Doing a mail merge of your address list is the best way to do this. According to wikipedia.org, mail merge is a software function describing the production of multiple (and potentially large numbers of) documents from a single template form and a structured data source. This helps to create personalized letters and pre-addressed envelopes or mailing labels for mass mailings from a database mailing list of names and addresses.
We encourage you to use the “Mail Merge Wizard.” Follow the instructions based on the program you’re using.
• Word 2000/20003 – under Tools, Mail Merge;
• Word 2007 – under Mailings, Start Mail Merge;
• Publisher 2000/2003 – under Mail Merge;
• Publisher 2007 – under Tools, Mailing and Catalogs, Mail Merge
Steps to complete a mail merge:
Step 1: Choose a document type and main document
Step 2: Connect to a data file (spreadsheet or database) and select records
In order to qualify for postcard rate postage (currently $0.28), the United States Postal Service requires small postcards (4 1/4″ x 6″ or less) to be made from paper that has a 7pt thickness or greater. All of the Burris Four-of-a-Kind Postcards™ meet this requirement.
Large postcards (greater than 4 1/4″ x 6″) are required to be made from paper that has a 9pt thickness or greater. All of the Burris Print On Demand Jumbo Postcards™ meet this requirement. The Jumbo Postcards must be mailed at first-class postage (currently $0.44).
Burris Computer Forms® announces its affiliate relationship with Endicia®, providing a new way to lower the cost of mailing.
By using Burris Four-of-a-Kind Postcardsâ„¢ and Endicia’s Internet Postage, businesses, churches, associations and other non-profits can mail messages and save time, labor, postage, and materials.
Using postcards lowers the cost of postage from 44¢ to 27¢. Buying postage online from Endicia saves trips to the post office. Printing the blank postcards internally saves users pre-printing and material costs. Printing the postcards in-house – printing both the content and postage, four-up, and in the same print run- streamlines the production process and saves time and labor. The micro-perfed postcards can be quickly separated into single postcards ready for mailing. This eliminates folding, stuffing and sealing-further streamlining the process and greatly reducing handling, time, and cost.Burris provides its blank Four-of-a-Kind Postcardsâ„¢ in a wide variety of weights, colors, finishes, and recycled content.
Endicia provides ways for users to buy postage online, and provides its DAZzle program that allows users to print postcards four-up, mail merge names and addresses, verify address formats, and print postage in the same pass.
Using Burris postcards, churches, trade associations, and non-profits keep in touch with members, reach out for new ones, announce special events and fundraisers, and thank donors for support. Government or military use Burris postcards to mail notices. Housing agencies announce pest inspections and utility outages. QuickBooks® users can print invoices four-up on postcards. Utilities, municipalities, boroughs, villages, cities, and towns mail postcards for notices and billing. Business announce openings, sales, service specials, and new products.
Burris Computer Forms announces a new large Tri-fold Mailer.
The new, inexpensive large middleweight tri-fold mailer is made from bright white 176 GSM (grams per square meter) matte cardstock with a 7 point thickness, and is printable by laser or inkjet printers. These mailers, which measure 8 ½” x 11″, are scored for easy folding and the reply card is perforated for easy removal. The mailers meet all U.S. Postal Service regulations on size and thickness for mailing. The mailers are also available in Standard White Large (Item # TriFold8.5X11) and Small (Item # Trifold6×11).
Users can design and print the blank mailers with any message using many different software programs (including Microsoft Word® & Microsoft Publisher®) on a copier, inkjet, or laser printer. The blank forms can be used for several different mailings throughout the year. Users can print auction cards, reunion cards, meeting reminder cards, recall notices, warranty cards, information update cards, product information cards, or survey forms.
The advantages of printing in-house include fast turnaround, low cost, control of the project, and ability to print a few, or thousands, quickly and cost-effectively. Companies, churches, other non-profits, and individuals use Burris mailers as an easy, convenient, cost-effective way to deliver a message.
3 Tips to Make Your Mail Break from the Pack
Yes, the Web offers opportunities to communicate with prospects in some cost-effective ways, but direct mail is still vital to striking a chord with customers. The thing is, now more than ever, it’s important to find ways to make your mail stand out from the pack and save money at the same time. Here, direct mail experts offer tips to develop successful, cost-effective packages.
1. Use a personalized self-mailer. Personalization is a must these days, but doing a match mailing can become quite costly very quickly. With that in mind, Gary Michelson, circulation director for South Norwalk, Conn.-based magazine and newsletter circulation management firm Circulation Specialists, helped develop a magalog self-mailer with the recipient’s name and address highlighted, along with a personalized reply form. The personalization was embedded on the back image with a window for the address, and when folded out, the back side of the image had the reply form.
“We wanted to do it in such a way that it didn’t have to be a match mailing, from a production standpoint, to keep our costs down,†says Michelson. “Our designer just looked at it and figured that image could fold through, and it could just be imagined as one process and save us a fair amount of money.â€
2. Integrate other channels. While direct mail is still effective, it works best in concert with other channels. Xerxes Irani, creative director at visual image and creative company Veer, suggests driving audiences to the Web with URLs and PURLs, and even developing mail campaigns that incorporate more information/activities online. For example, Veer created a secret society campaign with riddles and a members handbook that compelled recipients to visit Veer’s Web site to interact more with the campaign.
Tracy Gauson, corporate communication and public relations manager at Veer, adds that her company was able to eliminate paper reply forms due to the URL, but she stresses, know your audience. Dropping the paper BRE isn’t for everyone.
3. Make the copy sing. No matter how great your mailer looks, people won’t respond without strong copy, Irani stresses. “Great copy can almost supersede or be on the same level as great design,†he says. If the copy is compelling, useful and relevant, the likelihood of a response is greater—no matter the length. Shorter isn’t always sweeter.
Taken from Target Marketing.
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