Re: Cheapest way to do mailouts.

[Patrick Giagnocavo <patrick@...]

On Fri, Feb 22, 2002 at 04:53:44PM -0500, Brock Henderson wrote:
> If the mailings are all to the same zip code, (at least the first 3
> numbers), you might be able to get a bulk rate from the Post Office, but
> you'll need to check with them.  Also, you have to get a bulk rate permit
> which is good from Jan 1 until Dec 31, so if you are going to do this on a
> regular basis you might as well spring for the permit.  (Don't remember  the
> cost.)

This is almost but not quite true.  One of my customers is a
fulfillment/mailing house company.  I wrote their customized
fulfillment database for one of their customers and thus got quite an
education in the ways of the USPS, whether I wanted to or not :-)

The permit's $125 per year but you don't need it if you use either a)
a mailing service or b) actual stamps in the amount of the (lower
cost) mail.

You need either 200 or 300 pieces to mail at the same time (I forget
which).

Your local post office has a listing of all the rates and everything
you need to do in order to get the lower rates.

Online, there is a 20-page linked set of web pages on "how to do your
own business mailing" that walks you through the entire process.

If you are mailing to just a few zip codes, you can pre-sort the mail
by hand and get the discount rate.  If it is more than say 5 zip
codes, you want to give the work to a local mailing service.  If you
find a printer and mailing service, you should be able to get a good
rate even on 300 since they can both print and mail it for you.

Cordially

Patrick Giagnocavo
patrick@...
(knowing all this USPS stuff does -not- fill a void in my life)