Frequently Asked Questions About Our Direct Mail Services
why should I outsource to a direct mail company?
Mailing on your own can cost you and your business valuable time and money. Along with the design, mailing list, and printing, you will also need to purchase the USPS first class postage rate for $0.68 each. However, if you use a direct mail company like Addressers, you can send your mailing at the marketing mailing postage rate (aka Standard Class) at around $0.385 each. Moreover, if you are a non-profit organization, your postage will be at an even lower rate if you qualify. (Minimum number of pieces required for these rate is 200 pieces.) Let the Addressers help you qualify for this discounted rate! Check out our nonprofit mailing services!
At the Addressers, we have state-of-the-art, high speed equipment for printing, folding, addressing, inserting, and more, so we can handle your entire mail preparation for only a few cent each. Even if you have your printers to print your own letters, envelopes and postcards, our cost of printing is far much lower than your cost of printing after adding all the costs for paper, toner usage, and time spent printing. See our top rated equipment
Read more to find out if Direct Mail Services are perfect for you!
WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE FOR DIRECT MAIL?
Here are a few of the many mailer types we offer. Listed from low to high cost:
Postcard Mailer: Common sizes are 4 x 6, 5 x 7, 8.5 x 5.5, 6 x 9, 6 x 11
Self Mailer: Usually printed on 8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 14, 11 x 17 and folded to smaller size and tabbed before addressing.
Check out our self-mailer & postcard templates
Catalogs/Brochures: Trifold, Bifold & 4 page newsletters
Check out our full list of services here.
Here are the postage options. Listed from low to high cost:
EDDM: Send out direct mail pieces to each address on a carrier route. It will not have a name or address on the piece and will cost a fraction of regular postage.
Saturation Mailing: Also known as Residential Mailing, saturation is a very similar strategy to EDDM but it has an address and name on each piece. It will be delivered to each address on a carrier route and the sender will also be given general demographic information about this carrier route from average age, household income, and more.
Targeted Mailing: Marketing (Standard or Bulk) Mail and First Class Mail. Uses a targeted mailing list to deliver to specific prospects. Mailing lists include consumer, business, renters, pet owners, health ailments, ethnicity and more!
Check out all the mailing lists the Addressers offers.
will direct mail advertising work for my business?
Direct mail advertising (direct mail marketing) continues to be one of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing strategies available. Even in a digital environment, direct mail works very well many industries; however, direct mail marketing is not for every business and every situation. There are several factors to consider:
Cost: The typical cost of mailing 5,000 pieces is from $2,000 to $3,500 depending on the type of mailers you are sending out. The cost includes the postage per mail piece that is needed to send your direct mail through the United States Postal System. It ranges from 11 cents (non profit saturation) each to 38.5 cents each for letter-size mailer. Due to the high cost of mail advertising, if you are selling small ticket goods or services, it is often a challenge to justify the cost of direct mail advertising.
Return on Investment (ROI): In order for you to continue using direct mail advertising, you will need to set an acceptable ROI. You cannot continue to spend on direct mail without getting some returns on your mailing campaigns. You need to be able to either generate enough revenue or generate enough awareness for future revenue. Even though you are not recovering initial investments right after your mailings, you will need to take into consideration the "life time" value of the new customers you acquire.
Availability of A Quality Mailing List: If you have a large existing database of customers, your business is an ideal situation for your direct mail advertising because those leads already know who you are and are more likely to respond to your mail. If you do not have an existing customer list, the Addressers can find a suitable mailing list specific to your clientele and for your direct advertising campaign. We can provide business lists, consumer lists, modeled credit score, mortgage lists, automotive lists, ethnic lists, new mover lists, email lists, pre-mover lists, propensity lists, registered voter mailing lists, renters mailing lists, new parents mailing lists and more! Customize your lists with many different demographic and geographic selections such as number of employees, household income level, net worth, ethnicity, and more.
Check out the list of mailing lists we offer.
Contact us to see if we can find a list suitable to your direct mail advertising needs.
how many direct mail pieces should i mail?
Most people overestimate the effectiveness of direct advertising, so they end up mailing to a small group of targets. It is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of a mailing when initial mailing size is too small. I recommend a minimum of 5000 pieces for the first test mailing (2500 pieces mailer may work on some cases). Also, when you mail to a small quantity, your unit cost is much higher than a larger quantity mailing. Printing, data work, and mailing preparation require some setup time, so when the quantity is too small, you end up paying a much higher cost per piece. For example, the unit cost of a certain postcard mailing of 500 pieces is $0.90 each while the same postcard can be mailed at less than $0.39 when you mail 5000 pieces.
CAN I ORDER A LARGE QUANTITY AND SEND OUT A SMALL BATCH EVERY WEEK?
Our price is based on sending out the entire quantity at once. There is an additional “drop fee” if you want to send them over time. We usually don’t recommend splitting into multiple drops because a response rate is pretty low in any direct mail, and you can handle incoming inquiries even if you mail, for example, 5000 mailers at once.
What is average response rate?
If you are a first time mailer, there is no way to accurately predict the response rate of any mailing campaign. Response rates will vary widely based on many factors. For example, if you are opening up a new restaurant and giving away a free entrée to first time customers, you can expect a very high response rate. If you are a mortgage company, you may get a 0.2% response rate. Although the 0.2% response rate appears very low compared to the restaurant industry, if the mortgage company can make $10,000 on a single deal, the company can continue to mail even with such a low response rate.
The Return on Investment (ROI) is far more important than your response rate. In order for a mailer to be successful, you either need a very high response rate for low priced products/services or your response rate is low with high priced products/services. If you flip through mailers that you receive at home on a daily basis, most of them are promoting high price items such as real estate, mortgages, cars, shows, dental practices, and more.
When you calculate your ROI, it is important that you factor in the "life-time value" of a new customer because portions of new customers will continue to use your service for many years to come. You need to estimate the average "life-time value" and use that to analyze the ROI on your mailing campaign. For instance, restaurant mailers do not initially generate enough revenue to offset initial mailing costs. However, these customers, if they are satisfied with your service, will continue come back in the future. Furthermore, they will even recommend the restaurant to others, leading more customers to your business. This potential additional value generated by the initial mailing is hard to capture, but it is a factor that is important to remember.
Is it worth the money to use premium paper and printing for our mailing?
Generally, the answer is NO. Premium paper and printing can increase your marketing costs quite dramatically, and most of the time, it is not worth spending extra money for higher quality materials. The premium paper will not increase your response rate enough to offset the higher costs. Most people receiving mail do not care or appreciate higher quality material, so it is not much of a guarantee that it will boost the response rate. I usually recommend to my clients to take that extra marketing budget and to spend it on another aspect of the direct mail campaign.
For example, if you have some extra money on your budget, it is much more efficient to spend it on increasing your direct mail volume or sending a follow-up direct mailer. The value of following up cannot be understated as there are many times when your initial mailer gets lost or forgotten in households who were very interested in your services and products.
what are the different postage rates?
The following are the most common rates, and it will fluctuate based on several factors:
Marketing Mail (previously Standard or Bulk Mail) - Typical delivery time is 1 to 2 week depending on the area.
about $.402
First Class Mail - 1 to 5 day delivery time
about $.636 each for letter size
Marketing Non-Profit - Same delivery time as Marketing Mail except you will have much lower non-profit rate.
about $.23 each for letter size
Our experts take pride in finding the lowest possible rate that your business or organization qualifies for. There are ways you can get a significant discount on postage including drop shipment and walk sequence processing. We'd be more than happy to analyze your data for you with no obligation. Contact us today!
Click here to open USPS Business Price Calculator.
What is the estimated delivery time?
Here are published delivery time for different classes by the USPS:
Express Mail - 1 to 2 days
Priority Mail - 1 to 3 days
First Class Mail - 2 to 5 days
Parcel Post - 2 to 9 days*
Bound Printed Mail - 2 to 9 days*
Media Mail - 2 to 9 days*
Standard Mail - 2 to 14 days*
* The USPS doesn't guarantee delivery time for these classes. However, our experience is that more than 98% of the time the mailers will be delivered within these dates. By using drop shipments, you can save delivery time and postage. Please call for more details on this.
what are letter-size and flat-size direct mailers?
Roughly put, a letter-size direct mail is any rectangular mailer at least 5" long and 3 1/2" high. However, a mailer larger than the letter-size maximum dimension of 6 1/8" x 11 1/2" is considered as the "flat" size direct mailer. The “flat” size mailer cannot exceed 12” x 15”. The postage rate for "flat" size mailer is significantly higher than the postage rate for the letter-size mailer.
However, there are some exceptions to this. Please call us at 800-961-4877, so we can provide more details.
What is a drop shipment?
Postal Drop Shipping or Drop Shipment applies mostly to Marketing Mail including nonprofit mail. If we deliver mailers closer to the destination Post Office, we can receive a drop ship discount from the Post Office for delivering the pieces. The overall cost may be lower even if you add the delivery cost of getting your pieces to the destination PO. Drop shipment is not for all mailing projects because you need enough mailers within certain areas to offset that delivery cost.
This is a complicated process to determine if you should use drop shipment or not. The Addressers has been helping businesses and organizations make the most out of their marketing budget with drop shipping. The Addressers has the latest technology and expertise to advise you with the most cost-efficient delivery option. In addition to lower postage, drop shipped mail will arrive at homes faster and at a more predictable time.
What is the non-profit rate and how do we qualify?
The nonprofit rate is a significantly lower postage rate that nonprofit organizations can qualify for. Your nonprofit organization must apply at the Post Office and receive non-profit authorization number before you can benefit from the lower postage rate.
First, you will need to read the information on this form to see if your organization is eligible to mail at the non-profit rates. Once you determine if you qualify, you will need to fill out the application and submit required documentation . You can send this to us and we can send it to our local PO where they will then submit it electronically or mail it to Pricing and Classification Service Center. You will receive a letter notifying you if you are approved along with an assigned Non-Profit Authorization number.
The Addressers specialize in serving nonprofit organizations and helping them qualify for this discount. Le the experts handle your qualifications and your entire nonprofit direct mail marketing campaign. Check out our nonprofit samples!
Do I need a permit to mail non-profit mailing?
Yes, applications and fees cost around ~$250 dollars and can take some time. Take advantage of our expertise and utilize the Addressers’ permit for FREE!
Read more about non-profit mailing.
Non-profit authorization number vs non-profit permit
The nonprofit authorization number is given to you once the USPS grants you qualification for the non-postage rates. The non-profit permit is needed to send out your mailing to the Post-Office, but you can use the Addressers’ permit for no extra charge. Avoiding the permit application will save you both time and money!
Check out our nonprofit services!
How long does it take for non-profit mailer to arrive at the final destination?
Nonprofit direct mail will arrive at its final destination in about 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the region.
Contact the Addressers to plan ahead!
Can i send packages via non-profit mailing?
Yes. If your package is 16 oz (1 lb) or less, you can mail packages via nonprofit postage rate. There some restrictions, so please contact us for details.
Is there a first class non-profit rate?
No, discounted non-profit mailing is only available for marketing direct mail only. Marketing mail is also known as “bulk” mail or standard mail.
when is the best day of the week to mail?
It depends on your marketing needs and the type of service you want to use, but we need to work backwards from the ideal arrival date.
Most mailings will get better results if the mailer is received at home during the mid-week (Tues/Wed/Thurs) because your prospects are usually busy over the weekend and tend to ignore direct mail pieces during these times. If you are mailing to local addresses via Marketing Mail, we can drop ship your pieces on Friday at either SCF or NDC location, and the mail will be delivered in 2 to 4 days.
Please note that drop shipment will not be possible for all mailers. We will advise you if it benefits you on your specific mailing.
how do i know that my mailing was sent?
We will send you an official postal receipt upon request when the mailing is completed. The form shows the date of the mailing and the quantity that was mailed. It is an official USPS documentation and you can call USPS to verify the information.
how do i design a direct mail?
We have professional graphics designers who can assist you at a nominal fee. A typical postcard design will be at $75 per hour, and on the average we spend 2 to 5 hours. For a postcard of any size 4 x 6 to 6 x 11, we charge $150 flat fee.
WHAT IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDDM AND RESIDENTIAL SATURATION MAILING?
EDDM & Residential Saturation Mailing are very similar types of mailing methods because they both will deliver a direct mail piece to each address on a carrier route. They are at a discounted rate compared to regular direct mail postage.
EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is mailed without a name and address on the mailer. It simply says "Local Postal Customer". Bundles of these mailers are given to postal couriers in an area for distribution. Residential Saturation Mailer, on the other hand, will have a name (about 70% of all addresses have a name) and an address on each mailer. The cost is slightly higher on Residential Mailer, but having a name and address on mailer often produces better response rates than EDDM mailer. Residential Saturation Mailer also includes information on the average demographics of each household from average age, annual income, number of children, and more.
Visit our EDDM Page or Saturation Mailing Page to learn which mailing is perfect for you!
Please call 800-961-4877 for more details.
can you explain the different paper types?
Here is a helpful link on our paper weight conversion chart. This link explains the difference between 24 lb bond vs. 70# text, 14pt stock vs. 120 lb cover, etc.
do you handle aqmd/ABC/COMPLIANCE mailing?
Yes. We do that all the time. We can send notification letters to all resident and business addresses within 500 ft or 1,000 ft from the site address. We will provide a certificate of the mailing when the mailing is done.
WHAT IS PMEOD/PMOD (Priority mail open and distribute)?
PMOD (Priority Mail Open and Distribute) is not well known in the mailing service industry, but it can be beneficial to some customers. Instead of sending Marketing Mail to local Post Offices, we can ship trays of mail via the USPS Priority Mail closer to destination post office (SCFs). If you are mailing to local addresses, PMOD won't help. However, if you are mailing outside your local area, PMOD can expedite the mailing delivery time to 3 to 4 days instead of 1 to 3 weeks.
PMOD can save you a lot in postage when you would like to have a first class delivery time without paying a first class rate. Average PMOD postage rate falls between Marketing Mail ($.43 each) and First Class Mail ($.52 each). The total of the PMOD postage is the combination of Marketing Mail postage plus Priority Mail postage.
PMOD is not for everyone. Please contact us so we can determine if you will benefit from our PMOD service.
DO YOU HANDLE FULFILLMENT OF VARIOUS ITEMS OF DIFFERENT QUANTITIES?
Yes, we do. We can store your materials in our warehouse and even manage inventory for long-term projects. We can print custom cover letters and any other literature based on your specifications. Send us your artwork, and we will send you samples for approval. We can presort packages to be able to get postage discounts if the mail piece is within the specifications for presorting. If not, we have other options to mail the packages at a reasonable rate.
We are proud to have in-house programmers who can handle the complexity of your mailing/fulfillment project. Our handwork crew is well trained on fulfilling multi-item/multi-quantity packages which we call Pick and Pack.
For bulk shipments, we can pack/palletize items based on your list and be able to ship those at the cheapest possible rate. Should you wish to use your own shipping account, we can coordinate that, too. Lastly, quality control is a protocol for all our jobs but should you need to do your own QC, feel free to come and visit the facility while your project is being worked on.
Please call the number (800) 961-4877 to be able to work closely with one of our fulfillment experts, so we can customize our service to your specifications.
WHAT IS MOVE UPDATE (ALSO KNOW AS "NCOA"-NATIONAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS)?
When you move your resident or business, you normally go to a Post Office and provide the new address so the Post Office will forward all your mails. When we prepare your list for mailing, we are required by the USPS to compare your mailing list against the USPS move update database to replace undeliverable and outdated addresses If you request it, we can send you an updated database so you can improve your own list.
Can I include a sample inside of an envelope and mail?
The USPS has several requirements that will limit what you can put inside an envelope and mail as first class or as marketing mail. For example, an envelope has to be an even thickness, which means the insert piece has to be thin (no more than a gift card thickness).
If your mailer doesn't meet the USPS guidelines for first class or marketing mail, you can mail it as a parcel post, but postage is much higher than the postage for first class or marketing mail.
Please call us at 800-961-4877 to discuss further.
CAN I TRACK MY MAILING?
Yes. You can track your marketing (bulk) or first class mail. We can use services such as trackmymail.com to track the delivery of your mailing. This type of tracking is different from the UPS, FedEx or USPS Priority Mail tracking service. The biggest difference is your mail is tracked only up to the last local post office that handle the mail. It does not track if your mail was actually delivered to homes. Also, you don’t get any delivery signature.
We can safely assume that the vast majority of mailers were delivered to homes as long as they reached the local post office. This tracking is useful to to determine if your mailers have arrived to various locations throughout the country, and you will be able to know if there are any issues with delivery in certain areas.
Typical cost of adding this kind of tracking is around 1 cent each. You will get various delivery reports by state, region and zip code. We usually don’t recommend our customers to add tracking because it adds an unnecessary cost, As an expert in direct mail for 40 years, the USPS is very efficient in delivering mailers accurately and on time.
You can also use Certified Mail to track, but it can be quite costly. We recommend First Class Package Service for mailing that requires tracking to the recipient address. First Class Package Service and much more cost efficient than the Certified Mail, USP or FedEx.