This article is the second in a series on mailpiece design techniques that can help you save money on postage.  In the course of 20+ years of direct mail and literature fulfillment, the project managers at DataWorks have observed many missed opportunities for saving money on postage.  Often a slight change in the design of a piece can add up to big savings when it’s time to mail.

Letter-size mail most often refers to communications that are sent in a #10 envelope.  A #10 envelope measures 4 ¼ inches by 9 ½ inches and holds one or more standard sized 8 ½ inch by 11 inch trifolded sheets.  If your printed materials meet the letter-size guidelines for weight, shape and size, you can mail them at the letter rate, the most economical way to mail after the postcard rate.

Here are the regulations for your envelope to qualify for the first-class letter rate:

• It must be rectangular.
• It must be at least 3 ½ inches high, 5 inches long and 0.007 inches thick.
• It must be no more than 6 1/8 inches high, 11 ½ inches long and ¼ inch thick.
• It must weigh no more than 3 ½ ounces.

Designers sometimes create non-standard shaped or oversized envelopes to make their mailpieces stand out in the crowd.  This can be an effective marketing tool, but it adds substantial cost to the mailing.  A square envelope adds $0.20 postage per piece to the first-class rate, and a 9 X 12 envelope adds $0.44 postage per piece.

Here are some examples for a mailing of 2000 envelopes:

• 2000 4 ¼ X 9 ½ envelopes, 1 oz., at $0.44     = $  880
• 2000 5 X 5 square envelopes, 1 oz., at $0.64  = $1280
• 2000 9 X 12 envelopes, 1 oz., at $0.88               = $1760
• 2000 4 ¼ X 9 ½ envelopes, 3.6 oz., at $1.39  = $2780

Note that in the last example, even though the envelope is a standard #10 size, the stuffed envelope weighs more than 3.5 ounces and is bumped up to the Priority Mail rate.  Ouch!  If the designer had used lighter weight stock for the contents to yield a final weight of 3.5 ounces, the mailer could have saved $0.44 per envelope on postage – a total savings of $880.

Of course you can send an email to 2000 addresses for much less than the least expensive mailing option above!  But at least now you have some guidelines for saving money on postage while you build your email list.

There are additional requirements for sending letters by standard (bulk) mail or automation mail and maximizing your postage savings.  Please contact DataWorks mailing services if you would like help planning your next mailing. We help companies in the Lehigh Valley of eastern PA, and beyond, to get the most out of their mailing and fulfillment dollars.

Tags: Direct Mail, Lehigh Valley Mail Services, Literature Fulfillment, Mailing cost, Mailing List Management, Mailpiece Design, Postage Costs, Postal Rates