If your business sends a vast amount of mail all at once, it will cost you a lot. The best approach to significantly reduce postage expenses is to use standard mail, also known as bulk mail.
Although first-class mail is much quicker to be delivered, it is more expensive than bulk mail. Therefore, if you send advertising mailings and are flexible about the delivery date, then sending bulk mail is the best choice for you.
Bulk mail can save you at least 38 percent off first-class postage rates. Nonprofit organizations are even able to save more when using bulk mail. They spend between 55 and 80 percent less compared to first-class postage rates.
How Fast is Bulk Mail?
The United States Post Office (USPS) does not specify when your bulk mail will be delivered. Although they try their best to process and deliver the bulk mail as quickly as possible, first-class mail still takes precedence.
In general, bulk mail takes between 1 to 27 days to be delivered. Sometimes it takes even longer, but the most exact interval is between 3 and 15 days. Delivery time depends on several factors, including the destination of your mail, the type of mail, the time of the year, and the actual workload of the postal service. The process will be faster if the mail is dropped at a USPS distribution facility instead of the local post office.
Posting Time-Sensitive Material
Bulk mail is a prominent option for mailing advertisements and promotional material, as it is much more affordable than first-class mail. However, since bulk mail is delivered more slowly than first-class mail, it is not the best to send time-sensitive material, including invoices, bills, legal notices, or important letters.
For time-sensitive material, the best approach is to go with first-class mail. Although it will cost much more, the delivery time is significantly shorter than the bulk mail. First-class mail takes 1 to 3 days to be delivered to your destination locally and 3 to 5 days nationally by the USPS.
Qualifying for Bulk Mail
Typically, a minimum of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail are required to qualify for the bulk mail discounts. However, the quantity and weight of your mail are not the only factors necessary for qualification.
The first step to qualifying for bulk mail is to secure a mailing permit. Then, you should choose between different postage types, including a permit imprint insignia, precanceled stamp, or postage meter stamp.
It would be best to do a few other things for qualification: double-check all the addresses for accuracy and then presort the pieces by postal ZIP codes. Postal guidelines require that bulk mail be delivered by the same post office that primarily issues the permit.
Limelight Direct Mail Marketing
Is your business interested in using bulk mail, but you’re confused about how to do it? Limelight Direct Mail Marketing can help. Our experts know the ins and outs of bulk mail and can assist you through all the steps. Contact us today at 919-452-5418 and see what we can do for you.