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Have you been to prep school?
By Jim Bannister
Canadian FundRaiser: October 11, 2000
I remember, in my youth, helping my political party's riding association do a mailing. We mimeographed the `flyer', folded it and inserted it into envelopes, unsealed. We hand-addressed the envelopes and affixed 2¢ stamps. (Yes, it was that long ago!) We didn't sort the mail, because the Post Office gave no financial incentive for sorting.
These days, if you do not prepare a bulk mailing properly you pay the price. Even a first-class mailout can cost you more than 45¢ per item (plus GST!) if you do something wrong, such as failing to use postal codes.
Many fundraisers will attest to the benefits of having a lettershop prepare and enter the mailing. Paying them $10-$15/1000 over the postage can be worth it to avoid the risk of having your mailing charged at a higher rate, or worse, rejected altogether. Others assume their advertising agency will know how to get the best bulk rate. Unless the agency specialises in direct mail, don't count on it! Still others prefer the Do It Yourself option. "All you have to do is read the postal regulations; it's all in the book,"... they think!
To begin with, there are two books. The Canada Postal Guide contains the relevant parts of the Canada Post Corporation Act and Regulations, edited in into a new user-friendly format. For example, the introductory section comprises a number of "Decision Trees", designed to direct you quickly to the service that best meets your needs. The Postal Guide is essentially the same "bible" used by Canada Post staff. It will pay you to master its contents so you can discuss rates, standards and other issues with them intelligently.
You'll also need the National Distribution Guide, which deals with presortation, size and weight standards, and mail entry. It incorporates complete lists of postal codes, grouped in sortation order, updated monthly. This section, which is less exciting than the phone book, tells you everything you need to know about FSAs, make-up levels (no, it's not about how much mascara you use!), etc.
If you can't get these books through your local post office, write to: Canada Post Corporation, 2701 Riverside Drive, Suite E0621, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0B1. For the Postal Guide, contact the Manager, Product Specifications, Suite E0621. For the NDG, write to the Manager, Distribution, Suite N0220.
Unfortunately, the NDG requires some interpretation. To be allowed to enter a mailout at bulk rates, you must attend a Canada Post seminar on mail preparation. There you'll learn everything you need to know about how the postal code sorting system works, how to make up bundles properly and put the mail in the proper order to get the best rates. You'll also get the forms required to get your permit number, artwork for the indicia, etc.
James Bannister is a consultant in direct response marketing and communications, based in Toronto. Readers may contact him through Canadian FundRaiser.