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12 Replies Last post: Mar 21, 2009 10:49 PM by Hansed

Mailings and Postage

Nov 4, 2008 1:11 PM

djryan 7 posts since
Jan 5, 2008

We are a small company that mails to warm leads. We mail post cards each month approximately 1000 pieces each month. We currently purchase stamps and stamp and label each one. We were considering a postage meter but doesn't seem to be a real cost savings.

Anyone with a similar situation that has any ideas????

Thanks

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Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

1. Re: Mailings and Postage Nov 4, 2008 1:46 PM

I think you only need to be sending 500 pieces at once to qualify for first class pre-sort. Almost any print shop can include the pre-sort postage in your design and print it on the card, and many have the capability to run the cards through an ink jet machine that prints addresses from your electronic mailing list. So what you'd pick up from the printer are finished cardss, addressed and sorted, and ready for drop off at the mailing facility -- and some printers even handle that aspect of it (in other words, you send them the artwork for the card and your mailing list, and they do everything else). Obviously, there's a cost for that, but pre-sort would save you about a nickel per card ($50 per mailing), so unless the manual stamping/labeling you do now is "cheap labor," then I'd look into finding a printer who can give you a quote for the whole job. Hope that helps. Best wishes.

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djryan 7 posts since
Jan 5, 2008

2. Re: Mailings and Postage Nov 4, 2008 1:50 PM

The labor is "cheap labor". It is fill in work that is stamped over the course of a week or so

Thanks

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promo.plan 8 posts since
Nov 6, 2008

3. Re: Mailings and Postage Nov 6, 2008 10:29 PM

The meeter is mostly a time savings tool since not only gets the postage on faster but also you don't have to worry about running out of stamps. But since you have the time (your personnel's), this is not an issue for you, I'd suggest you keep it up with the live stamp since it will give that added personalized touch that tends to improve response. If you ever change to the meter, be sure you measure how it affects your response.

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Howard666 15 posts since
Nov 10, 2008

4. Re: Mailings and Postage Nov 10, 2008 10:58 AM

My business provides direct mail marketing campaigns for small, med and large business, we specialize in personalize direct mail, by providing quality mailing lists, printing on postcard campaigns, as well as utilizing bulk postage permits, we are able to give our clients a much bigger bang for the buck. Our clients have double digit returns by simply sending very reinvent mailings to existing and new prospects. I can be reached at nhherman@gmail.com. Please send a note and we can talk through this oportunity.

NH

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terra_cotta 5 posts since
Mar 16, 2009

5. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 19, 2009 10:41 PM

I really do recommend a postage meter. As one of the other posters mentioned, you get a much larger time savings than cost savings, but time is money in business.

I have found that the Stamps.com service is much better some of the others because I can print my postage out on my office printer. Before that, I had been using up ink too quickly in the Pitney Bowes meter I had before.

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Analysight 55 posts since
Dec 30, 2008

6. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 20, 2009 7:34 AM

From your post, it seems that cost savings is your primary objective here, especially since first class postage is going up in May.

Is there some way you can get a meter on a trial basis (say 60 to 90 days)? Then you can do a direct mail test. For the next 60 to 90 days, send half your post cards personally stamped and labeled, and the other half metered. Then compare the two methods on four criteria:

1. Postage costs (likely negligible);

2. Labor involved (and how much less/more you'd pay labor costs if metering is faster/slower than personal stamping); and

3. Response rates to the mailings. If leads overwhelmingly respond to one format over the other, that's important.

4. Average order value from the response. If one format has both a higher response rate and average order value than the other, it might be the one you should stick with.

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Hansed 9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009

7. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 20, 2009 12:35 PM

One thousand pieces?
You could have a mailing permit with a one time application fee of $180.00 to never post a stamp or meter again. The "indicia" states the class of mail and the origin of the post office. A savings of time and running to the post office when everything is printed: FC Postage Paid Permit # 100 XXXXXXX Texas for example. A lot of people do thier own printing so they can include the indicia. Please check the formats for what ever class of mail you are mailing EITHER ONLINE; usps.com or the local Post Office. One has to decide which Post office they want to have the permit. That will be the only office you may dispatch the mail. The postage for an imprinted postcard is $.27.

Now do you want discounts? What type of mailing label is used? Is it barcoded with automated fields?
If yes, the anual; FC Presort fee is $180.00. Now one can save 3-5 cents depending on the barcodes and if there are 50 to any one area in lets say NJ: 070. It gets better from their. The customer or their computer presorts the mail and the customer gets the discounts. DO NOT DROP THE TRAYS OF MAIL OR MIX THE BUNDLES. I have seen $.235 for automated FC post cards.

Erik - USPS
NJLIVE

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Hansed 9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009

8. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 21, 2009 6:17 PM

in response to: promo.plan

It use to cost $8.00 for each download of postage regardless of the dollar amount.

Permit imprint can save a lot of downloads and postings.

Hans

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Hansed 9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009

9. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 21, 2009 6:24 PM

in response to: Lighthouse24

You are correct, the minimum for First Class Presort is 500 pieces while all other mailings can be 200 piece minimum (identical). Bound Printed Matter goes by weight 300 minimum pounds.
This will entitle you to get the presort discount if you qualify (50 pieces or more for each zone).
It also depends if you have paid the annual presort fee.

Barcodes alone will not give you all the discounts. One would have to be "CASS Certified" for maximum discounts.
Hans

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ComedyClub 1 posts since
Mar 21, 2009

10. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 21, 2009 6:26 PM

I own a comedy club in Waukegan, IL. Every WEEK we send out 3500 pieces of mail to our guests. go to your local Post Office. Sign up for a bulk mail acct. The more work YOU do the less it costs.

Assort your mail by:

Zipcode w/4 digit, City, etc

The more you save. It costs me 23 cents per postcard. Reg rate 27cents

27 x 3500 = $947.00
23 x 3500 = $805.00

Ok savings.

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Hansed 9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009

11. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 21, 2009 10:45 PM

in response to: ComedyClub

Great! You are the kind of people that we need in the Post Office today.
I am looking for mailers to bring me that much revenue!

Thank you!

Hans USPS local small town clerk

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Hansed 9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009

12. Re: Mailings and Postage Mar 21, 2009 10:49 PM

in response to: promo.plan

A good point about the meter.
We are always running out of $.27 stamps in my office.

A man bought 8 coils of .27. Why don't you go imprint? He took an application.

Hans USPS

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Mailings and Postage

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