Everything You Wanted to Know About Bulk Mailing in 2022

DISCLAIMER: This article was written in 2021 and has not been updated. For more up to date information about small business funding products and options, please browse our recent articles.

What the U.S. Postal Service Needs You to Know

Taking advantage of bulk mailing rates is a great way to optimize your businesses marketing budget. As a business, it is likely that you will be sending lots of direct mail on a monthly or even quarterly basis, so it is important to figure out how to send bulk mail easily and affordably. Doing so will help you save a lot of money on your business mailings.

What is Bulk Mailing?

Bulk mailing is a cost-effective mailing system for your business. If you’re just sending a few letters here and there, you probably will not need or qualify for bulk mailing. But if your business is sending out hundreds of flyers, postcards, or magazines at once, taking advantage of bulk rates can save your business a fortune on annual mailing costs.

How to Qualify for Bulk Mailing Rates

To qualify for bulk mailing postage rates, you will need to meet a certain minimum number of pieces. How many pieces that is depends on what type of mail you’re sending. The minimum mailing piece numbers for postage discounts are:

• First Class Mail: 500 pieces
• USPS Marketing Mail: 200 pieces (or 50 pounds of mail)
• Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM): 200 pieces
• Presorted or Carrier Route Bound Printed Mail: 300 pieces
• Library Mail: 300 pieces
• Media Mail: 300 pieces
• Parcel Select: 50 pieces

What is the Best Type of Mail Service for My Business’s Needs?

There are several types of mail services that the U.S. Postal Service offers its customers and it’s important to know which one suits your businesses bulk mailing needs. The three types of bulk mail that are most likely a fit for your business needs are: First Class Mail, Marketing Mail, and Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM).

First Class Mail

If your business sends mail across the country, First Class Mail is an excellent option for you and your business. No matter if the mail is going 40 miles or 4000 miles, the price for mail sent First Class is always the same flat rate. First Class Mail includes letters, cards, flats, and parcels weighing under 13 ounces.

Marketing Mail

If your business sends out lots of flyers, circulars, newsletters, catalogues, or small parcels that weigh under 16 ounces each, Marketing Mail could be the optimal way for you to reach new and existing customers. It is important to note that international mail does not qualify as Marketing Mail.

Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM)

Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM) is a great way to promote your business in your local community. EDDM allows you to send targeted mail to specified areas without having the actual names and addresses of the people that live in that location. So, if you are a new restaurant, real estate agent, or local politician running a campaign, EDDM could be a great option for your scenario. EDDM allows you to mail USPS Marketing Mail Flats (which are flat rate envelopes) weighing up to 3.3 oz at a huge discount.

Bulk Mail Rates

The U.S. Postal Service regularly raises their standard mail pricing so subsequently the pricing for bulk mailing also increases. Nevertheless, there is still a substantial discount to take advantage of. The bulk mail rates for 2022 are:

Nonprofit organizations are eligible for substantial mail postage discounts – up to 84% – so if your organization is a non-profit, be sure to take advantage of that.

How to Keep Bulk Mail Rates Down

Although bulk mailing rates are continuously rising, connecting with new and existing customers through direct mail is a wise investment for your businesses to make. Here are some ways that you can keep bulk mail rates down while still seeing a great return on investment.

1. TargetingTargeting your mailing lists is an essential step to getting the biggest return on your investment. You do not want to waste your time or money on sending someone information on something they are not interested in or do not need. By properly segmenting your lists, this will allow you to send the right offer to the right person and ensure positive response rates to your direct mailing efforts.While segmenting your lists may sound like a daunting task, direct mail marketing companies like ValPak, allow you to precisely determine who exactly your audience is for each type of direct mail you want to send out.
2. List Upkeep If you are taking the time to build out a targeted and thoughtful direct mail campaign, the last think you want to do is send it to out-of-date addresses or customers that have moved out of the country or even passed away. By regularly maintaining and cleaning up your mailing lists, you will help ensure that you are getting the most optimal return on investment.

How to Send Bulk Mail

There are two ways to go about sending bulk mail: You can hire a bulk mailing service, or you can Do It Yourself (DIY).

Hiring a Bulk Mailing Service

There are several bulk mailing services that come recommended by the USPS. They are:

• Printing for Less (PFL):a good option for a business that needs a lot of custom printing, from custom sizes to custom effects and personalized services. PFL provides all that and handles mailing as well.
• Amazingmail:a good choice if you need rapid (next business day) printing and mailing of personalized postcards, brochures, and letters. Amazingmail will let you upload your own design or choose from hundreds they have on file. They will address, stamp, and mail your items with Postal Protect coating and First Class postage.
• Click2Mail:includes Priority shipping to a U.S. Post Office facility or your office with EDDM direct mail orders, and next business day printing and mailing for First Class mail orders. Free tutorials, APIs, and mailing list rental are also available.
• com – Taradel:assists with preparing direct mail for addressed direct mail campaigns and EDDM. You can design flyers, postcards, and advertisements using their free design templates or hire a designer to help you.
• GrowMail:offers both full-service direct marketing and also print advertising services to small- and medium-sized businesses. They also offer marketing strategy consultations.
• AMPlified Mail:supplies ROI reporting and responses, as well as tracks your mail through the USPS. They offer personalized consultations for your design and mail strategies.

DIY Bulk Mailing

If you decide that you would prefer to manage your bulk mailing in-house, you can do so by simply following the normal process of:

1. Creating your targeted list of direct mailing names and addresses
2. Designing your marketing material mailers
3. Finding a printer to print your marketing material mailers
4. Acquiring a mailing permit and paying an annual mailing fee for USPS Marketing Mail and/or First-Class Mail (No permit is required for EDDM.)
5. Paying for postage through permit imprint, postage meters, or precanceled stamps
6. Choosing the shape, size, and weight of your mailings
7. Certifying that your recipient addresses are correct
8. Presorting the pieces of mail by ZIP code
9. Transporting your mailing to the post office where you have your mailing permit

While it is a bit more legwork to DIY your bulk mailing, it can save your business a fair amount of money over using a service. The extra effort can be worth it when you’re just starting out and don’t have a clear idea of what the ROI on your bulk mailing efforts will be.

How to Make DIY Bulk Mailing Easy and Fun

Most DIY bulk mailing projects end up being a headache because they start without a system in place. The most important thing you can do if you’re DIYing your bulk mail is to set up a system to keep track of everything. Having a standard mailing process will make everything much easier for you and your team. Rather than having bulk mailing be a project that takes up one employee’s time for an entire week, consider diverting an afternoon of several staff members’ time to bulk mailing. You can even order pizza for everyone for lunch and make it a party.