| Let's talk about how to keep your postage | | | | economical (about $5.00 per thousand records) |
| costs down.So far you have been following my | | | | and will allow you to keep getting your |
| advice and mailing to the same list more than | | | | message out to as many people in your list as |
| once. At some point you find lists that will | | | | possible.At times you can see up to a 10% |
| produce returns continually, but you notice | | | | undeliverable rate, and it can even be higher |
| that you are receiving more returns than when | | | | on older lists that you have been using for a |
| you started mailing to those lists.You may | | | | while. Average is more like 5% undeliverable |
| see things like "Undeliverable as Addressed" | | | | so let's take a look at the numbers at that |
| or "Forwarding Order Expired." Every time you | | | | rate.If you mail 10,000 and get 5% back for |
| mail to an address and that prospect has | | | | bad addresses: 10,000 x .05 = 500 pieces.You |
| moved or cannot be found | | | | will have paid postage on 500 pieces that did |
| | | | not reach their destination.So if you mail to |
| for any reason, you have just paid for the | | | | your list again without cleaning it you have |
| postage with no possibility of getting a | | | | just wasted: 500 x $0.23 = $115.00.If you |
| response.Obviously it is a pretty big waste | | | | were to NCOA that list at a rate of $5.00 per |
| of money to continue to mail to this address, | | | | thousand you would have spent: 10 x $5.00 = |
| but what do you do about it? You could simply | | | | $50.00.So you have three choices when faced |
| go into the list of names that you have | | | | with a list that needs cleaning:1. Spend |
| purchased and delete the returns. No more bad | | | | hours deleting every return that you receive |
| addresses, no more wasted postage, right? | | | | from your list.2. Waste $115.00 or more in |
| That is one option but there is a better way | | | | postage every time you mail to that list.or3. |
| to handle the situation.The US Postal Service | | | | Have the list checked by an NCOA service and |
| has an NCOA (National Change of Address) | | | | get back in touch with customers that may |
| System that a limited number of companies are | | | | have moved, for around one tenth the cost.The |
| licensed to access. These companies are able | | | | NCOA service is the easiest and most |
| to take the list that you have purchased, or | | | | effective way to keep your postage costs |
| compiled yourself, and check it against the | | | | down.Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in |
| USPS system. You will receive a report that | | | | 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. |
| will let you know if anyone on your list has | | | | In 2004 the company did close to $9 million |
| moved, gone out of business, or even if the | | | | in sales and employs over 60 persons. She |
| zip code that contact was in was changed by | | | | attributes her explosive growth to her |
| the Post Office itself. Along with the | | | | ability to choose incredible staff and her |
| report you will receive a new copy of your | | | | innate marketing savvy. Now she's sharing |
| list that has been cleaned and updated.The | | | | her marketing secrets with others. |
| cost for having your list checked is very | | | | |