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Conquer Your Contacts: A Simple Guide to Setting Up a Mailing List

Creating a well-organized mailing list is the first step to a successful direct mail campaign. A clean, properly formatted list ensures your mail reaches its intended recipients, saving you time, money, and frustration. This guide breaks down the essential steps to setting up a mailing list that's ready for processing.

The Essentials: Required Fields

  • Name
  • Company/Business/ Organization
  • *Address 1
  • *City
  • *State
  • *Zip Code
  • Country (only if mailing outside the U.S.
*Every mailing list must include these fields.

Character Limits: Keep it Concise

Due to USPS space constraints, each field (including spaces and punctuation) has a maximum of 50 characters. Anything exceeding this limit will be truncated, potentially affecting delivery.

Formatting for Success: A Checklist

To ensure smooth processing, follow these guidelines:

  • Header Row: The first row must contain only column headers (e.g., "Address 1," "City," etc.). This tells our software what data each column contains.
  • Clear Columns: Each column should be clearly labeled and contain only one type of information. Avoid hidden columns, rows, or merged cells, as these can disrupt processing.
  • No Highlighting: Do not highlight any cells.
  • Consistent Formatting: If you're submitting multiple lists, ensure they all follow the same format. Ideally, combine multiple lists into one before sending. Combining lists later will incur additional handling fees.

Why Mailing Lists Get Rejected (and How to Avoid It)

Incomplete or incorrectly formatted data will lead to rejection. Here are common pitfalls:

  • Inconsistent Data: Double-check for typos, inconsistencies, or data in the wrong columns.
  • Column vs. Row Setup: Data must be organized across in rows, not down in columns.
  • Missing Fields: Ensure all required fields are present and correctly labeled.

 

Duplicate Removal (Deduping): Your Options

We offer automated deduping to remove duplicate entries. Choose the option that best suits your needs:

1.       Dedupe by Name and Address (Most Common): Removes records with exact duplicate names and addresses. Slight variations will not be flagged. Only the first record is kept.

2.       Dedupe by Address Only: Removes records with duplicate addresses, regardless of the name. Only the first record is kept.

3.       Do Not Dedupe: Processes the list as-is, without removing duplicates.

 

Canadian and International Addresses: Special Handling

For Canadian and international addresses:

  • Submit these records in a separate file or use separate, clearly labeled fields for Province, Postal Code (Zip Code equivalent), and Country. This ensures accurate identification and processing.
  • We cannot verify international addresses, so data will be used as provided.
  • Canadian and international mailings are priced separately. Contact us for details.

Pre-Printed Labels: We Can Help!

We can apply your pre-printed labels to your piece for an additional per-piece fee. However, this will require full First-Class postage (no presort discounts). 

Ready to Get Started?

By following these guidelines, you can create a clean, accurate mailing list that's ready for processing. This will streamline your mailing campaign and ensure your message reaches your audience effectively. Contact us if you have any questions!

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