Do You Want the Lowest Postage Rates Possible?

Among the numerous benefits of the resident list (res/occ list) is the fact that using the resident list for your direct mail campaign allows you to take advantage of the lowest postage rates available from the US Postal Service. Today, the postage cost to mail a First Class letter is 44¢. However, most direct mail campaigns that use a resident list will mail under the Standard Mail classification (used to be called Bulk Rate). A commercial letter that can run on US Postal Service high-speed sorting equipment (automation compatible) can cost as much as 27¢ to mail under Standard Mail rates. If that same letter is mailed using a resident list, the postage drops to 18.2¢. That same letter can be mailed for 13.9¢ if the mail is delivered to the appropriate USPS Sectional Center Facility. If you are a non-profit mailer, those same costs are 11¢ and 6.7¢.

What do these postage rate savings mean in terms of real dollars and cents? In each example below, it is assumed that the number of pieces mailed is 10,000. In the most extreme case, the savings for a non-profit mailer between the highest First Class rate and the lowest Standard Mail rate is 37.3¢ per piece or a savings of $3,730! Wow—that’s a lot of money! A less extreme and more realistic case is the mailer that uses the resident list and is able to move their postage rate from 27¢ to 18.2¢. These are still decent savings of $880.

The name of the game in direct mail marketing is results, response, and ROI. Using the resident list with all its benefits and taking advantage of the lowest postage rates possible should give you the best opportunity to maximize your results and ROI.

Take a look at resident list counts by zip code and carrier route by downloading free count reports.

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Resident List Updating – A Dynamic and Active Process

Like all mailing list databases, the resident list (res/occ list) is a dynamic list of addresses that is changing daily. New construction is taking place and new homes and businesses are being added to the list. Homes and businesses are being vacated or reoccupied and the vacancy flag on resident list addresses is being updated. The US Postal Service is constantly reorganizing and realigning the 200,000+ carrier routes that exist within their distribution system. Thus, addresses are moving out of one route and into another route. Individual postal carriers make changes to the way they walk their route and deliver the mail each day. This activity requires changes to the walk sequence identifier that exists on each resident list address. And finally, buildings are torn down and these addresses are removed from the resident list. In most cases this happens on a one-off, random basis and other times the elimination of addresses is more dramatic, think Hurricane Katrina.

The US Postal Service provides updates to the resident list on a weekly basis to CDS (Computerized Delivery Sequence) qualified companies who own and maintain a resident list. To insure the best results, response rates, and ROI for your direct mail campaign, make sure you are using a resident list that is current and updated. That way you will reach all the deliverable addresses in your targeted geography. These addresses will be directed to the correct US Postal Service carrier route and the walk sequence will be accurate so that you qualify for the lowest postage rates possible.

Do not under estimate the importance of using a resident list that is current and updated.

Take a look at resident list counts by zip code and carrier route by downloading free count reports.

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Do You Want Names with Your Resident List?

Many direct mail marketers successfully mail the resident list (res/occ list) in its native form as a highly accurate and deliverable address list, but without the name of the recipient. The mailing piece is usually title addressed to RESIDENT.

However, there are marketers who want to use the resident list and take advantage of the increased personalization that results by have the recipient’s name on the mailing piece. Depending on the mailer, the offer, and the format of the mailing piece, testing has shown that using the recipient’s name will indeed increase the response rate and ROI. For those marketers the Resident Plus list is available. Resident Plus is created by matching the resident list to consumer databases and appending the head of household name from the consumer database to the resident list. On average, 80% of the addresses on the resident list are available with names.

The beauty of the use of Resident Plus is that in addition to increased response rates, the mailer is also able to take advantage of the lowest postage rates available under the Standard Mail category, ECR walk sequence saturation.

Consider use of the Resident Plus list that provides names on the resident list when planning your next direct mail campaign.

Take a look at resident list counts by zip code and carrier route by downloading free count reports.

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Why is the Resident List the Most Deliverable List Available?

I feel confident making the claim that the resident list (res/occ list) is the most deliverable list available. The resident list delivery rate will always be higher than any named consumer or business list on the market. Based on 30 years of experience in the list business, I estimate the resident list to be deliverable in excess of 99.5%. Most consumer and business lists will be deliverable at between 80% and 95%. What explains this difference in deliverability?

First, the resident list is compiled and updated by the US Postal Service and their postal carriers who actually deliver the mail. This compilation and updating is done by the front liners who visit every mailbox in the US every day. They have intimate knowledge of all 150,000,000 delivery points in the country.

Second, the resident list contains accurate and complete secondary address information on all deliveries that require this information. Every delivery point that requires an apartment, unit, suite, or space number will have this information on the resident list. This information is often missing on named consumer and business lists and contributes to deliverability issues with these databases.

Third, the resident list does not have names. With the mobility in society and so many people and businesses moving, a named consumer or business list is aging and becoming less deliverable every day.

Consider the importance of deliverability when selecting a mailing list. By getting more of your mailing pieces delivered, your return on investment or ROI will improve.

Take a look at resident list counts by zip code and carrier route by downloading free count reports.

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What is Rooftop Mapping?

If your mailing geography has to be very precise, you might want to consider rooftop mapping. We have worked with many clients who are required to do “notification” mailings. Some examples include restaurants who have applied for a liquor license, gas stations that are replacing their tanks, liquor stores that are new to a neighborhood and businesses that are expanding and doing new construction. Various governmental agencies that oversee these situations require that a “notification” mailing be sent to the residents that live within 500 feet or 1000 feet, for instance, from the location involved. Using a computerized mapping system that has rooftop mapping capabilities this very precise mapping is easily accomplished.

Several other client examples come to mind. More than once we have been asked to use rooftop mapping to define an area that is two to three blocks around a bus route. The bus company was proposing changes to their routes and schedules and was required to notify those in the immediate neighborhood. In another case, we used rooftop mapping to define the area 1,000 feet around a marathon route so that the marathon organizers could inform the neighborhood of street closures on the day of the marathon.

If you are required to send our “notification” mailings or want to engage in micro marketing, rooftop mapping may be the answer for you.

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