Considering Postage Costs Before Designing a Direct mail campaign is one of the most efficient and successful methods of connecting with your target audience. However, postage costs can quickly spiral out of control if your campaign is not properly designed and produced. Continually changing postal regulations make it imperative that you discuss your project with your printer as you begin the design phase of project development.

To qualify for automation discounts, your mailpieces must have an aspect ratio (length divided by height) between 1.3 and 2.5. This means the square envelope on the right will cost much more to mail than the more “standard” envelope on the left.

Determine Postage Costs

Postage costs, even at discounted bulk and automation-compatible rates, can represent a large percentage of your total project budget. For that reason, begin planning your direct mail campaign by determining the postage costs of the piece you’d like to create. Your intended recipient database, paper stock and printing details, format size and overall project focus all play a role in the postage costs of your campaign.

If your goal is to get the biggest bang for your postage dollar, you’ll want to design your mail pieces to take advantage of every available postage discount. On the other hand, if your campaign is designed for maximum “wow” effect, the quality of your materials and the craftsmanship of the piece will be of greater importance than postage costs.

Automation Compatibility

If minimizing postage costs is imperative, you’ll want to design your piece to qualify for automation compatibility discounts. These discounts are offered by the U.S. Postal Service for those mail pieces that can be processed by machine rather than by hand. To qualify, however, your mail must conform to a variety of size, weight and printing regulations. Here are a few of the basics for letter-size mail:

• The piece being mailed must be between 3-1/2” x 5” and 6-1/8” x 11-1/2” x 1/4”.
• Postcards 4-1/4” x 6” or under, may be as thin as .007”. If a card is larger than 4-1/4" x 6", thickness must be at least .009".
• The “aspect ratio” needs to be between 1.3 and 2.5. This is calculated by dividing the length by the height of the piece. For example, a 6” x 9” envelope with an aspect ratio of 1.5 is fine, while a 4” x 11” envelope with an aspect ratio of 2.75 is not.
• If the piece is a self-mailer, it needs to be glued, tab sealed or otherwise appropriately closed.
• Staples, buttons, clasps and other protrusions are on the outside of the mail piece are not compatible.

Keep in mind that these automation compatibility requirements are for letter-size pieces only; flat-size pieces have their own set of regulations. Before you design your piece, contact Springfield Printing to be sure your pieces conform to the latest Postal Service regulations.

The Springfield Advantage

In addition to postage considerations, a variety of other factors can effect the production of mailers. Protecting your products with press coatings can ensure your product is not harmed in an often-unpredictable mail stream. Rely on Springfield as your printing partner for expert planning advice and quality end-to-end production of your mailers, inserts and other products.