MAILPIECE CONCEPT,COPY & DESIGN Carmelo Marcano USPS & James Foster William Charles Printing Co. The object of this presentation is cover the various ways that a direct mail campaign is designed

LET’S LOOK AT SOME BASICS Obviously we know that we want to do a mailing Purpose of Mailing Get the customers attention Budget Considerations Production of the mailing Handling the followup

IMPORTANT POSTAL TRIVIA USED TO DETERMINE CLASS OF MAIL WE INTEND TO USE THERE IS NO POSTCARD RATE FOR STANDARD MAIL THERE IS A POSTCARD RATE FOR FIRST CLASS MAIL STANDARD REQUIRES 200 PC MIN FIRST CLASS REQUIRES 500 PC MIN THERE IS NO DISCOUNT FOR SPECIFIC DROPS FOR FIRST CLASS MAIL BUSINESS REPLY MAIL CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE

POSTAGE COSTS MAY DRIVE DESIGN DECISION MAILPIECE DESIGN POSTAGE COSTS MAY DRIVE DESIGN DECISION VARIOUS TYPES OF MAILPIECES REGULAR SIZE POSTCARDS OVERSIZE POSTCARDS ENVELOPES WITH ONE OR MANY INSERTS PERSONALIZED LETTERS / OFFERS BUSINESS REPLY SELF MAILERS TRI-FOLDED DOUBLE FOLDED

THE OFFER! Set the “HOOK” - something to catch the eye - the reason to read Keep it Simple - lot’s of white space Keep print fairly large - NO SMALL PRINT Tracking Programs - have way to track responses

CREATIVE GUIDELINES COMMUNICATE in your customer’s language Keep copy simple Include key information(cost, promotional timing, locations, etc.) Graphics easy to read Strategic use of color Consistency across campaign - DO NOT CONFUSE TEST THE CREATIVE ELEMENTS

IF MAILING IS ULTIMATELY TO A LARGE DATABASE MAILPIECE TESTING IF MAILING IS ULTIMATELY TO A LARGE DATABASE CONSIDER A FEW SMALLER MAILINGS USING A TEST MAILPIECE FOR EACH TRACK RESULTS FROM EACH TEST EMPLOY RESULTS FOR ULTIMATE MAILING

DETERMINE IF MAILING IS ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE QUESTIONS TO ASK: WHAT IS THE BUDGET ? DOES IT ACCOUNT FOR EVERYTHING ? HOW MANY PIECES DO WE NEED TO MAIL? WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED FOR ABOVE QTY: DESIGN, LAYOUT, COMPOSITION PRINTING * DATABASE COMPUTER WORK LETTERSHOP POSTAGE * * MOST COSTLY OF ANY MAILING

ORIENTATION IF LETTER OR ENVELOPE : REGULAR #10 BUSINESS ENVELOPE THE BEST IF POSTCARD - STANDARD SIZE FOR 1ST CLASS - OVERSIZE FOR STANDARD- IF SELF-MAILER ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE FOLD ON BOTTOM BE SURE TO CHECK ASPECT RATIO SEE TEMPLATE

NOTE: THERE IS NO POSTCARD RATE FOR STANDARD MAIL MAILPIECE SIZING POSTCARD NOTE: THERE IS NO POSTCARD RATE FOR STANDARD MAIL MAXIMUM FOR FIRST CLASS MAIL : 4 1/4” X 6” MINIMUM FOR FIRST CLASS: 3 1/2” X 5”

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS POSTCARD DIMENSIONS 5” MAX OVERSIZE CARDS THICKNESS .009 MIN 3 1/2” MIN 4 1/4” MAX .007 - .016 THICK 6” MAX

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS 11 1/2” IN MAX 6 1/8” MAX 3 1/2” MIN 5” MIN THICKNESS - .007” - 1/4” OVER 4.25 X 6.0 MUST BE .009 MIN

ENVELOPES ENVELOPE QUALITY IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO PERFORMANCE OF THE FINISHING EQUIPMENT WHAT TO MEASURE OUTSIDE SIZE FLAP DEPTH CLEARANCES WINDOW LOCATION GLASSINE QUALITY SEAM STRENGTH SHELF LIFE GLUE STRENGTH CONFORMITY TO USPS

EITHER TRI FOLDED OR HALF FOLDED AND AUTOMATION COMPATIBLE SELF - MAILERS EITHER TRI FOLDED OR HALF FOLDED AND AUTOMATION COMPATIBLE MUST BE TABBED

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS ONE TAB FOR SINGLE SHEET

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS TWO TABS FOR MULTI- SHEETS

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS TWO TABS - PERIOD

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS THREE TABS NECESSARY

DETERMINED BY LENGTH OF MAILPIECE DIVIDED BY HEIGHT ASPECT RATIO DETERMINED BY LENGTH OF MAILPIECE DIVIDED BY HEIGHT MUST FALL BETWEEN 1.3 AND 2.5 THIS IS USED FOR ALL CLASSES OF MAIL

WEIGHT OF MAILPIECE FOR FIRST CLASS - MAXIMUM BEFORE SURCHARGE 1.0 OZ IF 1.1 OZ - CHARGED FOR 2.0 OZ FOR STANDARD - MAXIMUM BEFORE SURCHARGE 3.3 OZ IF 3.4 OZ - CHARGED ON PER PIECE + WEIGHT

THICKNESS OF MAILPIECE FOR STANDARD AND FIRST CLASS MAIL 1/4” MAXIMUM THICKNESS

1 = one color (usually black) Use of Colors 1 = one color (usually black) 4 = full color / = side 1 vs side 2 1/0 = one color one side – nothing on 2nd side 1/1 = one color both sides 4/0 = full color one side – nothing on 2nd side 4/1 = one color one side – full color 2nd side 4/4 = full color both sides This is self explanatory

Printer’s Language : Colors CMYK – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black – This is the ink mixture that is used for offset and digital printing RGB – Red, Green and Black – what we see on the Computer Screen Colors and terms CMYK – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black – these are the colors that make all colors up on an OFFSET press RGB – Red Green Black – colors we see on the computer screen RGB colors will NOT BE THE SAME as CMYK – as you are viewing on different vehicles When using a designing program – be sure to set the colors for transfer If you give a RGB proof to an OFFSET printer – the colors will most likely NOT MATCH

Printer’s Language Con’t PANTONE – (PMS Colors) – specific color code numbers that correlate to a special ink mixture NOT CMYK. Pantone mixtures are listed in a PANTONE COLOR FORMULA GUIDE – can only be used in Offset Printing only Color jobs that include pantone colors could be more expensive due to more passes through the printer – especially when CMYK and PANTONE Colors are included in the same job. Some companies have there own colors – these were most likely done in a PMS color and usually given to them by a designer PMS colors are PANTONE and are made up of a specific color mixture These colors are shown in a chart and that chart make show you what the PMS color looks like compared to an RGB or a CMYK Even though the code may be the same – the colors will not match You can PMS colors on offset only – if you want to use a PMS color on a Digital Press – they will not me the same Also PANTONE colors may require multiple passes through the press – thereby costing more

Printer’s Language Con’t CMYK vs PANTONE CMYK mixture is different from PANTONE Mixture When selecting a color – be sure what printing process you are going to use Trying to EXACT match CMYK to PANTONE is extremely difficult – shades appear to be slightly different As per previous slide This is self explanatory

Printer’s Language Con’t Bleed Paper Stock Card Stock Coated / Uncoated Glossy or Matte Bleed – color goes out to sides of printed matter Paper Stock – described in weights suggest that you find a piece of stick that you want to use and have the printer match it Card Stock - described in weights Coated /Uncoated Describe Coated Sides Matte Finish Varnish , UV , Aqueous

DIGITAL PRINTING vs. OFFSET PRINTING Two entirely different processes

Cost – there is a breakeven point based on quantity When to use which one: Cost – there is a breakeven point based on quantity Quantity – Drives Pricing What is going to happen to the printed piece next Mail Merge Postcard Shells Test Mailings – Constant and Variable Data Digital Printing is usually used when the quantity is lower than 10,000 Offset is used when the quantity is higher than 10,000 – Digital Costs are based on CLICKS, size of paper can be a consideration Offset pricing is based on quantity, ink usage, passes, paper and plate costs Quantity drive pricing – specifically in OFFSET – some prices are fixed – plates – so cost is spread out over the quantity - Consider what you intend to do with the mailpiece – IE Mail merge cannot be done on an offset press May want to print a higher quantity shells and present to a digital printer to be custom printed May want to do lower quantity test pieces first on a Digital and then run large quantity on Offset

TIMELINE CONSIDERATIONS DATE OF EVENT TIME REQUIRED : TO DESIGN SECURE DATABASE PRINT ASSEMBLE MAIL DELIVERY ( TIME OF MONTH, YEAR) INVENTORY / FULFILL / PERSONNEL TRACK Larges problem is NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATIONS TIMELINES Need to consider time involved from conception to induction I suggest FOUR weeks

WORK BACKWARDS FROM THAT DATE CONSIDER DATE OF EVENT WORK BACKWARDS FROM THAT DATE

THE TWO MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF ANY MAILING CAMPAIGN ARE: VERY IMPORTANT THE TWO MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF ANY MAILING CAMPAIGN ARE: POSTAGE PRINTING Self Explanatory Explain the ROI BE SURE TO SCRUTINIZE THE PRINTER - THE SUCCESS (ROI) OF THE CAMPAIGN DEPENDS ON IT

Review questions Question 1  Four Color Processing is the same on Digital and Offset printing applications. T or F Question 2 C1S stock is “Coated” on one side only. T or F Question 3 I can save even more in postage by using the postcard rate for standard mail Answer = F Answer = T Answer = F

The LI PCC would like to thank today’s session sponsor Thank you Bi-County Mailing

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