|
|
Mailing Services
Our software will electronically process your mailing list file by comparing your addresses to the Post Office main database of all possible deliverable addresses within the United States. The software then standardizes the address and provides back the complete delivery point barcode information. This process is referred to as "CASS certification". The barcode is added to the address block on your mailing piece (either above or below the address). When your mail contains a delivery point barcode on the piece and the piece is designed properly for automation rates you will be entitled to a reduction on postage rates. The post office reduces the postage rates on barcoded mail because it reduces their processing by eliminating the step of having to send each individual piece of mail through an optical character reader (OCR) to obtain a barcode and then print it on each mailing piece.
We have a Dunn & Bradstreet business list that is ideal for customers who want to target other businesses. These lists can be geographical or target specific business types by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. These lists will contain the business name, address, city, state and zip code. There is additional information available such as contact name, contact telephone numbers, number of employees, etc. on request.
CASS certification or Coding Accuracy Support System is a requirement of the Post Office for customers who want to present mail for any postage discounts. This includes First Class presorted mail and Standard Class presorted mail. The Post Office requires that your list be CASS certified or processed within one year of presenting your mail to the Post Office through a postal approved method and they require certain forms to accompany the mail showing that process has been completed. The software we use will compare your addresses to the Post Office main database of all possible deliverable addresses within the United States. The software then corrects, standardizes, upper and lower cases and returns back the addresses including barcode information. This process does not verify the occupant or resident at each address, it simply verifies the validity of the address. We are then able to provide you with a list of addresses that didn't match if you desire that information. The pieces we were not able to match up with the Post Office and are not able to obtain accurate barcode information may still be sent at higher postage rates and with the knowledge that they are at a higher risk of not being deliverable. Some customers will choose to eliminate these addresses from their mailing campaign; others will choose to send them. If we do not obtain delivery point barcode information that doesn't necessarily mean the piece is not deliverable.
The Consumer list is a type of list that helps mailers to focus their mailing more closely to a specific target market. This list can be selected geographically by zip code, using a radius around your business or by specific carrier routes. There are several ways you can use this list to target your potential customers. There are selects such as combined household income levels, children present in the home including age ranges, homeowners or renters, the age range of the head of the household as well as several other possible selects. This list will provide names, addresses, city, state and zip codes. If for instance you have a business that serves primarily school age children, you would be able to use this list by choosing households with children present within a certain age group. Maybe your business is the type of business that provides mostly expensive discretionary items, using an income level sort could be very beneficial for you.
One very important aspect of any mailing is an accurate mailing list. There are several ways to keep the information in your database up to date. One very easy and cost effective way to keep your mailing list fresh is to use a "Service Endorsement" on your mailing pieces. When a service endorsement is printed on the mailing piece it notifies the Post Office that you want to know the piece is not deliverable and you want to receive updated address information on those pieces where it is available. On Standard Class mail if your mail piece is undeliverable as addressed and does not contain a service endorsement it will be disposed of by the Post Office. On Standard Class mail containing a service endorsement, such as "Return Service Requested", that notifies the Post Office you would like to be notified that your piece was undeliverable and with this particular endorsement it also tells them you want your piece returned back to you with new address information if available or the reason it is not deliverable. The cost for this particular service is calculated at the rate at which the piece would be mailed at 1st class postage (i.e., 37 cents for a letter sized piece weighing 1 ounce or less). You only pay for those pieces that are returned back to you, not the properly addressed and deliverable pieces. Please visit the above link for "service endorsements" to determine which service endorsement type best fits your needs. You will also find more information such as type size, wording and acceptable placement of the service endorsement.
Mail N' Stuff Services provides fast and accurate database maintenance services. We will take your returned mail and your current database and update it saving you time and making certain your future mailings reach your intended customers. We can also update your database with new customer information from a wide variety of resources such as mailing sign-up sheets, stubs from store drawings, membership rosters and any other printed or handwritten materials you collect your customer information from.
We offer a variety of folding methods. We can fold your 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper with a simple half fold. We can fold that same size paper into thirds (trifold) either letter folded (closed) or Z-folded (looks like a Z). Or maybe you need a double parallel fold where your piece is folded in half and folded a second time in half in the same direction. Machine folding provides a crisp, clean and consistent fold adding to the professional look of your mail piece and it improves further machine processing of the mail piece.
Ink jet addressing technology eliminates the outdated look of mailing labels and enables us to print your addresses directly onto your envelopes, postcards or prefolded self-mailers. Ink jet addressing not only looks good but it saves on mailing costs too. Direct printing produces an easy to read professional looking mail piece. We have a variety of font styles and sizes to choose from. Ink jet technology has some limitations such as printing on glossy or coated paper stock that repels the ink or won't dry quickly. On some glossy stock paper, labels may still need to be applied. Also darker paper, paper with flecks throughout, paper with screening and papers with shading may also require the use of mailing labels.
We provide both machineable and non-machineable inserting services. We insert envelopes from small invitation envelopes, typical #10 business envelopes all the way up to 9 x 12 flat sized envelopes. We also handle inserting of odd shaped containers such as tubes for calendars. If you need it inserted we can help.
At times a mail piece requires the use of labels. We often need to use labels on darker paper, glossy stock, or paper with paper flecks in the paper.
Do you want to personalize each letter you send? Laser printed letters can be merged with a data file and include personalized name information as well as other variable information within the letter. This type of letter works great when set up in a windowed envelope.
Some mailers prefer the look of a postage stamp to a preprinted permit indicia or a meter. Live stamping can present a more personalized mailpiece as opposed to a machineable looking piece. We can machine apply precancelled stamps for Presorted Standard mail or Non-Profit mailings.
Do you need to have a piece inside the envelope matched with the name on the outside of the envelope, we can "match perfect" any pieces you need matched.
Metering is an automated way of paying for postage on mail pieces. Each piece of mail must contain either a permit imprint (indicia), a postage stamp or metered postage reflecting the postage and mail class. We maintain a Seattle based meter permit for both 1st Class and Presorted Standard mail. Metering is a service that adds expense to any mailing so we encourage you to consider a permit imprint on all printed pieces when you can. For envelopes that are not preprinted, metering is the perfect solution for applying postage.
Occupant/Resident lists are just what they sound like. The list is addressed to either the "Occupant" or "Resident" at each address you are sending to. Occupant/resident lists are perfect for sending a mail piece to every home, apartment or business in a zip code or carrier route. You can choose to mail to one, two or all three categories. This list works well if you want to send to certain areas (i.e., it's ideal for businesses such as roofers and siding contractors) or if you have an existing business or are opening a new business and want to let folks in a particular area know you are there (i.e., a restaurant or cleaners). Some of our customers prefer to replace the "Occupant" or "Resident" with something with a better feel such as "To Our Neighbors at" or "To Our Friends at". Consumer lists are very reasonable in cost.
We take care of everything right down to delivering your prepared mail to the Bulk Mail Entry Unit (BMEU). All mail that is processed for discounts is entered into a BMEU with the necessary accompanying paperwork. We deliver to all BMEU's in the greater Seattle area. Did you know that mail going to 980 and 981 zip codes receive additional discounts when entered into a Seattle BMEU? Few people realize how their postage dollars are calculated and do not understand the benefit of mailing on a Seattle permit the 980 and 981 mail as opposed to mailing on a permit held in outlining cities such as Edmonds, Lynnwood or Mountlake Terrace for example. We offer use of our Seattle permit free of charge to all of our customers who we are preparing mail for.
Our automated envelope sealer can seal #10 envelopes up to the larger 9 x 12 envelopes with the flaps on the short side or long side of the envelope. When metering is a part of the process we try to use booklet (flap on long side of envelope) envelopes because it is a one-step process to meter and seal. Some envelopes such as invitation-sized envelopes have longer than standard flaps and cannot be sealed with automated equipment. Flaps that work best in the sealing machines have rounded flaps not longer than 1 3/4" at the longest point. Longer flaps and pointed flaps often require sealing by hand.
All discounted mail requires sorting. Most mail is presorted prior to addresses being put on the pieces by software and the addresses are printed onto the envelopes in a presorted order. Once mail is sorted it is placed in the appropriate mail trays (for letters or postcards) or sacks (for flats). In some cases (mail being delivered out the area) the trays need to be strapped or banded to keep the mail secure in the trays during transporting. Next destination tray tags or sack tags are prepared for each container. All presorted mail has to be delivered into a Bulk Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) with the appropriate accompanying forms which contain information such as how many pieces are in the mailing, what class of mail we are using, what postage rates we are claiming for each piece, where the mail is going and proof that the mailing list has been CASS certified within the last year.
When preparing folded self-mailers for automation rate discounts there are some tabbing requirements by the Post Office. The reason for the tabbing requirements is to prepare the mail by holding it securely closed so it can travel rapidly through postal sorting equipment. Depending on the design of the mail piece it will require either a single tab or multiple tabs placed on the top, bottom or sides of each mail piece. Our automated tabbing equipment uses 1" round white tabs (sometimes referred to as wafer seals). If the tab will cover any printed information on the piece we have 1" round transparent tabs that can be used in place of the white tabs and are easily read through.
|
 |
 |
Copyright (c)2009 Mail N' Stuff Services, Inc & JustHost.com |