GETTING READY FOR THE RED TAG MAILING SEASON

It is the time of the year when the USPS is starting to see a lot of red tag mail running through their equipment.

What is Red Tagged Mail?

All qualified political mail will have their mail trays or sacks tagged with a special red tag by the mail house . This helps the post office identify the mail as political mail so that this political mail can be given priority service. Most political mailings run on very tight turnaround times and this identification is extremely important in ensuring the mail gets to the destination on time before election day.

3 WAYS TO FURTHER EXPEDITE YOUR POLITICAL MAILING

1.        Make sure your art conforms with the standards set out by the USPS for bulk mail discounts. Your art should also have the necessary bleeds built in so that the color will print to the edge.

2.       Get your mailing list ready ahead of time and send it to your mail house so that the list can be scrubbed for bad address and updated with the new address. Also decide ahead of time if you would like to remove all addresses that do not qualify for maximum discounts due to them not matching what the USPS has as a valid address.

3.       Make sure you have postage funds available prior to delivery of the mail to the post office. The USPS will not accept mail without payment, standard (bulk) mail cannot be paid with a credit card.

How to fold a self mailer?

When designing a self mailer it is essential that the piece folds correctly to meet USPS postal regulations.  Essentially the final fold will need to be on the longest edge and be located below the address.

Below is a self mailer template for a simple 8.5x11 bi-fold self mailer

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Bi-fold Self-Mailer Template

As more folds are introduced and large paper sizes are used the regulations become bit more complicated.  A few simple rules to follow are

• The final fold will need to be below the address. This means that the top of the mail piece will always be open.

• The second to last fold will need to be to the right of the address on the leading edge, if there is a fold perpendicular to the final fold.

• The address will always need to be parallel to the longest edge and cannot be placed on the last panel.

• The last panel should be at the top or within one inch of the top

• Make sure that when orientating the self mailer the address and artwork on the address panel are orientated so that they reads correctly.

Below are a few examples of self mailer templates which indicate where the final folds will need to be made so that the piece will meet USPS regulations and qualify for the lowest postage rates.

Tri-fold self mailer template:

Tri-fold Self-Mailer Template

Quarter fold self mailer template:

Quarter-fold Self-mailer Template

Folds for self mailers will be different depending on the size of the piece and the number of panels on the piece, but using the rules mentioned above should have the information you need to fold your self mailer correctly.  If your design requires a different fold it may be possible to add additional tabs to meet the USPS requirements.

Please send us a proof of your self mailer so we can make sure the folds are correct.

What is inkjet addressing?

Inkjet addressing is when addresses are printed onto a mail piece by an inkjet printer.  Inkjet printing allows for high speed printing at low prices.  Inkjet printing sprays ink directly onto a piece as opposed to laser or offset printing.  Inkjet printing is most commonly used for printing small pieces of variable data like addresses, taglines, salutations, etc.  The print quality is not as good as laser and offset printing, but inkjet printing is great for small variable data that needs to be added to a piece.  Typically mail pieces are offset printed or digitally printed and then the address is inkjet printed onto the piece.  Another advantage of inkjet printing is that finished pieces can have addresses inkjet printed directly onto them.  For instance a booklet, self-mailer, or glossy postcard can have the address inkjet printed directly onto the finished piece even after it has been folded, bound, tabbed, or coated.

Some clients even elect to print variable data like salutations or codes using inkjet printers due to low costs of printing.  Inkjet printing looks more professional than applying labels and is also more cost effective.  The drawback of inkjet printing is that printing is done in line so duplex printing will require two passes.  Additionally images and select uniform colors can be printed but the quality will not be as good as digital printing and some images may look pixelated. The most significant cost of inkjet printing is the ink so the more ink used the higher the costs, which is why inkjet printing is mostly used for small pieces of variable information like an address or tagline.  Inkjet print heads also have a limited size.  Our inkjet heads are 4 inches wide so each head can only print 4 inches wide on the selected piece.

Inkjet addressing is a great way to add personal data like addresses, taglines, promotional codes, and barcodes to any mail piece.  Inkjet addressing looks professional is cost effective and will add variable data that is essential to your mailing.  

How do I know if my bulk mailing was mailed?

There are many ways to receive proof that your bulk mailing was mailed.  The easiest way it ask your mail house for a postal receipt.  When bulk mail is delivered to the post office the postal clerk will examine the piece make sure it meets the postal standards and weight verify the delivery to ensure that the quantity matches that in the postal statement.   They will then issue a mailing transaction receipt acknowledging that the mail has been delivered and is now in the hands of the USPS.  The postage statement will also detail the postage paid.  Many post offices are now sending these receipts electronically and they should be accessible for mail houses to distribute if there is a discrepancy.

Bulk direct mail can also be tracked.  The mail house can add information into the barcode of the mail piece which will allow the USPS to track the piece as it moves through the mail stream.  Your mail house can then provide a report indicating where in the mail stream the pieces are.  Tracking goes as far as the last scan from the last post office prior to delivery, but does not track when the piece is actually delivered to the recipient’s mailbox.  Furthermore, tracking is not 100% accurate as some pieces are not scanned and depending on where the mail is going some USPS post offices do not have the technology to track all types of mail.

In some cases the two aforementioned methods will not be available like for some first class, non-automation, comingled, or international mail.  In these cases the best way to track whether the pieces have been delivered to the post office is to add a seed name into your data.  A seed name is often times an address included in the data used for purpose of verifying that the mail has been sent.  It is best practice to include seed names in all mailings, not just to verify mailing but also to get an idea of when recipients have received the mail.

Five things to consider for a direct mail campaign

When designing a direct mail marketing campaign there are certain points that you must think about to optimize your mailing.Prepare for your direct mail campaign by considering the following characteristics:

1.       Your Target Audience

With direct mail you have the ability to target a specific audience. This is the most important part of your mailing, no matter how amazing your piece is if it is not sent to a target client it will not be successful. When considering where to send your direct mailing, consider your ideal client. Break down as many characteristics of that client as possible (i.e. income level, geographic location, homeowners, etc.). With these characteristics you can obtain a list that targets the best prospects.

2.       Your budget

It is important to set a budget for your direct mail campaign. There are many different aspects of a direct mail budget including: list acquisition, postage, services, printing, etc. Make sure to identify the aspects of your mailing that are most important to you. For example, if the type of paper used is more important than the colors used, you can save money by going with black and white while still using a high quality paper.

3.       Your goals

You must set goals for your direct mail campaign. Goals should be set aggressively yet realistically. Your goals are integral in ensuring that you maintain focus on the most important marketing aspects while creating your direct mail campaign. When setting goals make sure to consider multiple aspects including but not limited to desired client response, response rate, and brand awareness. Note that it has been proven that you need multiple mailings to achieve optimal results. Make sure to plan your overall mailing strategy and don’t be afraid to test your ideas with smaller sample mailings before you commit to a larger mailing.

4.       Your Piece

Once you have identified your target audience, budget, and goals you must design your piece. When designing your piece there are many things to consider. Firstly, you must decide what type of piece you want to mail (postcard, letter, etc.), what size you want, etc. In addition, you must consider what message you are trying to get across and what the call to action of your mailing will be (i.e. visit your website, come in to your store location, or fill out a survey). Be sure to keep your budget and goals close at hand when designing your piece.

5.       Your marketing integration

Like any marketing communication direct mail cannot be utilized in a vacuum. When designing your direct mail campaign reflect on how it will be integrated with your overall marketing campaign. Make sure to keep a consistent message throughout your marketing channels focused on achieving your overall campaign goals. It is also important to consider your follow-up strategy after your mailing.