition. Include 3 copies of the proposed promotional material. Ensure the prize draw is at least 5 days after the competition ends. This ensures all eligible entries have been received.

Competition Mail – Quick facts Show the competition address set out correctly (ideally shown on an envelope) in promotional material. Entrants can copy the address – it helps with accuracy and fast delivery. Reply Paid envelopes are not eligible for Competition Mail rebates. The rebate is offered to encourage stamp sales. A Reply Paid envelope can be used when then promoter plans to pay the entry cost. Use the free address supplied by Australia Post. These PO Boxes are specially established to ensure rapid processing and validate response volumes.

Competition Mail requirements Rebate Value The following table provides the rebate value achievable in different states of Australia. Rebates are based upon the promoter achieving the minimum requirements as described in the table: Competitions held wholly or partially in VIC, NSW, QLD: Minimum entriesRebate value First three months of competition:15,0007.7c Each subsequent month of competition:5,000 Competitions held wholly or partially in SA, WA, NT, ACT or Tasmania: Minimum entriesRebate value First three months of competition:5,0004.4c Each subsequent month of competition:2,000

Competition Mail requirements Summary The key points covered were: Competition Mail is a rebate offered to competition promoters who choose mail as the medium of response, and request entrants to purchase a standard local postage stamp to post their entry. The competition needs to be an eligible trade promotion or lottery (sometimes called sweepstakes, contests or giveaways In addition to the competitive rebate, Competition Mail also offers a free PO Box address for the duration of the competition and regular updates on the number of entries received. To be eligible for the competition rebate, companies must be registered with the appropriate State or Territory authorities, be registered with Australia Post at least 3 weeks before the promotion, attract a minimum number of stamped entries. Entries must be a Small Letter (no larger than 130 x 240mm, no thicker than 5mm, no heavier than 250 g and oblong in shape), eligible for the standard local postage rate. Customers must complete the Claim for Rebate form, and post or fax it along with the volume details provided by Australia Post, for payment.

Thank you – any questions? You now need to complete a short assessment to check your understanding of the information covered in this module. This assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To pass the assessment, you need to answer at least three of these questions correctly. You can attempt this assessment as many times as you need to. If you do not pass, it is recommended that you review this module again, and ask your supervisor or manager if you need help. Assessment

a.Sending a Reply Paid coupon b.Purchasing a standard local postage stamp and posting their entry c.Sending a Text message from their phone Assessment 1 Correct answer = B Competition Mail is a rebate offered by Australia Post to promoters of competitions who request entrants to purchase a standard local postage stamp to post their entry. Competition Mail offers a rebate to customers who encourage entry to their competition by:

a.True b.False Assessment 2 Correct answer = A Competition Mail does enable promoters to use the free post office box address supplied by Australia Post for the duration of the competition. True or false? Competition Mail enables promoters to use the free post office box address supplied by Australia Post for the duration of the competition.

a.Yes b.No Assessment 3 Correct answer = A To be eligible for the rebate, promoters need to register their competition with Australia Post at least four (4) weeks before the competition commences Do promoters need to register their competition with Australia Post to be eligible for the rebate?

a.Yes b.No, entries must be a Small Letter c.Yes provided that they meet the mandatory addressing conditions Assessment 4 Correct answer = B Entries that exceed the dimensions of a Small Letter require extra postage and are ineligible for the rebate. Will large letter sized entries in a competition be eligible for the rebate?

a.The Postal Charges Guide b.Any Australia Post Office c.The Australia Post website d.By calling e.Either c or d Assessment 5 Correct answer = E Application forms are available from the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au/competitionmail) or call to have one posted. Where can promoters find a Competition Mail Application form?

a.5,000 in the first three months, and 2,000 each subsequent month b.20,000 in the first three months, and 10,000 each subsequent month c.15,000 in the first three months, and 5,000 each subsequent month d.500 in the first three months, and 200 each subsequent month Assessment 6 Correct answer = C The minimum number of stamped entries required for competitions held wholly or partially in VIC, NSW and QLD is 15,000 in the first three months, and 5,000 each subsequent month The minimum number of stamped entries required for competitions held wholly or partially in VIC, NSW and QLD is:

a.5,000 in the first three months, and 2,000 each subsequent month b.20,000 in the first three months, and 10,000 each subsequent month c.15,000 in the first three months, and 5,000 each subsequent month d.500 in the first three months, and 200 each subsequent month Assessment 7 Correct answer = A The minimum number of stamped entries required for competitions held wholly or partially in SA, WA, NT, ACT or TAS is 5,000 in the first three months, and 2,000 each subsequent month The minimum number of stamped entries required for competitions held wholly or partially in in SA, WA, NT, ACT or TAS is:

a.5c per entry b.4.4c per entry c.7.7c per entry Assessment 8 Correct answer = C The rebate, when the minimum number of entries are received for competitions held wholly or partially in NSW is 7.7c per entry The rebate, when the minimum number of entries are received for competitions held wholly or partially in NSW is:

a.5c per entry b.4.4c per entry c.7.7c per entry Assessment 9 Correct answer = B The rebate, when the minimum number of entries are received for competitions held wholly or partially in Tasmania is 4.4c per entry The rebate, when the minimum number of entries are received for competitions held wholly or partially in Tasmania is:

a.It will be provided by the manager at the office where the PO Box is located b.Australia Post will automatically credit the promoter’s Australia Post Charge Account with the rebate value. c.The promoter needs to submit a ‘Claim for Rebate’ form, along with supporting evidence of the number of entries received. Assessment 10 Correct answer = C When the competition closes, the promoter needs to submit a ‘Claim for Rebate’ form, along with supporting evidence of the number of entries received. When the competition closes, how does the promoter claim their rebate?: