Answers, guides, and tools.

Direct mail is one of the most dynamic communications and marketing tools available. It is utilized by small and large businesses, nonprofit organizations, political campaigns, and many others. Direct mail can be personalized to the point of absolute confidentiality and has almost no limits on size, content, materials, or process. It can be specific, accurate, and time-controlled. Call us to find out how direct mail can work for you.

How can direct mail be dead if even Google has recently used it to reach small and medium-size businesses? Insurance and credit card marketers continue using direct mail as a mainstay of their media mix. It is most definitely not dead.

Consider Marketing Mail or Nonprofit rates for most cases. If you have a time-sensitive project, you may want First-class mail.

For small projects (under 5,000 pieces), the usual time frame is one business day from receipt of data, materials, and payment. For larger projects: 1 - 2 business days for jobs requiring a single service; 2 - 3 days for jobs requiring multiple services. Once submitted to the Post Office, delivery time varies: First-class mail typically delivers in 2 - 3 business days, Marketing Mail does not offer guarantee delivery days, and Saturation or Non-profit mail can extend to 21 business days. USPS does not guarantee delivery times for any class.

Postage funds must be paid at least 24 hours before the mailing date. No mail is delivered to the Post Office until full payment for all services is received, unless the customer has a credit account with us. Payment may be made via PayPal, credit card, check, or bank transfer. Credit card and PayPal payments are subject to a 3.5% convenience fee.

Marketing Mail requires a minimum of 200 pieces. Presorted First-Class requires a minimum of 500 pieces.

Postage costs depend on the size, weight, and thickness of your mail piece, and the class of service you choose. See our Current Postal Rates for the latest figures.

Postage rates are unaffected by weight until pieces exceed 3.3 oz for Marketing Mail or 1 oz for First-class.

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a USPS program designed for small businesses - no mailing list or permit required. Saturation Mail covers the same carrier routes but gives you meaningful advantages: demographic selection options, personalization with names and addresses, and individual delivery rather than being bundled with other EDDM pieces. For most campaigns, Saturation Mail delivers better targeting and higher response. Ask us which is right for your project.

A permit is required, but if you don’t have one you can use ours - saving you the initial application fee and the annual renewal fee. Important: to avoid an additional fee, the permit must be preprinted on your piece unless you are using live stamps.

A mailing cost generally consists of three components: the mailing services fee, the mailing list, and postage. The mailing fee covers services such as data upload, NCOA, address correction, presorting, addressing, tabbing, inserting, USPS document preparation, and delivery. Most services are bundled into one mailing fee. We can use your list at no extra cost, or provide one per your specifications.

Excel, Comma Delimited, Tab Delimited, CSV, DBF, or any database-compatible format. If your file type is not database compatible, let us know and we will try to convert it. Additional data fees may apply.

Ideally your data should comply with USPS addressing standards. An optimized list contains: First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Address 1 (primary), Address 2, City, State, Zip - each element in a separate field, consistent throughout the list.

The Coding Accuracy Support System examines each address to verify accuracy and deliverability. All our databases are CASS certified.

National Change of Address. The USPS requires NCOA certification to qualify for automation discounts. You can also avoid return charges by including “or Current Resident” in the addressing block.

Personalization - also called Variable Messaging - prints portions of your mail piece uniquely for each recipient. By addressing each person by name and referencing their specific situation, you can significantly increase response rates.

Yes. We work with all of the nation’s leading data compilers and list managers and will always recommend the solution that best fits your business objective - not just what one compiler happens to offer.

Typical response rates range from 0.5% to 4%. Rates are affected by list quality, offer relevance, timing, and creative. Keep the 40/40/20 rule in mind: 40% is your list, 40% is your offer, 20% is creative.

The minimum mailing panel size is 4″ wide × 2″ tall in the lower third of your mail piece. The address area must be completely unprinted with no borders on the bottom or right edge. Ask us for our templates.

Yes, in most cases. Size limits are 6⅛” × 11½” and aspect ratios (length ÷ height) must be between 1.3 and 2.5 to qualify for the best postage rate.

To qualify, the piece must be between 3.5″ × 5.5″ and 4.25″ × 6″ with a thickness of .007″. Any larger card is mailed as letter-size Marketing Mail rate.

Folded mailers must be closed with tabs or glue dots/strips. Postal requirements for closing self-mailers have become more complex in recent years - please check with us before sending your piece to print to avoid extra postage charges.

We have an in-house design department and can design and print your piece. If you are supplying your own artwork, ask for our templates before you start designing. The preferred format is PDF.