USPS Postage Rate Increase

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced a rate change for several mailing services effective January 22, 2023. The changes, which were approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, include increases for first-class stamps, postcards, and other mailing services.

One of the most notable changes is the increase in the price of first-class stamps, which will rise from $0.58 to $0.63. .

The USPS cites the ongoing financial challenges it faces as the reason for these rate changes. The organization has been struggling financially for years and has been seeking ways to increase revenue and reduce costs. These rate changes are one way that the USPS is attempting to address its financial issues.

The rate changes are fairly complex and some rates are decreasing. The rates will depend on the class of mail, density of the mailing list, and location where the mail is delivered to the USPS. Contact us to learn more about these changes. Action Mail can provide better estimates on postage rates for your specific mailing but to get exact rates the mailing list will need to be processed.

Non profit Appeal Mailings

Non profit mailings are a great way to remind donors to send in their end of year donations as well as let them know the work you organization has done in the last year. Non profit appeal mailings can be as simple as a postcard with a link or QR code to donate or complex as a personalized letter with personalized ask amounts.

Personalization is key to foster the bond with your donors and make them feel part of the organization. You can also use data from previous donations to provide custom messaging or ask amounts to try to increase the donation size. The down side to personalization is that it does increase the cost of a mailing.

A postcard is much more budget friendly but it would need to supplement other outreach and works better for a demographic that is more likely to donate online. A postcard is much more generic and more of a reminder to donate than a personalized appeal.

Non profits do receive discounted USPS pricing which allows campaigns to reach more donors at lower costs.

Magazine Printing and Mailing in San Diego

Printing and mailing magazines locally in San Diego is key to quick turnarounds and getting the lowest postage rates by delivering to local San Diego post offices. San Diego no longer has a web offset printer, but Action Mail can help ensure your magazines are printed and mailed on time and get delivered as fast as possible. Contact us and we can work with you to find the best solution for your printing and mailing needs. Below are a few points to take into consideration which will help us provide options to reduce costs and delivery time.

Timeline: How quickly will your magazine need to be delivered from when art files and lists are available? Is the magazine printed on a specific schedule each month, week, etc?

Size and Distribution: How many copies are being printed? Where are they being distributed to? How are these being distributed? Are these being addressed or sent EDDM?

Paper Type: What type of paper is being used? Is there flexibility in the paper type? With paper shortages the more flexibility the better.

Size: What is the size of the magazine? Can the magazine be folded to get lower postage rates?

Action Mail understands the urgency of delivering and printing magazines on time and we are here for all your printing and mailing needs.

USPS August 2021 Rate Increase

The USPS has a rate change effective August 29, 2021.  Most rates will increase slightly, but there is a change which will make first class postcards much less expensive. Previously a postcard was considered a card with maximum dimensions 5” x 6”, but the USPS is now changing that size t o 6” x 9” which encompasses the most common postcard sizes.  Below is a summary of the changes

FIRST CLASS POSTCARD SIZE CHANGE

A first class postcard is now considered a card with maximum dimensions 6”x9”. The USPS first class postage rates are much less expensive than first class letter rates. It will now be a very similar cost to send first class postcards and standard r marketing mail postcards. Previously a 8.5”x5.5” postcard would cost about $0.30 to send marketing mail and $0.46 to send first class, with these changes it will now cost about $0.32 to send first class. Making it almost the same cost to send standard or marketing mail as first class.

There are other factors that come into calculating postage so it still may be advantageous to send marketing mail, but the 1-3 day delivery and free returns will make first class postcards much more affordable. As always Action Mail will help you navigate postage to determine the best class for your needs and budget.

RATE CHANGES

FIRST CLASS FULL RATE

First class stamps will increase by $0.03 to $0.58. First class flats or large envelopes will be $1.16 or two first class stamps.

PRESORTED MAIL USPS POSTAGE RATES (LETTERS, POSTCARDS, AND FLATS)

The presorted rates for letters increases on average $0.02.  This increase is not uniform and will depend on the sort.  For first class presorted flats the rate has increased by about $0.05. Postcard rates will increase by about $0.03 but larger postcard can now be sent at these rates.

MARKETING MAIL/ STANDARD MAIL USPS POSTAGE RATES (LETTERS, AND FLATS)

Marketing Mail/ Standard Mail letter size postage rates are increasing on average by about $0.02.  The flat size postage rates are also increasing by about $0.02.

FIRST CLASS AND PRIORITY MAIL PACKAGE USPS POSTAGE RATES

Package rates, both first class and priority mail will remain the same for now. It is likely there will be increases in these rates during the holiday season.

If you have any questions or would like a more detailed analysis for your specific mailings please contact us.

How Often Does My List need a CASS Certification?

At Action Mail we recommend CASS certification of your list before every mailing. Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) improves the accuracy of delivery point codes so updating it before every mailing makes it more likely that mail will be delivered correctly.

To receive bulk mail USPS rates the USPS requires that lists have CASS certification 180 days prior to the mail date for non-carrier route mailings and 90 days prior to the mail date for carrier route mailings. If CASS certification is done before these dates the mailing should not qualify for USPS bulk mail automation postage rates.

At Action Mail we CASS certify and run our lists through NCOA (National Change of Address) to ensure high delivery rates and the lowest postage rates. We are also happy to CASS certify lists periodically to provide opportunities to clean and update lists.

We recommend CASS certifying lists prior to every mailing but technically they only need to be CASS certified 90 or 180 days prior to the mailing depending if it is a carrier route list.

Self Mailer Template

Below are a few self mailer templates indicating the location of the address and folds on a self mailer. There are also regulations on the weight and orientation of the folds on self mailers so they can be processed through the USPS mail processing equipment. It is best to contact us to discuss designs or send mock up so we can ensure that the self mailer meets USPS regulations to get the lowest postage rate.

Request a Self Mailer Printing and Mailing Quote

Bi-fold Self Mailer Template

Bifold Self Mailer Template

Tri-fold Self Mailer Template

Trifold Self Mailer Template

Quarter-fold Self Mailer Template

Quarterfold Self Mailer Template

Request a Self Mailer Printing and Mailing Quote

Are USPS Direct Mail Delivery Times Slowing Down?

There has been a lot in the news about USPS funding and slow delivery times, but from what we have seen with direct marketing mail is that delivery times are not changing. This is more politics than reality and the USPS is working business as usual to deliver mail on time. The USPS still has its delivery standards for first class mail and the delivery times have not changed. With marketing direct mail there are no standard but we have not seen any slow down in USPS delivery service.

We have contacted officials at the USPS and have been told mail delivery has not slowed down. They also explained that USPS has the resources to continue to meet standards and mail delivery times even as election mail increases. Most of the USPS equipment is automated so mail delivery does not g

If delivery times are still a concern we can put a tracking code in your bulk direct mail piece which will track where your mailing is in the mail stream. It will not track individual pieces but it will give you an idea as to where the whole mailing is and the percent that has been delivered.

Mail delivery times typically do slow down during elections and the holidays with the increase in mail volume but these delays are not substantial and may cause a day or two delay. From what we have seen and from what the USPS has communicated to us mail delivery times have not decreased.

USPS EDDM Every Door Direct Mail SALE: 10% Discount

The USPS just announce a 10% discount on all EDDM Retail mailings. This sale will reduce the EDDM rate from $0.191 to $0.172. Action Mail can get you EDDM postage rates of $0.164 and handle all the mail preparations.

How can Action Mail get you a lower EDDM postage rate the USPS Sale rate?

The USPS EDDM sale is just for EDDM Retail. Action Mail can prepare EDDM mail pieces on our permit for a lower postage rate. Action Mail can also mail more than 5,000 pieces at a time and can mail to multiple zip codes. There are discounted rates for delivering to local post offices and Action Mail can help you determine the most cost effective mailing for your campaign. Delivering to the same post office you would need to deliver for EDDM retail the rate is $0.164.

Action Mail can help you save even more money on EDDM Mailings

Action Mail can also print your EDDM mail piece and process the mailing saving you both time and money. Action Mail also has alternatives to EDDM that result in lower printing and postage fees as well as offering a more personalized and targeted approach for your specific business.

INFORMED DELIVERY USPS MAIL TRACKING FOR POLITICAL MAILING CAMPAIGNS

Informed delivery offers new real time tracking and reporting data as your bulk mail travels through the mail system giving you a good idea where your mail is in the system and when it will be delivered.

This is very useful information particularly for political mail campaigns where timing is everything.  This insight will allow you to coordinate a follow up email or post on social media to constituents in the same area with messages that tie back to the mail campaign.  It will also help you staff up your call center so that you are ready when volume increases and can meet the demand.

Informed delivery tracking does not track every single delivery on a bulk mailing political campaign. Instead it records barcode scans at the last point before the mail piece goes to the carrier for final delivery. Not all pieces will be scanned and some post offices do not have the technology to scan every piece, but informed delivery will give you an understanding as to where the mail pieces are in the mail stream. Mail delivery is unpredictable especially during the pandemic and political mailing season so informed delivery will give additional insight into delivery times and when campaigns are arriving in homes.

Aligning your digital communications with direct mail delivery is a powerful way to integrate your marketing channels to help voters feel more connected to your campaign.

How to Update Address Database for Mailing

Action mail can help you make sure that your mailing address database is up to date and the addresses are deliverable.

National Change of Address (NCOA)

The USPS maintians an National Change of Address (NCOA) database. The NCOA database is update every time someone provides the USPS with information about a change of address. At Action Mail we will run your database against the NCOA database and provide a list of any records that match. We are able to provide updated addresses for people who have moved and submitted a change of address to the USPS. For those who have moved and not submitted a change of address or their change of address is no longer valid, we can provide a list indicating that the address in the database does not match with the current occupant.

CASS Certification

Cass certification is running the mailing address database against the USPS database of addresses. When we run a CASS certification our software will fix any small addressing errors and add a zip plus 4 which will help the USPS better deliver the mail pieces. There may be some records that do not match the USPS database. These records are called non-cassed records. We can provide a list of noncassed records to review and update.

Action Mail will always use NCOA update and CASS certification to help you maintain a deliverable and updated mailing address database, as well as provide you with the tools to up date your mailing databases.

Informed Delivery for Direct Mail Campaigns

Informed Delivery for Direct Mail Campaigns

A new free service available from the USPS enables you to link your direct mail piece message to a digital version that will arrive in your prospects inbox.

How Does Informed Delivery Work

By signing up for the Informed Delivery service you will receive a black and white scan of all the letter size mail arriving in your mail box,  you can either sign up for the daily email alert or you can view this through an App.

Making Informed Delivery Work for the Marketer and Direct Mail Campaigns

The USPS allows for mailers to replace the black & white image with a color image of the mail piece.  This image can carry a link to a website or landing page. The best news of all is that currently this service  is free,  the total number of people that have registered is 22.5 million this equates to 20% of the deliverable addresses.  This service provides marketers with an additional touch point and will boost campaign results.

What you need to get started including Informed Delivery in your Direct Mail Campaigns

1.       Original mail piece design

2.       A representative image

3.       Ride-along ad,  this is a smaller clickable image and directs people to a landing page

4.       Web landing page

Action Mail will take care of all the setup and uploading of the images within the barcode .

Informed Delivery Reporting

When the address file is uploaded we will be able to give you a count of how many addresses in the file are subscribed to the USPS Informed Delivery service.

Once the campaign has been completed we will be able to report on how many emails were delivered and how many were opened also how many ride-along ads were clicked on.

This  FREE service offered by the USPS and has been proven to enhance any direct mail campaign.

Contact us to learn more and have us incorporate informed delivery in your next campaign.

How to get Non Profit Postage Rates

To get non profit USPS postage rates you will need to be a non profit. There are also a few steps to be eligible for nonprofit USPS rates as well as get approved by the USPS. Once approved Action Mail can process your mailings to qualify for the discounted nonprofit postage rates.

USPS Non Profit Eligibility

The USPS has 10 organization categories of nonprofits that can receive nonprofit postage rates. Not only does the organization need to be in one of these categories but it will also need to be an organization whose income does not benefit any individual or stakeholder (not for profit)

There are 10 categories of organizations that may be approved for Nonprofit USPS Mail prices:

1. Agricultural

2. Educational

3. Fraternal

4. Labor

5. Philanthropic

6. Religious

7. Scientific

8. Veterans

9. Qualified Political Committees

10. State or Local Voter Registration Officials

Not all nonprofit organizations are eligible for the Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail prices. Certain organizations (such as business leagues, chambers of commerce, civic improvement associations, social and hobby clubs, governmental bodies, and others) that, although nonprofit, do not qualify for the Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail prices

How to get Non Profit Status with the USPS

The non profit will need to submit documents and Form 3624 to the USPS. Action Mail can submit these documents on your behalf.

Proof of non profit status will need to be included, including:

Evidence that the organization is nonprofit and that none of its net income inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual.

Acceptable evidence includes:

An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) letter of exemption from payment of federal income tax.

If an IRS exemption letter is not available, a complete financial statement from an independent auditor (such as a certified public accountant) substantiating that the organization is nonprofit.

Documents describing the organization’s primary purpose, such as:

Organizing instruments that state the purpose for which the group is organized, such as the constitution, articles of incorporation, articles of association, or trust indenture.

Materials showing how the organization actually operated during the previous 6 to 12 months and how it will operate in the future.

Bulletins, financial statements, membership forms, publications produced by the organization, minutes of meetings, or a list of its activities may be used.

Political Committees

For qualified political committees, organizational or other documents substantiating that the applicant is the state or national committee of the political party.

Voting Registration

For voting registration officials , a copy of the statute, ordinance, or other authority establishing responsibility for voter registration.

How to mail at No Profit USPS postage rates

Once the application is approved the USPS will issue a nonprofit authorization number. With this number Action Mail can process your mail and submit all necessary documents to have your mailings qualify for non profit rates. Only mailings eligible for marketing mail will qualify for these rates.

Selecting EDDM Every Door Direct Mailing Routes

EDDM Every Door Direct Mail allows you to select mailing routes and mail your postcard or brochure to the entire mailing route. Selecting the correct mailing routes is key to a successful campaign.

What is an EDDM Every Door Direct Mail Route

In order to select the right EDDM route it is helpful to understand what a mailing route is. A mailing routes is the route that a specific postal carrier (mailman) is assigned to. These routes are mostly in a small area but sometimes they are split between a few different areas.

Selecting Mailing Routes

To select mailing routes you can use an online tool or you can contact us and we can assist you with selecting routes and provide you with a map and list of routes to review and select from. You will first need to identify the geography (zip code or radius around a specific point). You can then select individual routes within your area.

You will need to mail to every address in a route but you can select to exclude businesses if you would like. There is also basic demographic information available for each route, like median income, median home value, percentage households with children, quantity of homes vs apartments, etc. You can use this information to include or remove routes.

Selecting a Specific Demographic

If you would prefer to mail to a specific demographic like single family homes, only households with a certain income, or any other demographic an EDDM mailing may not be the best option. For specific demographics there are more cost effective direct mailing options that should increase ROI. Contact us and we can help you determine the best option for your specific mailing

What is marketing mail?

Marketing mail is mail sent for marketing purposes that is elligible for discounted USPS postage rates. Previously this was referred to as 3rd class mail, 2nd class mail, and standard mail. Many people also refer to marketing mail as bulk mail.

USPS Marketing Mail® (formerly Standard Mail) is mail matter that is not required to be mailed as First-Class Mail® or Periodicals.

USPS Marketing Mail Requirements

Marketing mail must have at least 200 pieces, be less than 16oz, and not be required to be sent as first class mail. First class mail is needed for any personal correspondence, bills, and statements.

Types of Marketing Mail include:

Postcards, flyers, advertising, EDDM

Small parcels

Catalogs newsletters and bulletins

Marketing Mail Postage Prices

Marketing Mail postage is significantly reduced. Postage is around $0.28 per piece but depends on the distribution of the list. There are also discounts for delivering to local post offices.

Contact us to see if we can help you with your marketing mail campaign and have your mailing qualify for the lowest postage prices. Even if your mailing is not illegible for marketing mail prices we can still help you with getting the lowest prices on first class mail.

Send Gifts or Collateral to Online Meeting Participants

With meetings going online we are seeing trends of gifts or collateral being sent to participants. Sending a follow up gift is a great way to keep your brand front and center and connect with your participants. We are also seeing companies sending packages prior to meetings with gifts and information to help facilitate the meetings.

For virtual meetings that replaced conferences we are seeing many conferences sending kits similar to what they would have provided to each participant during the conference. These kits can include information about the meeting (schedule, resources, etc), inserts from advertisers, swag and gifts for participants.

We have also seen a trend in companies sending items to help facilitate meetings. These items can include brochures or booklets to help facilitate meetings, or items with QR codes to direct the participants to online resources.

Branding and unboxing is a key component to these packages because the main goal is to connect participants. These packages help create a physical connection for virtual meetings. The possibilities on what and how it can be sent are endless. Action Mail can provide some ideas based on your specific needs and put everything together for you.

Cheap Postcard Printing

There are a few options to print cheap postcards. At Action Mail we will help you select the right card for your budget and project. Postcard printing prices are typically based on the size, paper, color, and quantity. Below are recommendations for each factor to reduce the printing costs.

Postcard Size:

To reduce the cost of postcard printing you can print on a smaller size. At Action Mail we recommend a 8.5x5.5 size. This will give you the most bang for your buck. The cheapest size we print is typically a 4x6 postcard. Selecting a standard size like 4x6, 5x7, 8.5x5.5, 6x9, 6x11, 8.5x11 will get the best prices but the larger the size the less that can fit on a sheet which makes the price higher.

Postcard Paper:

The paper stock will also effect your postcard printing cost. Typically the thinner the paper the less expensive. 100# gloss cover is our cheapest paper stock.

Color Printing:

Printing in black and white is a lot cheaper than printing in color.

Postcard Quantity:

Printing in bulk will help reduce your postcard printing costs. Printing in bulk helps eliminate the setup costs and can reduce your postcard printing prices.

At Action Mail we can print cheap postcards but we prefer to work with you to find a balance to get the best quality card for your budget. Contact us or request an estimate and we can provide the best options for your postcard printing.

USPS Bulk Mail Tracking and Reporting

It is now possible to track bulk mail and USPS marketing mail. The tracking and reporting of delivery of bulk mail is not as good as for packages but it does provide an idea of where the mail is in the mail stream. For bulk mail the USPS equipment is not setup to scan every barcode and tracking availability usually depends on the type of mail piece and the final destination post office. Some post offices have scanning equipment others do not.

The bulk mail tracking reporting will not show the actual delivery but rather the last scan prior to being delivered by the postal carrier. We have also seen that larger mail pieces (flat/ large envelopes) tend to have trackability than smaller pieces. This is due to the equipment each type of piece is run on.

Bulk mail tracking is great for having an idea of where mail is in the mail stream but it should not be relied upon to track individual pieces. Typically reporting will just let you know the percentage of mail that has received the last scan before being delivered to the mailbox. Most people use this to have an idea of where the piece is in the mail stream so that other marketing efforts can follow accordingly. We also see people using this to ensure that mail is in the system and verify that time sensitive bulk mailings arrive on time.

If this is tracking for bulk mailing is something you are interested in please contact us. We will also need to know this prior to processing data as the tracking identifier will need to be placed in the barcode.

Online Print Store

Action Mail is launching an online print store. This online print store allows you to place orders for printing directly online. Of coarse you can always request a custom estimate or sending your specifications and artwork to us via email but if you prefer to purchase printing online feel free to use the portal.

The print portal allows you to easily order printing of postcards, booklets, envelopes, catalogs and more online. All print orders can be held for local pickup with no shipping charge for anything that will be picked up or mailed by us. If you are looking for a faster turnaround or more competitive pricing especially on larger orders please contact us for a custom quote. Unfortunately all mailing is still custom quoted due to all the variables involved, but please contact us for a quote.

If you have any questions with the online print portal or please do not hesitate to contact us.

USPS Informed Delivery Customization

USPS informed delivery is a free service where the USPS can will send you an email with what will be arriving in your mailbox. This service provides redisendtial consumers with a great opportunity to see their mail ahead of time and track important mail and packages. This also provides a great opportunity for marketers to add additional content and touches to the consumer.

Typically Informed Delivery scans all letter size pieces and provides a black and white scan of the address side of the mail piece. Action Mail can provide the USPS with a color image to replace the black and white image, helping your piece stick out. This also allows for flat size pieces to be viewed in the informed delivery email which otherwise would not be available. Action Mail can also add a smaller ride along image which has a clickable link directing the recipient to the url of your choice.

Informed Delivery is a great service and the amount of household using the service is growing quickly. We highly recommend that you try informed delivery for your personal use as well as take advantage of customizing informed delivery for your mailers.

Action Mail is offering a promotion where we are linking color images of the mail piece and links to your mailing FREE of charge for your first informed delivery mailing. We hope this will give you the opportunity to test out informed delivery customization and see if it will work with your direct mail campaign.

Avoid COVID-19 Screen Fatigue with Direct Mail

During the lockdown people are spending an incredible amount of time in front of computer and phone screens.  All this time can lead to a condition called Screen Fatigue,  common symptoms are blurry vision , double vision , bloodshot eyes , stiff neck and pain in your spine.

A good break from your screen is a trip to the mail box.

Now is an excellent time to utilize direct mail as there is very little competition in the mail box and consumers are eager to see what waiting for them in their mail boxes.

Direct Mail is a great tool to use in order to inform customers of your operational procedures during the reopening phase. Targeted lists can find your ideal customer in the in a specific geographical area,  for example within a certain radius of your facility.

Now is an excellent time to use direct mail , either cards letters or catalogs to get ahead of the game and build some excitement as people prepare to get back to work and in to stores as soon as the lockdown ends.