The Mail Box

Print in the Mix: Fast Fact - Direct Mail Drives Charitable Donations and Retention

2011-06-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Print in the Mix: Fast Fact - Direct Mail Drives Charitable Donations and Retention

Postal News

2011-01-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

Required Use of Intelligent Mail by May 2011 Has Been Postponed.

DMM Advisory from January 13, 2011, announced the following: "Postal Service Relaxes Upcoming Requirements for Automation Prices. Recognizing ongoing concerns about mailers' readiness for broader adoption of the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB), the USPS has decided that automation discounts for mail with POSTNET Barcodes will continue to be offered beyond May 2011." At this time, the USPS has not identified a new date.

For more information please visit the USPS Advisory site: Here

Mailing Service Prices to Change APRIL 17, 2011

Prices are going up for USPS Mailing Service products, which include First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Extra Services.

The new prices take effect on April 17, 2011, almost two years since the USPS last raised the prices. Based on a price cap calculated by the Postal Rate Commission using the Consumer Price Index data, the USPS will increase prices by an average of 1.741% across each Class of Mail.

The new prices can be viewed online using Postal Explorer . Click on the link in the left blue navigation frame under *New* April 17, 2011 Pricing Information.

GREAT NEWS!!!

2010-09-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

The Postal Regulatory Commission announced today that they have unanimously DENIED the rate increase requested earlier this year by the USPS.

http://www.prc.gov/prc-docs/Newsroom/PressReleases/R2010-4%20Press%20Release_1394.pdf

This is great news for mailers budgets next year.

A Pre-Mailing Checklist

2009-11-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

A strategically sound Direct Mail Campaign requires careful planning. Here are some questions to ask yourself prior to launching a campaign to make sure all your bases are covered.

DID YOU?
~ Determine an allowable budget for your mailing?
~ Gather cost estimates from all of your vendors?
~ Select your target market?
~ Get counts and cost for mailing list?
~ NCOA your customer list?
~ Merge/purge rented list with your own customer list?
~ Format addresses for the most efficient processing?
~ Start creative development?
~ Decide on size, color, format and paper of the piece?
~ Ensure your mailing meets Postal Service standards?
~ Will piece meet automation compatibility?
~ Choose method of delivery(Standard Mail, Non-Profit, First Class)?
~ Choose postage payment method (indica/permit, live stamp, meter)?
~ Allow enough time and money in budget for changes?
~ Proofread, and quality check design, and have someone else do the same?
~ Deliver artwork for printing?
~ Create a tracking strategy for your results?
~ Map out a sound strategy for ongoing communications?
~ Develop a reliable testing strategy?

Call our Project Managers to help walk you through this process for a great stress free mailing campaign.

Great News From The U.S.P.S.

2009-10-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

The Postmaster General, Jack Potter issused the following statement Oct. 15 2010 in which he said the USPS will not seek a rate increase in 2010. This is very good news for everone in the mailing business.

To Postal Service Customers:

Many of you have expressed concerns regarding mailing costs for 2010. The tough economic climate has presented significant challenges to all of us and pessimistic speculation has suggested that postal prices could increase by as much as 10 percent.

As we begin a new fiscal year and as many of you, our business clients, are preparing your 2010 operating budgets, we want to end all speculation.

The Postal Service will not increase prices for market dominant products in calendar year 2010.

Simply stated, there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, and single-piece Parcel Post. There will be no exigent price increase for these products.

This is the right decision at the right time for the right reason. Promoting the value of mail and encouraging its continued use is essential for jobs, the economy, and the future of both the Postal Service and the mailing industry.

While increasing prices might have generated revenue for the Postal Service in the short term, the long term effect could drive additional mail out of the system. We want mailers to continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace. Changes in pricing for our competitive products—Priority Mail, Express Mail, Parcel Select, and most international products—are under consideration. We expect to announce a decision in November.

We are committed to working with customers to find ways to grow the mail through innovative incentives like the Summer Sale and contract pricing. Mail is the most effective means of communication and advertising and we will continue to work together to increase the value of the mail. Mail is a smart investment for the future.

John E. Potter

New Postal Rules!

2009-08-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

In September the USPS will have new rules for how to prepare letter-size booklets. The new standards relate to how booklet style mail pieces are secured and closed. The booklets will require larger and more tabs.

The best thing to do is call or email us so we can review your design with you BEFORE you print it! We have 5 certified mail piece analysts on staff. Let our experts advise you on proper mail piece design and ensure that you get the most out of your mail piece.

Things we do

2009-07-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

If you market when you are busy…you will never get slow. If you don’t market when you are slow you will never get busy. ~ Craig Stevens

Did you know that Mail Manager offers all types of services?

We do custom database work, database analytics; we can use all of your data to create highly custom mailers.

We do labeling, numbering, and coding of boxes. We can generate random numbering for contests and unique web page logins.

We do fulfillment of kits for handing out, internet order fulfillment, inserting of packages to insert with other shipments. Any type of hand-work projects even if it does not get mailed.

Our production capabilities are where we shine.

We mail close to 35 million pieces of mail a year for our customers. However, you don’t have to mail 50,000 piece mailings to get the benefits of our services. We have customers that mail 100 pieces a month and some that mail 100,000 a week.

Here are some programs we offer that you might not know of:

Job Site Mailings: This is a service we provide for Contractors, Painters, HVAC, Flooring, Plumbers, Landscapers, and really any business that works in a neighborhood. A day or two before you start your work call us with the address, we will order a list of the 25, 50, or 100 of the closest homes and mail them a custom oversized postcard describing your services.

New Movers/Homeowners Mailings: This is a service we provide for Dentists, Optometrists, Chiropractors, Veterinarians, Hair and Beauty Salons, Contractors, and any business that wants to offer their service or product to people new to the area. Every month we order a list of all the new movers or homeowners that move into your area and mail them out a custom oversize postcard describing your services.

These are just two of many different types of programs we can help you with to grow your business through the mail. For more ideas or help with a project you are thinking about call us 800-795-2796, email us info@mailmanagerinc.com or visit our webpage to get a quote http://www.mailmanagerinc.com/quote.php don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and to follow this blog.

We want to hear from you.

2009-06-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

First off welcome to the Mail Manager Blog "The Mail Box"

We want to know what type of information you want to hear about in out blog. We have years and years of direct mail and printing experience and want to share it with you to help you grow your business through direct mail.

Everyone that submits an idea will be put into a drawing for a $20 Starbucks card. We will pick the soon to be amped up winner on 6/30/09.

To enter just add your comments to this blog post.

Tabs and Wafer Seals

2009-05-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

Along with the postal rate changes that started today the USPS has also changed the way mail pieces are sealed (self mailers). You can no longer use a 20# sheet of paper folded in 1/2. It is to thin, it must be .009 thick when folded over and regular copy paper (20# is normal copy paper) is around .007. So if you use regular copy paper you need to tri-fold it. For best results you should use a 60# paper for all mailings. This will do two things first, it will meet the minimum thickness and second, 60# does not bleed the copy through. Here is the LINK for the official postal rules on tabs wafer seals and glue strips.

New Postage Rates Start May 11!

2009-04-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yes its true the Postal Service will be raising the cost of sending mail again.

You can find the new prices, and other information to help you prepare for the May 11 pricing change, at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm.

We have listed some of the changes below:

You will see on average of a +3.78% increase on all First Class Mail
Unchanged:
*Additional ounce
*Nonmachinable surcharge

First Class Mail International will see separate prices for Canada and Mexico:
Canada: $.75 (+3 cents)
Mexico: $.79 (+7cents)
All other countries: $.98 (+4cents)
No change to country groups

Standard Mail too had an average +3.78% increase

Are you a Saturation Mail customer? Post office will have incentives for new volume. Enrollment through June 11, 2009 Call USPS now for sign up and more info.

Full Service Intelligent Mail
Immediate benefits in May
Free Address Correction Service
Start-the-clock information

Full service prices (November 29)
· $0.003 cents less for First Class Mail
· $0.001 cent less for Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Bound Printed Matter Flats

Long term benefits
· Actionable information
· Operations, Marketing and finance
· Paperless documentation

If you mail Flats, you need to read this.

2009-03-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Postal Service is looking to cut costs where they can. One of the ways they do this is by giving mailers lower postage rates if the mailer designs the mail piece in a way that allows the Postal Service to automate the way they handle the mail. Processing Flat-Size mail by machine (Flats are defined as a piece taller then 6 1/8" or wider then 11 1/2") will require a new layout as of March 29, 2009. The new standards are radically different from what was acceptable before.

These new addressing standards include:

The delivery address must appear in the top half of the mail piece.
The bound edge of the mail piece must be on the right in relation to the delivery address.
The delivery address cannot appear upside down when the bound edge is on the right.
The delivery address must be below and to the right of the return address.

Other addressing rules apply for Flat-Size mail pieces. For more complete information on the new rules that pertain to Flat-Size mail addressing, contact your Project Manager, or visit the USPS site by clicking here.