Many costly problems can be adverted simply by sending a copy of your design to your Mailing Professional before going to print.

Printers do not always know whether the media that they are printing will be used in a Direct Mail Campaign. On top of that, Printers print, they typically do not mail and therefore may not be up to date on the ever changing Postal Rules.

A magazine mailer was delivered today to our shop that had no mailing panel on the front or back. It turns out that the designer had forgotten to place a mailing panel on the mailer. Even though many eyes had viewed this magazine during its many stages of print production, this omission was never detected. The printer may have thought it was for distribution by hand or that it may be going into an envelope. One quick glance by one of our staff quickly saw that something was wrong and it was brought it to my attention. Luckily, in this case there was adequate room and a large enough “unprinted” area within the back page advertising that we were able to inkjet the proper mailing information. If the advertising would have been full coverage, alternative steps would have had to be taken such as printing and affixing labels or inserting into envelopes. Both of these steps would have been more time extensive and more costly.

Once your design is complete and ready for printing a mailing professional should have his or hers eyes on it so as to ensure that all of the postal rules are adhered to. As a matter of fact, by viewing your concept at different stages of the design, your mailing professional may be able to suggest alternative design strategies to save you even more in processing and/or postage costs.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

Let’s say you have a bunch of volunteers or interns that can process your mailing. A large chunk of the costs would be saved by utilizing this free labor, or will it?

Having volunteers and interns can really help out with your company’s daily chores and save you money as well but should you allocate all projects to them? Let’s break down one scenario.

You have a mailer that needs to be folded and wafer sealed. The addresses, after printing them on labels, will need to be affixed. Then, apply the postage, sort, bundle and tray, fill out all required postal documentation and deliver the mailing to the Post Office.

As many who have tried this will attest, this can be a daunting task, sometimes adding stress and confusion to the work environment for days. In this scenario many supplies will be needed such as computer labels, rubber bands, wafer seals and all the required postal supplies ie. endorsement stickers, trays and sleeves. The database that will be used must conform to the new postal C.A.S.S. Certification and MOVE Update rules and the company must, in most cases, purchase a postage permit from the Post Office. Once all this is done and the mailing finally completed, postal docs must be filled out to be submitted along with the mailing reflecting the postage and would most likely not be automation compatible since many in-house operations do not have adequate barcoding capabilities. Under this scenario the labor would be free but the postage, one of the highest costs, would be higher. At just an average 4 cents per piece the difference on a 5000 piece mailing would result in a $200.00 increase in the postage!

With state of the art machinery and technology a mailing company can not only process this mailing in hours instead of days but can take advantage of all the postal discounts available. Many times a mail house can save your company so much in postage that the difference more than pays for their labor costs therefore, just as with volunteers and interns, your labor costs are “free”. The huge difference is in the time frame and deliverability of an automation compatible mailing with no stress and confusion at your workplace.

When considering the ever changing postal rules, workplace stress and confusion, your marketing efforts deliverability, the possible loss in postage and or non-qualifying mail requirement penalties, putting an important and huge task such as this in the hands of an experienced and capable professional makes sense. Especially when the overall costs are considered.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

If your company is watching its dollars like everyone else during this economic downturn you may want to consider this.

You do not need to purchase a Postal Postage Permit in order to receive presorted postage rates.

Buying one or many postage permits can be expensive, especially if you mail different types of mail such as Standard, First Class or Meter Mail. Each Permit that you purchase sets up a postage “bank account” that provides you a place to deposit your currently needed or future postage amounts. Excess monies are held in the account to be applied to future projects and can take many days to get refunded to you if needed.

Personal Touch Mailing allows our customers to use our postage permits at no additional cost. You simply pay the postage amount. As a mailing service we are allowed to let other companies use our permits even if they are a registered non-profit organization. Once a prior agreement is made determining the usage of one of our permits, we can send you, your designer or printer a copy of the applicable indicia for printing on your mail piece. No bother if you have the printed pieces without an indicia, we can print it on your media for you. One important thing to remember though is that any mail pieces that are returned after the completion of the mailing that include one of our indicias must have a stamp placed over our indicia if you plan to mail any of them. If they are mailed without a stamp the post office will throw them away and notify us. When using our postal permit we will notify you when we know the exact postage amount. At this point you could send us a postage check made payable the U. S. Postmaster, we can draw from an already existing escrow account or someone from your company may deposit the funds into our permit account. A postal receipt is always available upon request detailing the total amount mailed; postage used as well as the date the post office accepted the mailing.

This is just one of the many ways that Personal Touch Mailing helps you stay within your budget.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

As the economy started its dramatic downturn back in 2008 many Americans were in disbelief that a situation of this magnitude could not only happen in this country but sustain and worsen as it has for so long. The American Dream seems much less attainable as people are losing their jobs and security, houses sit vacant and shopping centers become ghost towns as businesses can no longer endure the economic strain.

After the initial shock, many felt that a solution was right around the corner and pulled in their belts, budgets and cut costs as they waited out the storm. As time flew buy, the situation only worsened and the realization that we were in this for the long haul become apparent. It’s now been almost 3 years and the economy has not been as “stimulated” as those in Washington have promised so many times.

As people streamlined their companies bottom line many “extra” costs were discarded or suspended and marketing budgets seemed to be one of the first on the list. It’s understandable that one would be cautious in the beginning but now that we are settling in for the long haul it’s time to get the wheels of progress turning again in this country by strengthening our small business presence. At this time, more than ever, it is time to regain your company’s position in the business community that it once thrived in. A well orchestrated marketing campaign can be a very effective strategy to help create much needed new business as well as stimulate past business to react and thereby strengthen your company’s future financial security.

I know how hard it is to allocate part of your budget to advertize in this economy but when your options are to sit back and wait or to be proactive, it seems to me that being proactive is a better insurance plan.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

My first job, 2 weeks out of High School, was working for The National Geographic Society. I worked in the mail room as a clerk where I got my first experiences handling mail for a large corporation. I soon felt the need to move on and was trained to drive the large delivery trucks delivering the daily mail to the Washington DC Post Office. My mailing education greatly expanded through this contact with one of the largest Post Office’s in the world. I soon worked my way into a machine operator position, addressing the bulk mail and finally was promoted to the computer room where I helped operate the huge IBM computer  system which stored and processed all National Geographic’s databases.

After my years at Nat. Geo. I worked with a few mailing companies in the local area finally managing one of the largest. I stayed at this location for many years until I moved to Orlando to be with my wife to be and future business partner Bonny. Bonny had been following a similar path working in mailing and eventually winding up at the Orlando Sentinel as a press room operator. After working with a couple of mail houses in the Orlando area and watching as they closed, one by one, to bankruptcy, getting closed down by the IRS or Sherriff’s department with their owners sometimes going to jail, I felt it prudent to start my own mailing company rather than risk my reputation working for someone in the current climate.

Bonny and I started Personal Touch Mailing Service, Inc. in Nov of 1992 in our one car garage. We soon moved to our current location in South Orlando where we still reside.  We feel so blessed that we have enjoyed a modest level of success and have met, helped and become friends with many in both the local and national business communities.

Gino Santilli

President, P.T.M.S., Inc..

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

A competent Mail Professional should have a vast array of database companies at his or her disposal so as to custom taylor a targeted address list to fit your needs.

There are many types of databases such as:

RESIDENT/OCCUPANT  LISTS: Typically a saturation of all the addresses, both business and residential, in an area such as a zip code, city, county or state. The demographics are usually very limited with these types of lists but they can come at a very low cost.

COMMERCIAL LISTS: These are addresses files that are individual based and can have a huge range of criteria such as age, income, marital status, presence of children, home ownership and home values. Some database compilers even offer more personal demographics such as shopping habits and hobbies. Commercial databases are usually compiled by the mail list supplier from credit reporting agencies like Experian and Equifax as well as phone book compilers such as Polk and Donnelly. These lists can come at a slightly higher cost than Res/Oc lists with every addition of a particular demographic, or “Select” raising the costs higher as you add them on.

BUSINESS LISTS: Much like Commercial databases, business lists are more expensive than the resident lists and come with a large list of “selects” that you can choose from. These lists are usually complied from Yellow Pages and Business Credit Reporting agencies like Dun & Bradstreet.

SPECIALTY LISTS: There are many mail list companies that devote their attention to particular industries such as Education where you can purchase intricate address lists compiled down to Music, Choir or Band Teachers, Magazine Subscriber Databases, Telemarketing Lists, New Movers, Expectant Mothers, you name it and you can usually find it. But, these lists can come with large price tags so intricate targeting is essential.

Obtaining a well crafted, targeted database can be the most important step to ensuring your Direct Marketing success.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

SIZE MATTERS: The final size, shape and folding direction and weight of your mailing media will determine your mailing’s classification as well as the postage costs you will pay. Some of these classifications are: Letter Sized, Flats, Machinable, Non-Machinable, Automation and Non-Automation compatible, etc. In some cases your mailer can be designed completely outside the postal rules such as a Square Shaped card or flyer, a Booklet with staples at the top, an underweight paper stock or an unusual stock such as a “plastic” envelope, Paper Bag or odd shaped package, that could render your mailing unmailable altogether.

COLORS ARE IMPORTANT: While extravagant colors such as Fluorescents, Ultra Brights, Foils, Very Dark and Reflective Colors can enhance your design to help capture your prospects eye they can cause readability issues with the Post Office’s OCR scanners. It is always good to check first before spending the extra money on your design only to find out there could be higher costs on the back end in postage and penalties.

POSTAGE RATES AND SIZE: There are many circumstances where the postage rates do not change from one size to the next. For instance, the postage would be the same, at standard rates, for a 4” x 6” postcard as for a 6” x 11” one as well as all acceptable sizes in between. Since the postage amount is typically the highest cost in a Direct Mail Campaign it may be worth the few dollars more in print costs to step up in size to allow for more room to get you message across. This is just one of the ways a Mailing Professional can help you stay within budget while getting the most for your dollars.

Some other important issues to address are: Paper weight and thickness, the flexibility of your mail piece, mailing panel placement and size, when you are required to have a return address and when you are not and which glossy finish to choose.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

As the economy gets tougher and tougher companies all over are streamlining their ways of conducting business so as to save money at every turn and you can find this in full bore within the Postal Service.

Every effort to make their production flow easier has been and is continually addressed. The result is a   smoother more economical production system within the Post Office and an ever mounting Domestic Mail Manual full of rules. Most of these rules make no sense to the lay person, some don’t even make sense to the Mailing Professional and some leave even the Postal Employees confused, if they are familiar with them at all.

I spend many hours per week working with the post office to gain clear interpretations of these rules before submitting a mailing into their production. A mailing professional’s reputation, experience and relationship with the postal staff where they submit the mail is crucial in ensuring that there are no delays and or postage increases. In extreme cases, one time exceptions are granted in spite of the errors but these “favors” are not given out lightly and ones relationships with the Post Office staff helps a great deal.

Many Printers pay little attention to mailing requirements leaving the customer unaware of potential postal issues until the materials arrive at the mail house. It is at this point your mailing agent must perform as much “magic” as he or she can to rectify the issues without costly postage increases and or delays.

I always recommend that my clients email me a proof of their materials before going to print. Then you have the experienced eyes of both a printing and mailing professional overseeing your project. This small step can go a long way in ensuring the success of your marketing campaign.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

Just as in any industry you will find a wide range of experience, equipment and passion when comparing Mailing Firms. It is always important to know a little about the company that might be handling something so important and expensive as your marketing campaign. How long have they been in business, do they have references, are they well equipped and utilizing current technologies, are they assessable, easy to work with and display a real passionate concern in helping you reach your goals?

I have heard of so many tragedies over the years when it comes to the mailing industry. Mail companies getting closed down for stealing postage from customers, other companies throwing mail in dumpsters and piling it up in garages, piles of materials on the floor around machines with addresses on them from constant jamming and malfunctions destined for the trash. I have   heard of price gouging, lying, the reselling of old mail lists and postage savings taken by mail firms that should have gone to the customer.

Marketing is a very important step in your companies well being. Obtaining new customers, keeping current customers loyal and increasing profits are just a few of the motivations that drive businesses to seek a successful marketing strategy. Trusting that a mailing professional will help you every step of the way in targeting your market, design advice, processing the mailing and getting it successfully into the postal system in a timely manner while watching the costs along the way is a huge undertaking.

Longevity, experience, competitive pricing and friendly service are all very important tools when considering a Marketing Professional. Marketing is all about communicating with the public and can be a “make or break” issue for your company’s future. Shopping for a vendor based on price alone may compromise your intentions.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!

Many Printers are and have been adding mailing to their list of services. Some are equipped to process mail in-house and many outsource this part once the media is printed. This marriage of the two industries is a relatively new concept mostly brought on by the recent economic downturn. Seeing their profits fall during these hard economic times and watching as their competition are continually closing their doors, a sense of urgency has led them to diversify as much as possible. This means purchasing additional machinery and software as well as hiring new employees or cross-training existing ones and the most daunting of all, becoming well versed in the overwhelming amount of ever changing postal rules.

Where it is appealing to utilize the “One Stop Shop” concept, you could be jeopardizing your marketing efforts by making this choice.

We at Personal Touch Mailing have had to correct many mistakes after receiving printed materials from printers, designers and or customers that were unaware of applicable postal regulations. We have heard many stories of mistakes, delays and outrageous pricing from customers and once we have had a chance to review the costs have found many times that they have paid much higher postage rates due to using a non-local mailing firm. The post office awards you special postage discounts for mailing your local mail locally. We find this “hidden” expenditure the most with internet postcard printers who offer mailing and are mailing from out of state.

In my opinion it is very important to have a reputable mail house quality check your printing before it goes to print to ensure that your expensive media meets all the postal mailing requirements and is optimized in its design to fully take advantage of all postage discounts.  I have seen many printed flyers and postcards get throw in the trash or suffer much higher postage and labor costs due to faulty designs and printing.

Want to know how to create a winning direct mail campaign that won’t break your bank?

Click here to receive our consumer guide: 12 Ways To Avoid Paying More Than You Have To For Direct Mail. Inside you’ll learn the key mistakes to avoid when developing a direct mail campaign, the key element that can make or break your direct mail offering, plus you will be eligible to receive a special discount as a first-time customer! Get your free direct mail guide today!