Ways to Stamp Out High Postage Costs On Your Next Mailing

By Steven Rosenberg

Did you know that you can significantly reduce your postage costs on your next mailing campaign AND increase your level of service by simply knowing a few key points about postal regulations?

Postage can often be the single biggest expense in your direct mailing campaign. What you don't know about postal regulations and list maintenance before starting your campaign can have a big impact on your budget. It's a waste that could be easily prevented.

This article will show you what to look for when planning your next mailing.

The process starts with design. The post office uses high-speed equipment that operates with very tight tolerances. If your mail piece is too big or too small it can't be mailed at the lowest rates. Also, it must be with within the proper ratio of length to height. The post office doesn't like square pieces!

When designing a mailer, you want at least a 2" x 4" white space for a your address. There are several reasons for this. The most important part of your address, at least for the post office, is that 3" barcode that tells the post office where you want your mailer to go.

A human doesn't look at the address until he puts it the mailbox. The barcode reader at the post office needs the white space to be able to clearly distinguish the small bars. A colored background can prevent the machine from correctly reading the barcode. The post office checks that the barcode can be read when they accept - or reject - your mailer at the Business Mail Entry Unit.

You should also consider how you fold a self-mailer. The post office prefers that the bottom of the piece be solid with a wafer tab used to seal the top. This prevents the mailer being mangled as it whizzes on a conveyor belt. Staples are a definite no-no. Now that you've designed a mailer correctly, you want to get it delivered.

That's where good "list hygiene" plays a crucial part. If you dialed a phone number that was one digit off, would you expect your call to go through? Then why should you expect your incorrectly addressed mailer to find its targeted recipient?

The good news is that it easy to prevent your mailer from becoming one of the billions of "Undeliverable As Addressed" mail that clogs the system. Having a clean list starts with data entry. Follow post office guidelines when inputting your names by using the correct abbreviations and format. And don't forget to put in the directional letter in the address - there could be a huge difference between "100 N Main St" and "100 S Main St." Once you have your list ready, there are several ways to clean it depending on your requirements.

Unfortunately, these solutions are obscured by post office acronyms that can bewilder the uninitiated. All lists for mail that goes at automated rates are required to be "CASS certified" and it also has to be DPV -- Destination Point Validation. This service takes your computerized list and runs it through special software that standardizes the addresses, corrects the ZIP codes and any spelling mistakes, and adds the ZIP+4 codes. This process ensures that the post office recognizes an address, but does not indicate if the person you want to reach still lives there.

However, there are several ways to keep your list updated. Before mailing, you may want to check your list against the National Change of Address (NCOA) file to see if people on your list have moved. This service is provided for a fee from several licensed vendors.

Another option is to register at no cost for the Address Correction Service (ACS) from the post office. This service works with all classes of mail. Once you apply the unique ACS code the post office gives you, you receive the names and addresses of people that have moved in an electronic format. This service eliminates getting your mail back with those yellow stickers that you need to manually input. It's one of the post office's biggest secrets that could help the average business. The last stage in getting you

The lowest postage and the fastest delivery is to address your mail with a barcode and sort your mail.

You need to have a full barcode - called a destination point barcode (DBPC) that includes the ZIP+4 plus the last two digits of the address.

The barcode also must be straight and clean, without excess ink between bars. Calculating the postage is based on the service you select and the characteristics of your mailpiece.

Unlike first class --which is a flat 42 ¢ for the first ounce -- bulk mail rates are determined by weight, distance and number of pieces to a ZIP code. There is no way to accurately determine the exact postage until the list is processed, usually by USPS approved software. The postage cost per piece prices can vary as much as 20¢. Savings of a nickel or a dime per piece, when multiplied by thousands of pieces, is money that goes directly to your bottom line without affecting service. Wouldn't you rather keep that money for yourself than give it to the

post office?

Most printers and graphic designers are unaware of the nuances of creating mail pieces that can get you the lowest postage rates. Mail houses, although aware of the issues, can do little they can do after the piece is printed. There are people at the Post Office whose job it is to answer patrons' questions. At most central post offices, there is a "design piece analyst" who can assist you before you start printing.

By knowing postal regulations - or working with someone who does - you can insure that your next campaign will "Go Postal for Profit!"

Steven Rosenberg, author of Go Postal for Profit, operates MarketPlace-Mail.com in Raleigh NC. offers turnkey mail marketing solutions from concept to mailbox. We cost-effectively handle your design, print and mail projects.