VARIABLE DATA PRINTING,
ADDRESSING AND MAILING

VARIABLE DATA PRINTING

What exactly is “Variable Data Printing?”

With traditional printing, you print lots of the same piece and mail to a wide group of people. You hope that if you mail to enough people, perhaps 1% will result in actual orders. 

With Variable Data Printing, we customize every mail piece unique to the recipient.  You can vary the text or even the photos used on each card.  The result is personalized mail that really gets noticed.

Since response rates are generally much higher with variable data printing, you can mail smaller quantities and still achieve better results. With variable data printing, it’s quality, not quantity that matters.

Getting Started

Adapting your mail piece for variable data printing is easier than you think!  We can show you how simple it is to create a compelling mail campaign using variable data. 

First, you simply create your design template that will be used among your different printed versions.  You then indicate which sections can be altered and provide us with alternate text or graphics and your Excel database of information that fills in the changeable fields.  We’ll write programming to follow the rules you define and help you along the way to make sure what you expect is what is ultimately printed. 

The result?  Uniquely printed materials that increase your return by up to 15 times that of static printing.

Addressing and Mailing Service

Just need your piece addressed and mailed?  Why make a special stop at a mail house or fumble with messy address labels?  With our Indigo Press, we can professionally address and sort your mail at the same time it’s printed.  It’s a far superior look to low-res inkjet addressing.

Our automated mailing software will review, barcode and sort your mail  to take advantage of the lowest mail rates available.  We can also tray  and deliver your mail to the Postal Service for you.  Best of all, it’s a one stop process for the ultimate convenience.

Mailing services are available for materials we print.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How can I design my mailing piece to ensure that it qualifies for the service class I need?

First class mail is the least restrictive and offers the greatest latitude is designing your piece. Presorted first class and standard mail require very specific design guidelines to qualify for a discounted rate. We are happy to review these guidelines with you prior to starting your design process.

What will you do with any duplicate or questionable addresses from my list (CASS Certification)?

On every mailing order we remove duplicate listings and CASS Certify the list, which allows us to identify "undeliverable" or questionable addresses. We can either mail to these bad addresses or delete them from your list, whichever you prefer.

It's not always the case that addresses considered "undeliverable" in the USPS database won't reach their destination. Some of the addresses deemed questionable might be delivered successfully because the local mail carrier knows the particular neighborhood and where to deliver the mail piece. Since questionable addresses may actually work, you may want to include them in a mass mailing where "getting the word out" matters more than meeting a tight budget.

Please let us know when uploading your mailing list what you'd like us to do with any bad addresses and we'll adjust your mailing quantity as needed.

Can you send the questionable addresses or clean list back to me?

In some cases we are able to email the "cleaned up" version of your list to you. Just call us to make arrangements to receive this list.

Can you use my mail permit?

We are able to mail from our service location using our mail permit. Mailing permits are tied to local USPS offices and may only be used in the locality where they are issued. If you'd like us to address your material and ship it to you, you could use your own permit and mail it from your location. In some instances, we can use your permit if you also use the same Business Mail Entry Unit as we do.

What mailing list format should I send you?

The best file formats to send us for your mailing list are either Microsoft Excel or a tab or comma delimited text file.

Please give us a call if you're not sure what format you have or if we can use it.

What's the best way to break out the address fields or column names when exporting or preparing a mailing list?

The minimum required fields are: Name, Address1, City, State, Zip. Optional ones might be Business Name, Address2, Dept., etc. There is a limit of 5 lines for any address which in turn limits the number of different fields we can include.

Can you insert additional pieces into my envelope, flyer, etc.?

Yes we can do inserting. Please contact us to discuss your particular needs and to get an accurate price quote.

Do you offer tabbing (also called wafer sealing)?

Any mailing piece that requires tabbing may be tabbed according to postal regulations. You will generally save money by designing your piece with the opening at the top of the page, rather than at the bottom.

Should I add UV coating to my postcard order? Will it interfere with addressing and mailing?

No, you can add UV coating without affecting your mailing and postage costs. In fact, adding UV coating is a great way to avoid the scuffing which can occur during the sorting and delivering of your pieces in the mailing process. If you plan to have us print your products but have someone else address and mail them, please check to make sure the aqueous coating won't interfere with their process. Some bulk mailing services have problems working with aqueous coating.

Can I have you mail some of my order and ship the rest?

Absolutely. Please give us a call to discuss your particular requirements.

How long will it take to get my piece into the mail?

Most orders are printed and mailed in four days. This may change due to work in house or the size of your order. We are happy to quote your order based on your specifics.

What happens to undeliverable mail? Can I request that it be returned to me? I'd like to keep my mailing list up to date.

Yes, just ask us to add an endorsement line to tell the Post Office you are attempting to keep your list up to date. An endorsement line for this would say "Return Service Requested" and when printed on the mail piece ensures that it is returned to you with the new address or reason for non-delivery attached. This service is available for first class mail only.

Do you offering mailing services for items not printed with you?

We only offer mailing services for items we print.

Can you mail to Canada or other non-U.S. addresses?

Our current permit is for U.S. mail only, international addresses will be identified as "undeliverable" when we certify your list. If your list includes international addresses that you would like to mail to, please call us to discuss other options.

HELPFUL TERMS:

CASS Certification

Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) improves delivery of your mail piece and maximizes postage savings by adding Zip+4 codes to your mailing list where possible. The CASS Certification process also helps determine certain address problems and standardizes addresses to Postal Service formatting. The correct Zip+4 allows us to apply postal barcodes to your mail pieces, qualifying your mail for Mail Class discounts.

Zip+4

The standard ZIP Code is a system of 5 digit codes that identify the individual post office or area delivery station associated with the address. The additional 4 digits identify a specific range of delivery addresses.

Barcodes

Barcodes are small vertical lines printed in the bottom right corner of the piece to be mailed - we call this area the clear space. Much like a grocery scanner, barcodes represent the numbers which make up the address and Zip+4 codes. These codes make it possible for the mail processing equipment to quickly process these pieces, lowering mail-processing and delivery costs. The savings are passed on to consumers through lower postage rates.

Clear Space

Area in lower right of a mailing piece where the address and barcode is printed. This area must be blank or with less than 10% ink density, to ensure machine readability and therefore be eligible for your desired mail service class.