Kool Change
Printing
(360) 794-9019 | orders@koolchangeprinting.com | 220 N. Woods Street, Monroe, WA 98272
Mailing Services
USPS Mailing Types
The bulk mail process can be a cost-effective way to send out large quantities of mail.
Kool Change Printing can handle all aspects of the process, from designing and printing your mail piece to dropping it off at the Bulk Mail Entry unit, to ensure that your bulk mailing is efficient and cost-effective.
Marketing Mail (Formerly Standard Mail)
The USPS defines Marketing Mail as “mail matter not required to be mailed as First-Class mail or periodicals” and mail that sends “printed matter, fliers, circulars, advertising, newsletters, bulletins, catalogs and small parcels.” It must also weigh less than 16 ounces.
Presort 1st Class Mail
To use this USPS presort service, you need to ship at least 500 pieces. That’s because this is a priority service. It’s also why this service is slightly more expensive than the standard presort service. Presort first class offers discounts on a sliding scale, which means that if you ship larger volumes, you will save more money. Presorted mail costs the USPS less money to process and deliver, resulting in an approximately 20 percent lower postage rate. Standard delivery time is the same as first-class mail.
Standard Presorted Mail
Standard presort mail is generally known as bulk mail. This works in a similar fashion to presorted first class mail, but with a few small differences. You need to ship at least 200 pieces to qualify for presorted standard mail. However, this is not a priority service and there is no fixed delivery time. Standard mail will typically be delivered in under 5 business days locally, but nationwide it could take 2 to 3 weeks. Standard Mail should not be used for time-sensitive mail. As with Presorted First-class, to receive the lower postage rate, the addresses must be NCOA updated, CASS certified, and put into presort order. Standard Mail is the least expensive postage mode, approximately 32 percent less than the price of first class. Standard mail postage rates apply to mail up to 3.3 ounces. Mail heavier than 3.3 ounces will have a small weight surcharge.
Nonprofit Presorted Mail
Nonprofit Mail is printed material eligible to be mailed as USPS Marketing Mail by organizations authorized by the Postal Service to mail at significantly reduced nonprofit postage rates. Like Standard Presort mail, you need to ship at least 200 pieces to qualify for the lower rate. However, this is not a priority service and there is no fixed delivery time. Nonprofit Standard Mail postage is lower than regular prices (up to 70 percent less than first-class mail), but not everyone can qualify. Nonprofit is a favored postage rate within Standard Mail, and is processed in the same way. Organizations wishing to mail at nonprofit Standard Mail prices first must be authorized by the Postal Service as eligible. Get a copy of Form 3624, Application to Mail at Nonprofit Standard Mail Prices. This form is available from your postmaster or your business mail entry unit.
Saturation
EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)
With EDDM your mail-piece will be sent to every household on the carrier route(s) you have chosen. You can target census demographics like, age range, household income and size to better target potential customers. However, if you have a mailing list picked out already or are interested in targeting specific households, a traditional direct mail solution may be better for your needs.
Walk Sequence List - Walk Sequence
Mail is provided in the exact order in which the carrier walks or drives each route so the carrier does not need to sort the mail, which saves the USPS time and money. This savings is passed along to the mailer in the form of the lowest rate. A list that has Walk Sequence data is required.
Parcel Light Select
Parcel Select is an economical ground delivery service for packages entered in bulk, including those entered at destination facilities. Parcel Select Lightweight is a ground delivery service designed for lightweight parcels weighing less than 16 ounces. It is designed for and generally used by large- and medium-sized parcel shippers. Parcel Select mailers pay postage that reflects the degree of work-sharing they do in presorting their parcels and/or drop shipping their pieces at a destination facility located closer to the delivery point. Parcel Select Lightweight postage is based on the price that applies to the weight increment of each addressed piece, charged per ounce or fraction thereof, with any fraction of an ounce being rounded to the next whole ounce.
Indicia Types and Examples
Mailing Terms to Know!
NCOA MoveUpdate
Updates addresses of residents and businesses who have registered a change of address with USPS so mail goes to the intended person/family/business.
Ink-jet Addressing
Addresses are printed on finished pieces of mail i.e. pre-printed postcards or envelopes, envelopes pre-stuffed and sealed with generic materials.
In-line Addressing
Addresses and pieces are printed at the same time.
BMEU Drop
Drop sorted and trayed mailing at Seattle Post Office Business Mail Entry Unit.
List Reformatting
Lists should be provided as spread- sheets with names, address line 1, address line 2, city, state, and zip code as separate columns. Lists that do not meet requirements will need to be reformatted.
Flats
Exceeding USPS’s dimensions for “letters” reclassifies a piece as a “flat” (booklets and large unfolded cards). Flats require additional handling to meet USPS requirements for pre-sorted mail.
Product Fulfillment
Non-paper items to be mailed to individuals. Prices are for handling only and do not include the products or packages themselves. Postal Discounts may apply when all packages are identical.
Crinkle Paper
Mini folded paper shreds used as a stuffing for boxes.
Labeling
Addresses printed on labels and applied to packages.
How to best use Direct Mailings
Brilliant, full color oversize postcards can sometimes be just the thing to send to keep your clients thinking about you!
We can target an area by location, demographics, and more to keep just the most valuable clients in mind. With quick digital production we can keep your brand top of mind with brilliant full color high quality stock postcards delivered in a timely manner for your "working-in-your-area" announcement, a "just listed" postcard to a certain neighborhood showcasing your talents, or a mailer for your "quarterly sale" or whatever creative project you can dream. Variable data sets are also available.
Non-Profit groups often do an "ask" letter on a schedule. This would include ask letter, remittance envelope, printed outer envelope and bulk mailing. We can help you design your campaign for offset printing, a year in review to keep your supporters up to date and even a newsletter to let insiders know how you use their generous donations. We are mindful that these items need to be economically produced to keep costs low, but also keep donors, supporters and volunteers interested in your cause, on brand and on message. Variable data sets are also available.
Bulk mailing can be a highly effective marketing tool when done correctly.
By using the right targeting, personalization, and messaging, businesses can increase their response rates and generate a positive return on investment.
Direct mail has a response rate of 5.1% for house lists and 2.9% for prospect lists, which is higher than email, paid search, and social media marketing. (Data & Marketing Association)
Direct mail campaigns generate an average of $4.20 for every $1 spent on them. (Data & Marketing Association)
73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want. (Epsilon)
56% of consumers say they find printed marketing to be the most trustworthy type of marketing. (Marketing Sherpa)
Direct mail is especially effective in generating leads and sales in local markets. In fact, 82% of direct mail recipients in a recent survey said they read or at least scan mail that they get from local businesses. (USPS)
Bulk mailing can be an effective way to target specific demographics and geographic areas, increasing the chances of reaching your target audience.
Personalized and relevant direct mail pieces, such as those using variable data printing, have a higher response rate than generic pieces. (DMA)
