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Do we need a permit for this?

by TeamBringIt
18 replies
Hi offliners,

do we need a permit to mail out 1-3,000 postcards a month, for each client?

Thanks!
#permit
  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    You don't NEED one.... but lets break it down.

    3K postcards, 4X6 = $960/mo in postage using first class...

    Annual fee is $200... I think..

    How much that will save you, depends on the size, weight and where you're sending. If you go with the standard postcard costing .229 lets just say 23 cents, your monthly cost for 3,000 in postage would be $690.

    I'd recommend calling your local post office and talking to the person that handles commercial mail, ask questions and find out how much you'll save.
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  • Profile picture of the author bob ross
    that kind of volume of postcards would be pretty much impossible for you to handle the mailing yourself even if you had a permit. Just have a mailhouse print and prepare everything for you under their permit.

    to get the lower rate through the permit, you have to generate barcodes and have them printed on the pieces, you'll need to run your lists against the USPS change of address database, you'll need to presort the list so the carriers don't have to manually sort it, and you'll have to get them to the bulk mail entry units. Does that sound like something you want to deal with or have the capability to?
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    • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
      Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

      that kind of volume of postcards would be pretty much impossible for you to handle the mailing yourself even if you had a permit. Just have a mailhouse print and prepare everything for you under their permit.

      to get the lower rate through the permit, you have to generate barcodes and have them printed on the pieces, you'll need to run your lists against the USPS change of address database, you'll need to presort the list so the carriers don't have to manually sort it, and you'll have to get them to the bulk mail entry units. Does that sound like something you want to deal with or have the capability to?
      Are you, saying that I take the 1 to 3,000 pieces to a mail house and have them label them and mail them for me?
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      • Profile picture of the author bob ross
        Originally Posted by TeamBringIt View Post

        Are you, saying that I take the 1 to 3,000 pieces to a mail house and have them label them and mail them for me?
        A lot of print shops will offer mailing services, so you could get them printed and mailed by them all together. A lot of online printers offer mailing services as well.

        Otherwise, you could take your printed postcards so long as they have the correct blank spaces for the addressing and postage indicia imprint, then pay a mailhouse (your local printer for example) to sort your list, inkjet all the addresses & barcodes, and deliver the cards to the bulk mail unit under their permit.
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        • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
          Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

          A lot of print shops will offer mailing services, so you could get them printed and mailed by them all together. A lot of online printers offer mailing services as well.

          Otherwise, you could take your printed postcards so long as they have the correct blank spaces for the addressing and postage indicia imprint, then pay a mailhouse (your local printer for example) to sort your list, inkjet all the addresses & barcodes, and deliver the cards to the bulk mail unit under their permit.
          Thanks Bob, for the info. I am using infofree. Do I just download the information(names/addresses), unto a cd and take that cd to the mailing house?
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          • Profile picture of the author bob ross
            Originally Posted by TeamBringIt View Post

            Thanks Bob, for the info. I am using infofree. Do I just download the information(names/addresses), unto a cd and take that cd to the mailing house?
            Yep that's all you'll need. You'll want to talk to the mailhouse first though to make sure you will have the correct space that they require for addressing, as well as the right format for how they want the list.
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            • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
              Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

              Yep that's all you'll need. You'll want to talk to the mailhouse first though to make sure you will have the correct space that they require for addressing, as well as the right format for how they want the list.
              I went, to the post office , a few weeks back and asked about their pricing. They told me anything bigger, than 4x6 is considered..regular postage (non eddm). If I take this stuff to a mail house, how much more would I have to pay?
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              • Profile picture of the author bob ross
                Originally Posted by TeamBringIt View Post

                I went, to the post office , a few weeks back and asked about their pricing. They told me anything bigger, than 4x6 is considered..regular postage (non eddm). If I take this stuff to a mail house, how much more would I have to pay?
                Yup they don't make it easy. 4x6 is considered a postcard to the USPS, and when it gets bigger they call them 'letter' even though they aren't in envelopes. There's the postcard rate, letter rate, and flat rate.

                postcards are 4.25x6 max
                letters are sizes like 5x7, 6x9, 5.5x8.5, 6x11
                flats are sizes like 8.5x11, 9x12, 6.5x11

                EDDM is only available for 'flats' which are the big boy sizes.

                Now to answer your question, about what the postage will be for letter rate sizes, it's only known once the list is processed. For example, if your list doesn't have the full zip code with the extra digits after the initial 5, your postage will be higher on those addresses. There are a lot of things that go into the postage but fortunately all you need is a rough idea.

                approximate postage per piece for first class under a permit (letter rate): 39 cents each.
                approximate postage per piece for standard class under a permit (letter rate): 28 cents.

                First class mail generally get to the destination in 2-4 business days, while standard class mail can take up to two weeks or so. Also, first class mail will be returned to you if the address is bad or doesn't get delivered, and standard class will just be disposed of by the USPS instead.
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                • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
                  Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

                  Yup they don't make it easy. 4x6 is considered a postcard to the USPS, and when it gets bigger they call them 'letter' even though they aren't in envelopes. There's the postcard rate, letter rate, and flat rate.

                  postcards are 4.25x6 max
                  letters are sizes like 5x7, 6x9, 5.5x8.5, 6x11
                  flats are sizes like 8.5x11, 9x12, 6.5x11

                  EDDM is only available for 'flats' which are the big boy sizes.

                  Now to answer your question, about what the postage will be for letter rate sizes, it's only known once the list is processed. For example, if your list doesn't have the full zip code with the extra digits after the initial 5, your postage will be higher on those addresses. There are a lot of things that go into the postage but fortunately all you need is a rough idea.

                  approximate postage per piece for first class under a permit: 39 cents each.
                  approximate postage per piece for standard class under a permit: 28 cents.

                  First class mail generally get to the destination in 2-4 business days, while standard class mail can take up to two weeks or so. Also, first class mail will be returned to you if the address is bad or doesn't get delivered, and standard class will just be disposed of by the USPS instead.
                  Right on! I found a mail house, near my house and will drive down and see what they can do...for me

                  Thanks Bob, Keep Rock-N
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                • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
                  Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

                  approximate postage per piece for first class under a permit: 39 cents each.
                  approximate postage per piece for standard class under a permit: 28 cents.
                  You're not talking about standard postcard 4x6 are you? If that were the case, it would make no sense to get a permit when you can just pay .32 for each...

                  Also, the person at my post office told me you don't need to check the addresses against their database, but if something gets returned you just pay the difference like it was first class.
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                  • Profile picture of the author bob ross
                    Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

                    You're not talking about standard postcard 4x6 are you? If that were the case, it would make no sense to get a permit when you can just pay .32 for each...

                    Also, the person at my post office told me you don't need to check the addresses against their database, but if something gets returned you just pay the difference like it was first class.
                    I just edited the postage approximations, they were for letter rates (5x7, 5.5x8.5, 6x11). Thanks for catching that.

                    4x6's (or 4.25x6) goes down to 26-28 cents and can only be sent first class. (the stamp price is 33 cents now by the way).
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    • Profile picture of the author oberooneeet
      Banned
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  • Profile picture of the author marc@clickbitz
    Do postcards even work? I throw out a ton of junk mail without looking at it.
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    • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
      Originally Posted by marc@clickbitz View Post

      Do postcards even work? I throw out a ton of junk mail without looking at it.
      Postcards do work and work better than regular mail(most cases). It is quite possible, that you are getting postcards, that do not appeal to you. If you were, someone that had... lots of back issues/headaches, and a chiro sent you a postcard...offering a free treatment, to relive your issues for 1 day...I am sure, it would appeal to you and you'd visit that chiro...
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      • Profile picture of the author marc@clickbitz
        Originally Posted by TeamBringIt View Post

        Postcards do work and work better than regular mail(most cases). It is quite possible, that you are getting postcards, that do not appeal to you. If you were, someone that had... lots of back issues/headaches, and a chiro sent you a postcard...offering a free treatment, to relive your issues for 1 day...I am sure, it would appeal to you and you'd visit that chiro...
        OK, to be fair I do briefly examine the mail so I would save anything of interest. Sadly, I rarely get anything good.

        It's not really the most efficient way to find people but I guess the math works out.
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  • Profile picture of the author bob ross
    also, when you're talking about thousands of postcards being mailed, affixing stamps to each one individually is insane, so a permit really would be necessary regardless of who's mailing them.
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

      also, when you're talking about thousands of postcards being mailed, affixing stamps to each one individually is insane, so a permit really would be necessary regardless of who's mailing them.
      Interns my friend. Interns..
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      • Profile picture of the author SashaLee
        Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

        Interns my friend. Interns..
        Hi there,

        This brings up another point - somewhat related. We advise all our clients to have their receptionist stuff mailers, put stamps and labels on envelopes etc.

        You'd be amazed how much they can get done in 8 hours while they're answering the phone.

        There's nothing that aggravates me more than to walk into a client's reception area and see the receptionist doing her nails or twisting her hair or reading a magazine. Put them to work! They're getting paid to sit there!

        All the best,

        Sasha.
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  • Profile picture of the author videomarketerus
    Originally Posted by TeamBringIt View Post

    Hi offliners,

    do we need a permit to mail out 1-3,000 postcards a month, for each client?

    Thanks!
    my answer is simply NO.. you don't need one..
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