This is the mailpiece design tutorial for Manual Bulk Mail using Card Mailers. This presentation will aid you in the design and layout of this specific type of mailpiece. For all other mailpieces, please visit the WSU Campus Post Office website at for additional tutorials. If you have downloaded this presentation to keep on your computer, please be sure to contact us at so that if mailing requirements change we can contact you with By using this tutorial to design your mailpiece, you agree to use all information here completely and correctly. Failing to do so may cause your mailing to be unusable.

A card mailer is defined as a mailpiece which is not in an envelope and which is a single thickness of paper. No folding or sealing is allowed in a card mailer. First, we will look at the initial design of a correctly sized Postcard, including what the difference between a regular card and a Postcard. After we have finished, we will then look at some other options you have in designing your card for mailing. The first step in designing a card mailer is checking its size. According to the U.S. Post Office, cards have specific sizes, and while cards which exceed these sizes are mailable, the extra expense involved in mailing them may exceed any savings which result from automating your mailing. Here is a template which shows the basic minimum and maximum sizes for a Postcard:

In order to help show more about the sizing for a mailable card, a better visual template is available. The template is shown below, but while the scale is visible, for a completely accurate copy please contact the Campus Post Office. The templates are available free of charge but may be subject to occasional shortages in supply. The template is correctly used by aligning the card’s lower left corner at the point indicated on the template here: Then, ensuring that the left and bottom edge are also aligned correctly along the left and bottom lines on the template, look where the upper right corner of your card falls. It must be larger than the minimum card size of 3 ½ by 5 inches and smaller than the maximum 4 ¼ by 6 inches in order to be considered a post card by the U.S. Post Office.

Let’s look at the following examples using our template. To begin, we will look at a card that easily qualifies as a post card. The size of the card is shown by the red outline. Notice how the card is clearly larger than the minimum post card size but smaller than the maximum. This size of card would be eligible for the best postage rates, making processing and delivery times minimal.

Next, we have a card that would qualify for bulk mail letter rates but would not be considered a post card. As you can see, the card size is clearly larger than the maximum allowed for a post card. However, the upper right corner of the card does fall within the limits for standard-sized mail (shown on the template in gray) and therefore would be mailable at a bulk letter rate.

Now a card has been placed on the template which is neither a post card nor meets the qualifications for standard-sized mail. While the card is very close to being properly sized for a postcard, notice the top edge. It is too short! Even a small difference in the size of the card may disqualify it for the class of mail you’re trying to use. While this card is mailable, it would require additional postage above what a normal bulk mail letter would cost and at nearly twice the post card rate, all because of a small fraction of an inch in difference in size.

Next, we will look at the layout of your card. The front of each card in your mailing must have an identical layout which must show at least three essential elements: the recipient's address, the sender’s address, and the type of postage used. The recipient’s address should be shown clearly, without smudging or smearing, in the center of the front of the card. It may not be handwritten. The address may be printed directly on the card or printed on a self- adhesive label and attached to the card. Do not use tape to attach the address or tape over the address to “protect” the address once it is on the card. The recipient’s address should consist of no less than three lines of text. The final line at the bottom of the address should contain only the city, state, and Zip Code of the destination address. No punctuation should be used anywhere in the address unless the Zip Code uses a Plus-Four in addition to the regular five digits found in a Zip Code. For example: Wichita KS This shows the correct format for the final line of an address here in Wichita. However, if there was a Plus-Four on the Zip Code, it might look like this: Wichita KS

Plus-Four codes are used by the U.S. Post Office as a way to place the mailing in a delivery route order. Plus-Four codes are not required on any piece of mail. You may use Plus-Four codes if you wish, and using Plus- Four codes on some of your cards does not obligate you to use them on your entire mailing. Later, when we sort our mailing after it is addressed, we will use the destination Zip Code as information for our sort. If you use any Plus-Four codes in your addresses, you do not need to consider them when instructed to sort the mailing based on Zip Codes. The second-to-last line of the address (called the Address Line) should show either the number and street (with additional information) or PO Box and number of the address. This line tells the U.S. Post Office where to deliver the card inside the city, state, and Zip Code shown on the bottom line. No other information should be on this line. For example: 1157 S Webb RD This Address Line shows a number, directional (N, E, S, or W), and street name giving a physical location inside the Zip Code of For a street address, this would be the minimum amount of information for this address for the U.S. Post Office to deliver this card. However, more information would help:

1157 S Webb RD Apt 1701 This address actually matches an apartment community here in East Wichita. Without the specific apartment at that address, the card may not be delivered. While the U.S. Post Office would normally attempt to locate the correct apartment if the card was sent using First-Class mail, many classes of Bulk mail would not receive that service and simply be disposed of. This may hold true if your address required a Suite, Floor, or any other additional information. What if your Address Line read like this? 1157 S Webb RD PO Box 1701 This is a special case where, in a sense, too much information is provided. When using “PO Box” in an address, what you are telling the U.S. Post Office is that this address corresponds to a rented post office box located in a U.S. Post Office station. Using it to substitute for “Apt,” “Suite,” “Box,” or any other additional information in the address may cause the card to be discarded, because technically there are two addresses shown, one which is a street address location, and one which is a rented box location.

Above the Address Line you may place additional information or the addressee’s name. You may add extra lines if you need them. Organization names, “Attn” lines, Job Titles, or other information may be placed above the Address Line. John Smith 1157 S Webb Rd Apt 1701 Wichita KS Williams Ace Hardware Attn Purchaser 6230 E Central Wichita KS Human Resource Manager Spirit Aerosystems PO Box Wichita KS 67278

It is your responsibility to accurately maintain your mailing list and correctly address each card when you prepare a manual Bulk mailing. The Campus Post Office is able to offer advice concerning addressing standards, but when we do not address your mailing we are unable to directly assist you. However, one tool which may be of great use to you is the Zip Code search tool located on the official U.S. Post Office website. Entering an address will allow the system to search for it, confirm its validity, and display it in the correct format. If the address is not found or more information is needed (such as an apartment or suite number) it will advise you. The Zip Code search tool is located at: Next, we will discuss the return address on your card. Return addresses are required in sending mail from WSU. Each piece of your bulk mailing, even if the sender is a student group on campus, will require an acceptable return address. If you are working with cards that do not have your correct return address already on the card, you must add it.

The correct form for a return address at WSU is as follows: Your Department Name 1845 Fairmount Box ___ Wichita KS ___ The format shown here is the official WSU return address. The “___” shows the location for your campus box number (if you do not know your correct campus box number, please contact the Campus Post Office). The second “___” shown in the Plus-Four area of the Zip Code should also reflect your campus box number. As with the destination address, you may add additional information to the return address above the bottom two lines showing WSU’s address, such as job titles or individual names. Your return address should be both to the left and above of the destination address, preferably in the upper left hand corner of the card. The final item which is required on the front of the card is the method of postage. This tells the U.S. Post Office how the mailing is being paid for and by whom. Postage may be in the form of a meter imprint (which the Campus Post Office would apply during processing) or by using a mailing permit. Mailing permits appear on a piece of mail where you would normally expect to find postage or a stamp. Instead of a stamp, you find a small box outlined with the class of mail (Nonprofit, STD, First Class, etc), the city and state where the permit is registered with the U.S. Post Office, and the permit number.

WSU maintains several mailing permits for use on different classes of mass mailings. The WSU Campus Post Office is responsible for maintaining the University permits, and also is responsible for their use. If your mailing uses a permit that WSU holds, regardless of the source of the mailing or who is paying for it, we must approve its use. When we give our approval, we will advise you which permit is applicable for your mailing. For Bulk mailings, WSU has two mailing permits, each for its own specific class of mail. These are Standard rate and Non-Profit rate. One of the requirements to use a mailing permit is to follow the format set by the U.S. Post Office exactly. Not following the format correctly may cause your mailing to fail inspection and be unmailable. In order to illustrate the correct format, a page on the Campus Post Office website shows the correct permits to use. See “Permits” on the left navigation of our “Mass Mailings” section for more information. Whether we place a meter imprint on your card or you use a mailing permit, the method of postage should be in the upper right hand corner of each card. Now that we have discussed the required items that each card must display, we have a sample card to show:

Much of what we have covered so far may seem overly detailed and very basic in nature, and so not of great importance. However, because Bulk mail does not receive the same service as First-Class mail, Bulk mail requires care in its preparation in order for it to reach the addressees on your mailing list. The U.S. Post Office will make every effort to accurately deliver First-Class mail (or to return it to sender if it is found to be undeliverable) but Bulk mail can be easily misrouted or even discarded if any problems arise in its processing or delivery. Uncounted millions of pieces of Bulk mail are not delivered by the U.S. Post Office every month, resulting in a waste of time spent in preparation and money spent on postage. Because you are the only one who will be preparing and addressing the mailers in your mailing, only you will be able to ensure that a majority of the mailing is delivered accurately.

In addition to the fields we have added to our card, we may also add an Ancillary Service Endorsement. This refers to instructions for the U.S. Post Office on the front of the card in case the card is not able to be delivered as addressed. You may have seen phrases on other mailpieces such as “Address Service Requested” or “Return Service Requested.” The four locations where Ancillary Service Endorsements may be printed on our sample mailer are shown below. In any position, a minimum of 1/8 of an inch must separate the endorsement from any other printing on the front of the mailer.

For Bulk Mail, there are additional charges for using Service Endorsements. The additional charge for using these services is shown on the table below. The Ancillary Service Endorsements are as follows: Address Service Requested –for Forwarding and Return of Mail Mnths 1 – 12: mailpiece forwarded Months 12 – 18: mailpiece returned with new address attached After 18 months or if undeliverable: mailpiece returned with reason for nondelivery attached Forwarded at no charge Weighted fee charged Return Service Requested-for Return of Mail only, No Forwarding At any time: mailpiece returned with new address or reason for nondelivery attached First-Class or Priority Postage charged (by weight) Change Service Requested-No Forwarding or Return, but new address provided Separate notice of new address or reason for nondelivery provided, mailpiece disposed of by USPS Manual Notice provided at $0.75 each Forwarding Service Requested-For Forwarding or Return. New address provided only with Return Service Months 1 – 12: mailpiece forwarded Months : mailpiece returned with new address attached After 18 months or if undeliverable: mailpiece returned with reason for nondelivery attached Forwarded at no charge Weighted fee charged Temp-Return Service Requested-For Return Mailpiece returned with reason for nondelivery attached (unless temporary change of address, then mailpiece forwarded with no notice to mailer) N/A

When producing cards for mailing, choice in paper is of great importance. First, the paper must be of a certain thickness (weight) in order to meet U.S. Post Office guidelines for mailability. Because the “weight” of paper (20 pound paper, for example) is based on the actual weight of 500 sheets of a given color, dimensions,and thickness, and because the actual thickness of a paper can vary depending on a variety of factors, not all paper of a given weight will necessarily have the same actual thickness despite being of the same weight. Therefore we cannot say that a certain “weight” of paper will always have a specific thickness for the purpose of mailability through the U.S. Post Office. We are attempting to maintain a list of approved paper weights and colors for the purpose of printing cards for mailing. This list can be found on the left navigation of the Mass Mailing section of our website. For cards, the required thickness of paper depends on the dimensions of the card you have designed. For actual Post Cards meeting the minimum and maximum limits in size, the minimum thickness of each card must be no less than inches thick. For cards of all other dimensions, the minimum thickness is no less than inches thick. If the source of your paper is not able to accurately provide you with the actual thickness of the paper stock you wish to print your cards on, the Campus Post Office has calibration equipment which will establish firmly whether your paper has the needed thickness.

Also, the appearance of the paper you choose to produce your card will affect the sorting and delivery of your mailing. Certain colors can cause difficulty due to contrast issues. In these cases, the sorting machines used by the U.S. Post Office will not be able to distinguish the address or other printing on the card from the background color of the paper. This consideration is reflected in the list of approved papers on our website. Certain papers also have a “fiber” appearance which will prevent automation compatibility. These papers are normally easy to identify by the appearance of spots, flecks, or speckled designs. While visually pleasing, backgrounds which do not have a consistent color will also interfere with the optical sorting machines. The sorters will “see” the pattern of the paper as part of the printing on the card instead of the background and attempt to “read” it as part of the address. Both of the problems listed here can be illustrated by a test on a black- and-white copier. By photocopying a sheet of paper which is too dark in certain colors, the black-and-white image produced by the copier shows color which is too dark to adequately “see” the printing on the paper. Likewise, by photocopying a speckled or spotted paper, the background pattern becomes a black-and-white field which will be indistinguishable from the color of the printing on the paper. Because the sorting machines in use by the U.S. Post Office “see” only in black and white, this illustrates why using certain kinds of paper can cause errors in sorting and delivery of mail.

In addition to having acceptable weight and color, the paper you use to produce your card must allow you to clearly print without smearing or smudging. Papers which have a slick or glossy finish will often cause the printing to be unclear. Using paper which allows the ink to be readily absorbed and quickly and cleanly dry will help to prevent this problem. Finally, for your mailing to qualify as a Bulk mailing, it must be both of identical weight and contain the same information. In order for each card to be of identical weight, each must have the same design and layout, and each must be printed on the same paper. The U.S. Post Office uses calibrated scales to check the quantity of your mailing after we deliver it to them. If all mailers are not of an identical weight, the calibration will not function properly and your mailing may be rejected. To repeat: all cards must be of identical weight, using the same design and paper.

The only information which can be personalized for your recipient is the name/salutation (Dear Don Beggs, Dear Ron Kopita, etc) and the address where the card is sent. Should any further difference be found in the contents of the card by either the U.S. Post Office or the Campus Post Office, the mailing will be ineligible for Bulk mail rates. The final step in preparing your bulk mailing is to sort the cards into a working order before giving them to the Campus Post Office. The Bulk mail sort for card mailers is not difficult. You will place your mailing in order using the Zip Code on the destination address as a 5 digit number. Simply count using the Zip Code, from lowest to highest. In other words, start with the lowest (04101 in Maine, for example) and moving through to the highest (99500 in Alaska). When you have completed this final step your mailing should be complete.

This concludes our tutorial for manual Bulk mail card mailers. Please remember to use all the information contained here correctly. If you have mailings which cannot be sent using the qualifications shown here, please browse our other tutorials or consult our staff to see if there is another class of mailing that better suits your needs. Also, please remember to schedule your mailings in advance using our website and to provide us with advance notice if you would like us to retrieve your mailing from you when it is complete. Typically 24 hours notice is enough time for us to collect your mailing from your office. If you wish to deliver your mailing to us directly when complete, please call first. We may not be able to accept mailings during certain hours of operation. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us. Our campus phone is , our address is and we are located on the first floor of Morrison Hall on WSU’s main campus. Our office hours are 7:30am through 4:30pm Monday through Friday except for all holidays observed by the University.