Postal Permit

[colegero]

Can you tell us the process of getting your own postal permit and costs for mailing your own flyers? thanks.

 

[mandyspizza]

There are soooo many variables in place when mailing your collateral. Your best bet is to visit your local General Mail Facility or better known as a GMF. At this location will be a person that is directly responsible for assisting people like us to do things right.

If you don’t know where it is located, ask your local post office, they will direct you. Trust me, I ran a large ad agency before owning pizzerias and even I had to make the visit. They also have a great clear plastic overlay they will give you that outlines the positing of the label…or the stamp if necessary.

Good Luck

 

[Piper]

http://www.pmq.com/tt/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6725&start=0

There’s a thread I posted a while ago with all of the details of doing your own bulk mail.

 

[Chris]

Here’s what you need to bulk mail at the best rates:

A permit to mail at Standard Class prices. It costs roughly $185 for unlimited annual use.

A permit account number. This lets you print a bulk price postage box on your mail, instead of putting a stamp on each piece. The post office will set up an account for you to deposit your postage payments prior to mailing. There is a one-time charge of roughly $185.

Mail at least 200 pieces. You must mail that many pieces at one time to use Standard Class.

Mail trays or mail sacks other mailing supplies. These are provided by the USPS at no charge and you can pick up these items when you go to buy your bulk permit.

Your mailing list in database software like Excel. Mailing list software (like MailTracker or ChurchWindows), or in a standard database format. You’ll never get this right doing it from pre-printed labels, a word processor label list, or index cards.

In addition to these items there are many sorting and data processing elements that come into play. Your best bet is to use a mailhouse/printer for your direct mail campaigns, especially if you are mailing thousands of pieces. If you can manage it yourself, it will surely save you a few dollars.

All the best!

-Chris

 

[bodegahwy]

The amount you would save is not worth the hassle. With the changes in the compliance requirements for cleaning your list etc, you are much better off to work with a printer who has a permit and will perform the required steps. Yes, they will charge you a small fee, but if they are geting your printing business it should be small ($100-$150) Takie the time you save and use it in some other way to build you business or control costs. You will come out way ahead.

 

[pizzafanatic]

bodegahwy:

The amount you would save is not worth the hassle. With the changes in the compliance requirements for cleaning your list etc, you are much better off to work with a printer who has a permit and will perform the required steps. Yes, they will charge you a small fee, but if they are geting your printing business it should be small ($100-$150) Takie the time you save and use it in some other way to build you business or control costs. You will come out way ahead.

I will have to disagree to some extent. I just got done doing a saturation mailing of my menus with my own permit. Because a majority of my residence live in rural routes, I just had to address them to “Residential Customer + Anytown + zip +Rural Route #” I only had to pay 13.9 cents per piece. I figured I just paid for my permit on this first mailing.