Need a primer for USPS and EDDM

[coffee]

So, I have reached a point where I want to try a mailer and see how it goes. I will be designing my own 6.5x9 card. However, I need a primer for what to expect. I have a few questions:

1. How is the placement of the "addressee" and post stamp determined? If your designing a card you obviously do not want it to cover up text.

2. Do you deliver the bulk cards to your local post office or do you have to deliver them to the post office that services that area?

3. Recommendations for printing sites is very welcome. I suppose doing it local is the way to go but would like more options.

4. How many colors do you use? I see sites that offer 4 color. Any reason to stick to 2?

To my understanding it basically works like this:

1. Design your postcard.
2. Take postcard to be printed.
3. Drop off to postoffice.

Seems simple enought (famous last words right?) but Im sure there is alot involved at step 3. Iam reading about it on their site but its a bit confusing.

coffee

 

[smashedbotatos]

So, I have reached a point where I want to try a mailer and see how it goes. I will be designing my own 6.5x9 card. However, I need a primer for what to expect. I have a few questions:

1. How is the placement of the "addressee" and post stamp determined? If your designing a card you obviously do not want it to cover up text.

2. Do you deliver the bulk cards to your local post office or do you have to deliver them to the post office that services that area?

3. Recommendations for printing sites is very welcome. I suppose doing it local is the way to go but would like more options.

4. How many colors do you use? I see sites that offer 4 color. Any reason to stick to 2?

To my understanding it basically works like this:

1. Design your postcard.
2. Take postcard to be printed.
3. Drop off to postoffice.

Seems simple enought (famous last words right?) but Im sure there is alot involved at step 3. Iam reading about it on their site but its a bit confusing.

coffee

I ordered a EDDM kit from the USPS. Once it arrived it explained a lot of the options https://eddmkit.com/index.aspx

A lot of info here as well
https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm

Use their EDDM tool as well to get an estimate as well.

 

[coffee]

I ordered a EDDM kit from the USPS. Once it arrived it explained a lot of the options https://eddmkit.com/index.aspx

A lot of info here as well
https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm

Use their EDDM tool as well to get an estimate as well.

Weird, Not getting thru on the eddmkit.com link.

Thanks for the info so far though.

coffee

 

[frederick]

Our printer does this for us. We can purchase a route or a list when the mailers are done us, and everything is done up for us, and handled for us. Simplifies the whole process for us. This is my recommendation, as they can design, print, and ship for us, and all I have to do is approve the design, pay the invoice, and take a nap.

Vistaprint does this as well...but I like to know whose doing the work, and actually have meetings with them and stuff.

 

[sapikest]

Heres how EDDM works:

get your cards printed, make sure your prints meet the requirements, ONLY 1 side has to meet the size requirement, most USPS employees dont know this if they tell you both sides have to meet the requirement THEY ARE WRONG!

heres the link to size requirements:
http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2011/pb22312/html/info_005.htm


make sure the indicia is in there (check the lower right corner of the page)
https://www.usps.com/business/pdf/eddm-retail-fact-sheet.pdf

you DO NOT NEED addresses, use this tool
https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm
-type in your zip code
-pick your routes from the next bottom pane, routes will be highligted in the map as you select them.
-follow the tool, print your pages out.
-stack your cards in 100s put a cover page on all of the stacks.
EXAMPLE: Route 1 have 354 addresses, have 3 stacks of 100 1 stack of 54
fill your cover pages.
(quantity: 100 page 1/4)
(quantity: 100 page 2/4)
(quantity: 100 page 3/4)
(quantity: 54 page 4/4)

hope this helps

let me know if you need more details..

Also I never used this for Computer Repair business but I want to try it really bad! I use it all the time for family restaurant..

 

[TheITGuy]

Would you happen to have an example from the other business? I'd like to get a visual of how it works with both sides being different sizes.

 

[sapikest]

Would you happen to have an example from the other business? I'd like to get a visual of how it works with both sides being different sizes.

they are typical restaurant menus (10.5x11.375) folded in half printed on 60lb paper.. I could attach e pic if you really want one..

 

[TheITGuy]

they are typical restaurant menus (10.5x11.375) folded in half printed on 60lb paper.. I could attach e pic if you really want one..

That would be great thanks.

 

[acesdeals]

I just got this done, i wanted 3 fold brochure but when folded it did not meet the requirements

I would have to go larger which would end up costing a few hundred more, so i decided on post cards and while the information for EDDM is online i felt comfortable speaking to the USPS business relations manager which is at every PO and i had sent her a sample to make sure that it met the requirements for EEDM since i did not want to risk making something that would be unsuitable and then basically trash

Then i proceeded to order 5000 from http://www.hotprintsusa.com however there service was terrible and they dont pick up the phone or respond to emails and cut me off on chat so i disputed the charge with cc and found this company http://www.fastcolorprinter.com/ which after i submitted my design they called me to let me know the text might be blury but i approved it anyways, and they explained the options available to me and stayed on the phone while i completed order online

I ordered them and they arrived even quicker than they stated it would, and the text was not really blurry but i guess they have high standards

I choose a few routes in different cities so i can gauge how well it works and deliver approximately 300 to 600 each time

There is no data just yet as i just got it all done very recently