| When's the last time you checked out your | | | | elevate the price per unit and will do double |
| Postal Service's web site? | | | | duty. |
| | | | |
| You might be surprized at the valuable | | | | 3. You can Send Unaddressed Bulk Mail |
| business information you canfind. It's | | | | |
| difficult to speak in specifics, given that | | | | Use economical, unaddressed bulk mail to |
| readers of thisarticle are international but | | | | deliver your advertisingand marketing content |
| each country's postal service has | | | | directly to targeted neighborhoods. You |
| differentterminology, regulations and rules. | | | | cantarget according to geography, |
| However, a visit to Australia | | | | demographics or lifestyle clusters. |
| | | | |
| Post, Canada Post and the US Postal Service | | | | When you combine this with a Business Reply |
| web sites revealedsimilarities. | | | | service, you can buildyour own databases of |
| | | | customers who you can then target |
| Did you know the following? | | | | withpersonalized, addressed mail. |
| | | | |
| 1. There are many ways to reduce your | | | | Prices for unaddressed mail will vary, |
| shipping costs. | | | | according to quantity, size,weight, etc. |
| | | | |
| As an old buddy of my mine says, you can get | | | | Ask your Postal Service consultant if they |
| it good, cheap or fast. | | | | can help you establish thebest geographic |
| | | | territory for your mailing. For example, |
| Pick any two. That's the rule of thumb for | | | | Canada |
| shipping products. | | | | |
| | | | Post's Householder Counts and Maps feature |
| Typically, the larger the product and the | | | | pinpoints the counts ofhouses, apartments, |
| faster you want it delivered,the more you | | | | farms and businesses throughout the country, |
| will pay. However, there are other | | | | alongwith letter carrier routes. |
| considerations. Thephysical dimensions of the | | | | |
| product, the weight and even the densitycan | | | | 4. Business Reply Services Help you Build |
| impact on the cost of shipping. If you ship a | | | | your own Databases |
| lot of items, spendsome time with a postal | | | | |
| service consultant to decide your most cost | | | | The reply is prepaid. Business Reply Mail |
| -effective method of packing and your best | | | | allows your customers orpotential customers |
| choice of shippingoptions. | | | | to communicate with you at no cost |
| | | | tothemselves. Most postal services allow |
| Your postal consultant can also offer | | | | business reply for cards orenvelopes. Use |
| security advice -- insuranceoptions and | | | | envelopes when confidentiality is a factor; |
| information about protective packaging | | | | cardswork best as magazine inserts or |
| materials thatsafeguard your items. | | | | similar. |
| | | | |
| 2. You can save money with bulk mailings. | | | | Pricing will be based on specifications. |
| | | | |
| You might qualify for a discount if you have | | | | Ask your postal consultant if they have a |
| a high volume ofmaterial to be mailed and | | | | template to assist you indesigning your card |
| shipped. For example, the US Postal | | | | or envelope, or check the web site for this |
| | | | typeof service. |
| Service allows discounts for Parcel Post | | | | |
| mailings of 50 items ormore, but you must | | | | 4. Your Postal Service Offers Tools to Small |
| first obtain a Mailing Permit and pay an | | | | Businesses |
| annualmailing fee. Most postal services have | | | | |
| similar options. You pay alower price if you | | | | This will vary, depending on the country you |
| meet minimum requirements and because you | | | | live in. However, lookfor databases, online |
| dosome of the work -- like presorting by | | | | ordering of shipping and other |
| postal code -- yourself. | | | | materials,courier services, help with |
| | | | ecommerce web sites, package trackingand |
| Bulk mailing is available for envelopes, | | | | more. Australia Post offers inventory |
| postcards and parcels. | | | | management,telemarketing, warehousing and |
| | | | fulfillment services as well. |
| Tip: Include as much material as you can for | | | | |
| the price you're paying. | | | | Spend some time on your Postal Service's web |
| | | | site. You might bepleasantly surprized at |
| Adding some advertising material to an | | | | what you find. |
| envelope containing yourinvoice might not | | | | |