Sometimes USPS guidelines can seem like a menacing labyrinth of information. With rates and regulations in a constant state of flux, you really need someone on your side who knows their way around such an intricate system, and who can guide you through to the fastest, most efficient, and most affordable methods for making your marketing campaign a total success. Good thing you’ve got us! The USPS offers discounts for mail that has been barcoded and presorted by zip code. Because we know this, we’re well-versed in the services that help simplify these processes and ensure that you receive the best rates and greatest potential for return of your investment for all your direct mail marketing projects. Here’s how we can make it happen:
Mailing & Sorting
CASS Certification
The USPS folks are great allies. Really, they are! And by making it easier for them to do their job, they make the cost of doing business easier on you. By CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) certifying your mailing list – that is, ensuring it meets USPS regulations for address standardization – it qualifies your direct mail for automation-rate bulk mailings and presort discounts. CASS makes delivery of your mail pieces more accurate by providing a system that is able to update outdated addresses, correct misspellings or omitted data, and verify the validity of given data against USPS records.
Automation Processing
CASS certification is all about efficiency, so it follows that all of Laguna Digital’s automated services – which serve as the foundation of most CASS certification requirements – are designed to see your direct mail projects go from concept to delivery, as quickly and affordably as possible.
Addressing
As you can imagine, it would be fairly time consuming to address 500+ envelopes by hand. Even 20 envelopes gets old pretty fast. And because a huge part of any successful direct mail campaign is efficiency – getting material completed and out to your target market ASAP – addressing envelopes should be the last thing that holds up a project. That’s why we offer direct printing onto mailers, envelopes, and letters, synched to your data lists and ensuring the accuracy and readability of mail pieces.
Automatic Inserting Services
When you’ve got 1,500+ mail pieces to assemble, it’s often not worth the time and effort it takes to recruit all your friends, family, and neighbors to help you stuff envelopes. That’s why we offer automatic inserting services that can help get your project put together and out to your clients as quickly as possible. Everything from printed materials to CDs can be safely and accurately packed using automation.
Metering
This method of applying postage is fast and can usually be done at the same time as automatic inserting services, which helps to cut costs to you by combining and streamlining the production process.
Bar Coding/Presorting
Intelligent Mail Barcode services allow for mail pieces to be automatically synced with data lists and printed with barcodes that allow the USPS to presort and organize outgoing mail for faster, more accurate service. An integral part of address standardization, barcoding falls within CASS certification and helps to lower your bulk mailing rates through efficiency!
Folding
It’s very important that direct mail pieces be folded properly to ensure smooth processing through the various automated USPS systems. Don’t worry – we’re on it. We are able to fold larger pieces down to standard letter size and create specialty folds with edge trimming, scoring, or perforations, all to USPS specifications so you’re sure to end up with a uniform, professional-looking finished product.
Tab Sealing
Also known as wafer sealing, this affordable and effective method of sealing prevents any open edges of mail pieces from jamming the USPS’s high-speed processing equipment. In order to receive a bulk mail “automation rate” discount, this type of seal is essential. Laguna Digital offers seals in a variety of sizes and colors to match any project!
Shrink Wrapping
Any kind of specialty direct mail items like CDs, DVDs, or larger print publications can be shrink- wrapped to help protect them as they make their way to your customers. We offer automated, full-service, high-speed shrink wrapping services to help ensure your pieces look great, are secure, and ready to be shipped and received as soon as possible.
Hand Assembly
Fragile items, complex projects, or unusual packaging? We’ve got you covered there, too: hand assembly of mail pieces is also available to ensure that your items are packaged completely, labeled correctly and shipped to USPS regulations.
Envelope Supply
If your direct mail campaign requires that little something extra, we offer envelopes in a wide array of sizes, colors, custom full-color printing options, glassine window options, and paper stocks. Just let us know what you have in mind – we can do it!
Labeling
We also offer labeling services using direct printing on pressure sensitive and cheshire labels in the event that your project require these instead of automated printing. Please contact us for more information on availability and USPS requirements regarding labels and barcoding.
Live Stamps
Applying postage by hand lends a personal touch to direct mail campaigns. On your own, this might be time consuming, but the pros at Laguna Digital will work to ensure that each mail piece is properly affixed with postage and completed on time to reach your customers.
Presorting
Because presorting – that is, arranging mail pieces by their zip code destinations – cuts down on the amount of work the USPS has to do, that translates to you as a savings in postage! For large direct mail projects, presorting can be fairly time consuming and labor intensive. Fortunately, Laguna Digital has years of experience with this and we know how to get it done accurately and within a deadline. We use a combination of software and hand sorting, which allows you to rest assured that your project will be sorted correctly and efficiently, all at the best possible rate!
Point of Mailing
Laguna Digital is able to stage and mail your direct mailing projects right from our facilities in Orange County, California. See? We’re all about making it easier for you to get things done. Give us a call for more information!
Non-profit Mailings
If your non-profit organization is looking to raise awareness or funds, reach out to existing and potential donors, or just get the word out about all the good you do, then you’re looking for Laguna Digital. We can help create and plan a direct mail campaign that meets your needs by offering comprehensive solutions that build and customize mail pieces around your target market, while being mindful of budget and time considerations. Our years of experience allow us to effectively produce direct mail for fundraising, newsletters, and more. We know it’s important that you get the most value for your investment, and we are committed to meeting – and even surpassing – your every expectation.