7 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Be Outsourcing Mail

Being a small business is no easy feat, especially nowadays. There’s always a lot to do in all areas of the business and usually for small businesses that also means a smaller staff. There are many perks to having a close-knit team but when it comes to having enough hands on deck for all the tasks, both big and small, it can sometimes get a bit overwhelming. That is where efficiency becomes your friend and not only is it a goal of small business but it’s essential for survival. One easy way to become more efficient is by outsourcing mail services instead of doing it yourself.

Whether you’re managing the complexities of a law firm, overseeing the needs of an HOA, managing HR responsibilities, or in charge of confidential patient paperwork in the healthcare field, handling mail operations in-house can quickly become overwhelming. The constant demands of printing, processing, and sending out mail can drain your time and resources. This is where outsourcing your mailing service can make a real difference and can help alleviate some of the overwhelm in the office. Let’s explore how handing over your mailroom duties can streamline your operations and free up your team to focus on what they do best.

1. Time is Money: Save Both by Outsourcing Mail

Consider this: Instead of dedicating hours to tasks like printing, folding, stuffing, and addressing envelopes, your team could be focusing on core business activities. By outsourcing your mail operations, the routine tasks are handled efficiently by professionals, freeing up valuable time for your team. With the ability to send mail online with just a few clicks, those trips to the post office become a thing of the past, making your workdays more productive.

2. Cutting Costs Without Cutting Corners

Running a full-scale mail operation in-house can be costly. Between purchasing supplies, maintaining equipment, and paying for postage, the expenses add up quickly. Not to mention the human hours and resources needed to manage it all. By outsourcing, you not only eliminate these overhead costs but also benefit from the economies of scale that a professional print and mail service offers. Whether it’s First-Class Mailing, Certified Mailing, or FedEx 2Day, you can keep your budget in check while ensuring your mail gets sent out on time.

3. Accuracy and Reliability: Get It Right the First Time

Mistakes happen, and when it comes to mailing important documents, they can be costly—not just in terms of money, but also your reputation. Outsourcing your mail operations means partnering with experts who know the process inside and out. From printing and mailing online to ensuring the right postage and tracking, outsourcing simplifies everything. You can trust that your mail will be handled with care and precision, and be sent out on time, every time

4. Stay Compliant with Ease

If you’re in an industry where compliance is key (we’re looking at you, financial services and legal firms), staying on top of regulations is a full-time job in itself. Outsourcing your mail operations can help you stay compliant without the headache. For example, professionals in the field understand the importance of adhering to regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for handling sensitive healthcare information or the stringent guidelines required by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) for financial communications.

By utilizing these services, especially at LetterStream, your sensitive documents are processed within secure environments that meet or exceed industry standards. This includes encryption, secure data transmission, and other advanced security measures to ensure that your mail not only complies with legal standards but also maintains the highest levels of confidentiality. Whether it’s sending real mail online with Certified tracking or managing sensitive financial documents, outsourcing to a compliant provider helps mitigate risks and keeps your operations running smoothly and securely.

5. Scalability: Grow Without the Growing Pains

As your business grows, so does your mailing list. But scaling your mail operations doesn’t have to mean scaling your stress levels. Outsourcing allows you to easily ramp up or down based on your current needs, without the need for additional staff or resources. Whether you’re sending out a few dozen letters or thousands of First-Class letters or Certified letters, outsourcing can easily handle it all—seamlessly and efficiently and who doesn’t love that?

6. Embrace the Digital Age Without Sacrificing the Personal Touch

In a world where digital communication reigns supreme, there’s still something powerful about a piece of real mail. It’s tangible, personal, and often more impactful than an email that can be easily ignored. But just because you’re sending physical mail doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the convenience of the digital age. With online platforms, you can manage your mail operations entirely online—you can print and mail your documents with just a few clicks literally from anywhere…an office, the couch, the beach. It’s the best of both worlds.

7. Focus on What You Do Best—Let the Experts Handle the Rest

At the end of the day, your expertise lies in your business, not in running a mailroom. By outsourcing your mail operations, you can focus on what you do best—whether that’s serving your clients, innovating your products, or leading your team. Tasks like sending First-Class and Certified Mail or by sending real mail online in general, are best managed by professionals who specialize in these areas. This way, you can keep your business running smoothly without the added stress of handling mail operations.

If you’re a small business looking to outsource your printing and mailing online, you can sign up for a free account here to try us out!

How To Get Your Mailing Strategy Ready for Q4

As we say goodbye to the third quarter, the big question is: Is your mailing strategy ready for Q4? For many businesses, the final quarter is a make-or-break time of year. Whether you’re managing end-of-year reports, sending out open enrollment letters, or dealing with holiday-related communications, a strong Q4 mailing strategy can be the difference between hitting your goals or missing them.

Here at LetterStream, we know how critical it is to enter Q4 with confidence. The real question is: Are you prepared? Let’s dive into why this quarter demands a streamlined mailing plan, how you can automate your processes, and what you should look out for when planning your business’s mailing strategy.

By the way, it’s not too late to get in the game for printing and mailing needs in Q4.

Why Q4 Demands a Well-Tuned Mailing Strategy

Q4 isn’t just another quarter—it’s often the busiest time of the year for many businesses. You might be juggling various mailing needs like sending time-sensitive open enrollment letters, compliance communications, or violation letters that need to be sent as First-Class mail or Certified mail with a return receipt. Delays are not an option when you’re working with crucial mailings like these, and any hiccups in your mailing strategy could lead to compliance issues, customer dissatisfaction, or missed opportunities.

A robust mailing strategy can help you avoid costly delays and make sure your mailings reach their intended recipients on time. So, ask yourself: Is your Q4 mailing strategy up to par? Are you taking the necessary steps to streamline mailing processes and stay on top of your business mail planning?

Reflecting on Q3: Lessons Learned

Before you dive headfirst into Q4, take a moment to look back at Q3. Did your mailing efforts run smoothly, or were there bumps in the road? Now is the perfect time to assess what worked well and where there’s room for improvement when it comes to sending letters.

Think about the following:

Did your team meet mailing deadlines?
Were there any delays or errors in getting important documents out the door?
How effective was your communication with clients and partners?

These questions can help you identify any gaps in your mailing strategy and prepare for a more seamless Q4. If you found yourself scrambling to meet deadlines or dealing with last-minute mailing issues, it’s time to consider more efficient ways to handle business mail, like sending physical mail online. Streamlining your mailing operations now will ensure you’re ready for the increased demands of the final quarter.

Automate to Streamline Your Q4 Mailing Process

We get it—Q4 is a busy time, and the last thing you need is to spend hours manually preparing and sending mail. That’s why automating your mailing processes by sending mail online can be a game changer. With our advanced mail automation services, you can schedule recurring or one-time mailings, ensuring that everything from your open enrollment letters to year-end tax notices is handled without you needing to worry.

Automation not only helps you streamline your mailing, but it also reduces the chance for error. Meaning, our error-free mailing solutions allow you to focus on more critical tasks while we handle the logistics of getting your documents where they need to go.

Whether you’re managing high volumes of mail or just want the peace of mind that your business mailing solutions are taken care of, automating your processes is the smart move. With Q4 here, there’s no better time to start.

Stay Ahead of Your Mailing Volume in Q4

While postage costs may not rise in Q4, although there will be another postage increase at the beginning of 2025, one thing that does increase is the volume of mail being sent. Between holiday promotions, year-end notices, and important compliance documents, businesses often find themselves managing more mail than usual. This surge in mailing activity can create bottlenecks if your strategy isn’t prepared to handle it.

By planning ahead and streamlining your mailing processes, you can handle the extra workload without overwhelming your team. A well-thought-out strategy allows you to focus on wrapping up the year smoothly, knowing that your mail will be sent out to its destination efficiently and without delays.

Ensure Accuracy in Every Detail

In Q4, there’s no room for mailing errors. Well, there’s never room for mailing errors, but you get the point. Sending inaccurate documents or having mail returned due to incorrect addresses can be costly—both financially and in terms of your reputation. That’s why it’s essential that your mailing strategy includes error-free processes.

To avoid any errors, our automated systems check for address accuracy and document quality, giving you confidence that your mailings will reach the right people, at the right time. We offer an Address List Clean-Up service and we even have a free PDF PreFlight tool that helps you line up your address prior to uploading a job to ensure they are set up correctly.

Plan for Success in Q4

We know Q4 is crunch time for many businesses, and just to reiterate, a well-executed mailing strategy is essential to staying ahead. The good news is you don’t have to tackle it alone. As a printing and mailing company, we specialize in helping businesses streamline their mailing processes and ensure everything runs smoothly—no matter how busy things get.

Are you ready to tackle the final quarter with confidence? Let’s work together to create a Q4 mailing strategy that helps you hit every deadline, meet compliance needs, and achieve your goals. Whether its bulk printing and mailing services, postcard printing and mailing services, check printing and mailing services, or just letter printing and mailing services, we’ve got you! After all, it’s not just about surviving Q4—it’s about thriving and setting your business up for success as you move into 2025.

Elvis Presley and How to Return Mail to Sender

A story from the Letterman about return mail all thanks to a classic song…

It was a busy day of making mail and innovating today. I traveled to multiple facilities and had a brief celebration of our most recent quarter. I gave a Starbucks card and a high-five to our team leader, who produced the most pieces of mail for the month and watched as we spooled up a new process of shipping pallets of mail to send across the country for speedier mail delivery.

To give a little context, my family is out of town and I’m sitting in an Italian restaurant that is open late, having a little desert and writing blog posts about mail.

Is this not how everyone spends their Friday night? Or is that just me?

Anyway, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin had been playing to set the mood of fine dining. I’m in the zone, cranking out blog posts and savoring affogatos after experiencing a wonderful day in the factories. As if it wasn’t already going great, the icing on the cake was when Elvis Presley came up in the playlist singing, get ready for it… Return to Sender. Now, to most, this would simply mean a great Elvis Presley song was playing. To a Letterman, however, this was gold. Could a day be any better?!

Elvis Presley and Mail

In case you might not be aware of what the song is, here is a little overview and some of the lyrics I got to listen to while celebrating a fantastic day of mail:

According to Wikipedia, “Return to Sender” is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and performed in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!. The song was written by Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell to suit Presley’s rock and roll musical style. The singer laments his relationship with a spiteful partner. Released on October 2, 1962, and published by Elvis Presley Music, the song became a commercial hit and received praise for its lyricism and melody.”

Lyrics:

I gave a letter to the postman

He put it in his sack

Bright early next morning

He brought my letter back

Return to sender, address unknown

No such number, no such zone

We had a quarrel, a lover’s spat

I write I’m sorry, but my letter keeps coming back,

address unknown

How timeless are the words from the king of rock and roll?

Return Mail That Isn’t Yours

Ok, but let’s talk about this for a minute. Granted the song is about two people who knew each other and one writes the words Return to Sender as if they don’t live there anymore, but I ponder the thought of mail ending up at the wrong location.

Which brings up the question: How often do we get a piece of mail that doesn’t belong to us?

As a recipient of mail myself, it’s a scenario I’ve encountered more times than I can count due to the United States Postal Service. There’s a certain curiosity that accompanies the moment when you realize the letter in your hand is addressed to someone else—a mix of intrigue and responsibility. It’s also a reminder that even in our digital age, the tangible exchange of snail mail still holds a place of significance in our lives.

When faced with this situation, my first instinct is always to do what’s right—to ensure that the first-class letter finds its rightful owner. It’s a simple act of kindness, but one that carries weight and importance. After all, behind every piece of mail is a story, a connection waiting to be made, even.

Returning the letter to its sender is not just a matter of correcting a mistake—it’s an act of respect and consideration. It’s about honoring the privacy of the individual to whom the letter was intended and upholding the integrity of the postal system.

How to Return Mail/Send a Letter Back?

But returning a letter isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, there are no clear indications of the sender’s identity, and I’m left to rely on my instincts and intuition. It’s a process that requires patience and persistence, but one that’s ultimately rewarding.

Here are some helpful tips on how to return mail that was sent to the wrong address or if the person no longer lives there.

On the envelope write the words “Return to Sender” or “Not at this address.”
If there is a barcode on the # 10 envelope, cross that out to help ensure it doesn’t come back to you again.
Put the mailpiece back in your mailbox, an outgoing collection mailbox or you can hand it back to your postal worker or mailman the next time you see them.
If placed back in your mailbox and you have the option, put the red flag up, indicating you have outgoing mail.

On that note, if you’re sending a letter a bulk mailing that’s considered important, you may want to consider sending it in a way where you can track it. On our LetterStream website, we offer the ability to track your letters right inside of your online portable. So, if you’re sending Certified Mail, Registered Mail (international only) or FedEx 2Day letters allowing you to see if they were delivered, signed for or undeliverable. Just something to keep in mind so this doesn’t happen to you.

Return to sender written in red ink for return mail

There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that I’ve played a small part in ensuring that a piece of mail reaches its intended destination. So the next time you find yourself holding a letter that wasn’t meant for you, remember the importance of kindness and consideration. By returning the letter to its sender, it extends a helping hand to a stranger, even in the simplest of ways.

As I wrap up this blog and my time here at the Italian restaurant, I can’t help but secretly hope that anyone who reads this post will now think of us here at LetterStream every time they hear Elvis Preseley’s Return to Sender.

Get to Know LetterStream’s Pricing to Send a Letter Online

A quality we really pride ourselves in over here at LetterStream is understanding that transparency is a key component when it comes to choosing a solution to print and mail out your letters, along with one that fits seamlessly into your budget.

Recently we received an excellent question from one of our valued customers. They were asking about the monthly and yearly costs associated with our services. Although our pricing is pretty simple, we figured it would be beneficial to break it down a bit more here on the blog for our current customers and potential new customers to help alleviate any confusion.

So, let’s dive into it.

Our Pricing Philosophy: Free Access, Only Pay for Mailings – What?!

We’re extremely proud to offer a straightforward pricing model for our services based on USPS mail prices. If you’re wondering about the price to send a letter through LetterStream, keep on reading.

Our basic services come with zero monthly or annual fees – that’s right, it’s absolutely FREE to access our website and experiment with all the mail-making features.

And no, this isn’t a joke, we promise. You only incur costs when you have a specific mailing job. So, if you don’t send mail in a given month, you won’t pay a dime. It’s really that simple.

Mailing Costs: Affordable and Customizable

Ok, let’s talk about the price of mailing a letter and the costs associated with it. When it comes to printing and mailing online, we keep the costs simple.

For instance, sending a one-page letter printed in black ink on 8.5″ x 11″ and mailed via USPS First-Class Mail starts at $1.13 each. Similarly, if you want to send Certified Mail via the USPS, those start at $7.34. You can also send USPS Certified Mail with an electronic mailing receipt for an added price. If you’re looking for super fast delivery that’s where FedEx 2Day comes into play and starts at only $13.50. We also have cheaper options where you can easily send a postcard that will cost you a mere $.78.

Basically, it’s a pay-as-you-go system, ensuring that you only pay for the mailings you send.

Try Before You Buy

We encourage you to give our print and mail services a try – for free! Here’s an extra perk we forgot to mention. No credit card is needed to experience the full functionality of our website. It’s so simple to take advantage of our easy-to-use interface, explore the advanced features, and see if LetterStream meets your needs.

We purposefully designed our pricing model with simplicity, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in mind.

Additional Features

Now that we’ve covered our free pricing subscription (again mailing cost and service of sending a job only), let’s dive a little bit deeper. We take pride in offering more than just mailing services. Our platform is equipped with several additional features to enhance your experience when you sign up:

Trained AI Chatbot to answer questions 24/7. Although this one is available on our website in the bottom right-hand corner even if you aren’t a member.
Traditional help pages and videos are instantly available.
Multiple-user access.
Various user-access roles.
Reporting offered by user, department and job type.
Mailing jobs guaranteed to go out on time.
Easy-to-use interface.
Different types of perforated/perf paper to select from.
Return envelope options.
Can accommodate all types of jobs, including Fist-Class Mail, Certified Mail, FedEx, Postcards, Registered Mail and Flats.
Easy-to-use ‘Search’ feature to find any job or recipient that you’ve mailed to.
And, of course, our extreme commitment to excellence to serve our customers.

For an added cost, here are some more advanced options that can be accessed:

Load a document of variable page count per recipient and we’ll sort it out for you.
Address List Cleanup to help reduce undeliverable mail.
Ability to send an email copy in addition to a letter for $0.20.

If you’re visiting us for the first time and want to get in on all the cool features we offer and to help you get your mailings out the door, then comment below for a new customer promo code to get $10 free added to your account to test out sending a letter online.

To learn more about Certified Mail prices, First-Class Mail prices and other services we offer, click here.

Is it Time For a New Mailroom?

In an ever-changing world, the importance of looking for ways to improve our current situation is key. When we strive to make our lives better, our relationships better, our environments better and our jobs better, well…it tends to make everything better, generally speaking. This applies to all areas of life, including the workplace.

On that note, let’s get a little bit more specific about the workplace and jump into talking about improving your current mailroom situation, shall we? In fact, let’s get even more specific and break it down to talking about your in-house mailroom. Meaning, as a business or company you internally print and send out letters to your customers. Maybe you’re an HOA (homeowners association) who needs to mail out important information to your community. Maybe you’re a law firm that needs to mail letters to clients. You get the idea.

So how does talking about your current in-house mailroom relate to improving your current situation? Good question. Running your own in-house mailing can come with a lot of responsibilities, time and struggles if we’re being honest. It comes with added roles within the organization that probably have nothing to do with your product or service. Remember someone internally has to do the physical work of printing and mailing the letters.

If you are managing, dealing with or struggling with your in-house mailroom, we have some ideas to help you find a better solution for it.

Mail is mission-critical

First off, let’s call it what it is. A mailroom is mission-critical, meaning it’s very important…just like your internet access is super important. However, your company didn’t build its own internet company to get internet access into the building, did they? No, your company found another company that offered that service and said “Here, you handle this, while we handle what we are experts at.”

So, the question is, “What’s up with your mailroom?” “Why do you have one?” “Is there a visible career path beyond the mailroom?” Basically, why have an internal place to do mailings when you can have a company that specializes in it do it for you?

Your first thought might be that you have a mailroom because again, mail is mission-critical and it must go out ASAP. To that, we completely agree. However, why do YOU have a mailroom? You said MAIL is critical and MAIL must go out but, you didn’t say your mailroom is mission-critical, did you?

On that note, let’s get you introduced to the mailing industry experts. Hi, we’re LetterStream, a print and mail online service that a large number of companies are turning to in order to free up their time spent on mailing jobs.

Freeing up time away from handling their company mailings, people are able to find new jobs with their current employer, doing truly mission-critical work within the company; mission-critical work that provides growth an opportunity beyond being the chief of the mailroom.

The Mailroom Manager

So, how can they do that? Well, let’s unpack the roles and responsibilities of a Mailroom Manager because these roles can essentially all go away.

Mailroom Manager Roles and Responsibilities

Keeping informed of new and emerging printing and mailing technologies.
Creating connections in the printing and mailing industry to know where to purchase equipment and supplies.
Negotiating with vendors each year who constantly want to increase their prices.
Reviewing contracts every couple of years on printers, folders, tabbers, inserters, and postage meters, to name a few.
Staffing your department with people to make sure that the mission-critical mail can always go out.
Managing people and processes each and every day to keep employees productive, accurate and motivated.
Dealing with suboptimal equipment that struggles to produce in the key moments when you are counting on it the most.
Arguing with service vendors who don’t show up when expected or who don’t solve the problem that you’re dealing with.
Justifying the office space your team needs to store supplies, stage equipment, and create a mailroom that can produce the mail volume when it is needed.
Being called into meetings to discuss what went wrong when one of your internal customers didn’t give you the instructions you needed to be successful.
Driving to the Post Office to drop off mail, get supplies or have a face-to-face meeting about why, despite everything being done perfectly, the mail clerk decided to reject your mailing.
Studying the latest, and ever-changing Domestic Mail Manual, to know what you can and can’t continue to do and how you need to make sure your postage meters and rate charts and price structures are all updated.
And finally not getting the credit for the heroic effort you put forth day after day. And let’s face it, mail is extremely important and you are so good at your job, that you may be too valuable for anyone to move you out of that role.

Your new non-mailing job

It might be time to take those skills that you are developing and find a way to participate in your organization in areas that are both mission-critical AND a core product or service that your company needs. But how do you do that when you are needed to get the mail out? It’s easy! You find someone who can do your job as well as you can. May we propose that the answer is to send the mail to a mailroom that is turn-key and ready to go?

Consider an expert print and mail company

There are probably several good printing and mailing companies around who’d love to take on your mail projects. While we might propose any decent mailing company can help take the responsibilities off of your plate, it’s actually an excellent mailing company that would also keep you from being sucked back into your current situation. Meaning, that many companies bring print and mail back in-house because their former vendor couldn’t perform.

But trust us, there are plenty of high-performing print and mail vendors, so before being tempted to believe you are the only company that can make mail correctly, you owe it to yourself to look around.

On that note, our shameless plug is to contact us, LetterStream. Actually, you don’t even need to contact us. Just go to LetterStream.com and use the promo code “MyNewMailroom2023” to get $10 of free mail to test out what LetterStream can do for you. We send everything from First-Class Mail, Certified Mail with an Electronic Return Receipt (USPS tracking and signature), Registered Mail and even FedEx letters to invoices and postcard printing and mailing.

Trust us, we will be fast. We will be accurate. We will be committed to supporting you never having to utilize print and mail services internally ever again.

New Hope for the USPS Mailbox

I was at a trade show at the end of last year and had lots of enjoyable conversations with partners, customers and potential customers. But the one I chuckled the most about was the conversation I had at the luncheon with a man who was about 25 years old. Without realizing it, he basically made an argument when it came to sending mail to a mailbox and how it isn’t a necessity anymore.

Now, not that there is anything wrong with his age, but I realize that some of the younger generation doesn’t go to their mailbox or the Post Office mailbox nearly as often as prior generations. Some may have never been to a mailbox at all (which is a crazy thought), but it is a reality. Many now get their information through paperless communication, such as emails or even through online platforms like Instagram and TikTok. For some, there just isn’t a need to walk to the mailbox anymore.

But back to my conversation. There were about eight people sitting around a large round table and we were talking about what each of us did. When it was my time to share that I work at an online printing and mailing company, the young man’s boss said “We don’t use mail. Instead of sending snail mail, we send everything electronically.”

I responded, “Well done! So, you don’t have envelopes in the office or a postage meter?”

He reflected a moment and then said, “Well, we do have a postage meter, envelopes, and specialty paper but we don’t use them for anything.”

At which point, another colleague of theirs responded with, “Well, we do send a few letters through the United States Postal Service using First-Class Mail.”

His boss inquired directly to him about it and he then responded with, “We do have about 10 people in one community that want letters mailed, and 20 in another. And sometimes people reach out to us and ask that we mail something to them.”

Hmmm interesting….so sometimes they do send mail. It can be easy to forget that just because we live in a digital world that that doesn’t mean a lot of people still don’t like to receive important information via the USPS.

No more Postage Machines

While this wasn’t the key concept of my story, it allowed me to discuss how LetterStream frees up clients from the expenses that come along with mailing letters. This includes the actual postage machines, machine leases, machine service calls, postage machine desks, and floor space. Not to mention the other expenses that accompany sending mail, like different envelope sizes and toner. Plus let’s not forget to factor in the time it takes to make trips to the office supply store, stamps, training your employees…you know where I’m going with this.

Email Inboxes Overflowing

And back to the story…again. At some point, I was blown away to hear one of the nice gentlemen I was talking to say his email inbox is so full of emails that he can hardly get anything done. He said he gets hundreds of emails per day.

Of course, this made my mind start to ponder. I started thinking about the old adage- if everything is important, then nothing is. How can someone process hundreds of emails per day, and how can you designate the time you need for the important ones without being distracted by all the new emails that just keep coming day after day?

In short, how does one get in front of people easier than through an overflowing email inbox?

The Answer is Simple, Send a Letter to a Mailbox

After mulling over this entire conversation and then about what was said regarding email, my mind began to spin its own story and here is what it came up with:

“If you want to get the attention of someone and actually have them see what you are offering then it would make sense to put a real piece of mail in the mailbox. They will walk to their mailbox and grab their mail (for those that it applies to), they will walk back, flip through their mail pieces possibly separating them into different stacks. The key would be to make your mailing stand out so they will be intrigued to open it. And if it’s intriguing to open, then mission accomplished with getting in front of someone without ending up in the trash of an email account with every other promotional item.”

Ok, so obviously that’s not exactly what was said by the potential customer but you get the gist of where my mind went with that. He did, however, point out some truth that mail is a totally different medium than email. It calls for special handling and can even linger for days waiting for the right moment when it can be sorted, processed, and acted upon. There’s no denying that. However, sending USPS mail, whether it be First-Class Mail or Certified Mail, may actually catch the attention of the recipient in a way that email can’t anymore.

All-in-all the point of this story is: Maybe it’s time to start focusing on getting your message out there with the help of the mailbox in 2024.

If you decide you or your company want to send mail the old-school way, be sure to check out our 2024 USPS Postal Holiday calendar to not only see when your local Post Office is closed but also when we’re open and mailing.

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-The Letterman

FedEx 2Day Now Available at LetterStream to Send Letters

For those of you who see us promoting FedEx letters on our website but can’t quite find the button to make it happen; we have great news! Most of you will now be able to send FedEx 2Day letters, with ease on our website.

What is FedEx 2Day?

FedEx 2Day is just one of the many FedEx fast delivery products that is offered. FedEx 2Day offers the speed, security, tracking and confidence that all FedEx products offer. It’s like an overnight letter that takes one extra day to get there.

LetterStream offers the standard FedEx 2Day letter option, which will get your letters or documents delivered by 5 P.M. the second business day from when you mail it. FedEx does offer a 2Day A.M. product, which we do not currently offer.

How Fast is FedEx 2Day?

FedEx 2Day is pretty quick. Like the name implies, it will take two (2) business days for your letter to arrive and will arrive by 5 P.M. to most destinations. Let’s break this down. If you combine the speed that LetterStream offers along with this FedEx product, then your letter will get there in no time.

If you were to load the documents to our website on Monday, then they will arrive at your intended destination by Wednesday. Keep in mind; no trips to the FedEx store, or post office, no scheduling pickup for your letter, no hassle of buying a FedEx envelope. Just the ease of sitting at your computer, uploading your document and easily sending it on its way.

FedEx envelope with FedEx letter to represent FedEx 2Day shipping.

Why Would I Choose FedEx 2Day?

FedEx 2Day is a great solution for sending a lot of different documents, since it’s not that much more expensive than Certified Mail, especially when you need to send a lot of documents to a specific location. Around 50, 8.5 in. x 11 in. documents, can be placed in a single FedEx 2Day envelope and be delivered for around $18.

FedEx gives you tracking information so you can see where your letter is at any moment. It provides you with proof of mailing and proof of delivery. Unlike other items with tracking, FedEx is dedicated to ensuring your letter reaches its destination. This allows them to achieve a much higher delivery rate than maybe some of their competitors, in our humble opinion.

What’s more, FedEx is a known and trusted brand for delivering on time, nearly every time. When a FedEx package arrives, you know it is something special, that it’s something important that you should embrace and open.

Some competing products that offer tracking don’t quite capture that same vibe. Think about it; have you ever received a letter with a green bar across the top and put it off because you might not want to know what is inside? FedEx generally doesn’t give people that same feeling. Wouldn’t you agree?

How Do I Send FedEx 2Day?

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. You are probably wondering, “how do you actually send a FedEx 2Day letter?”

Sending FedEx 2Day letters is an easy selection when you start to create your mailing on the LetterStream website. You simply click “To Send a Letter,” and you can choose from multiple options like First-Class, Certified Mail, and now FedEx 2Day.

Step-by-Step Process for FedEx 2Day

Backend of LetterStream portal where you create a job and choose send letters

Head to the homepage for www.LetterStream.com.
Log into your LetterStream account.
On the main dashboard page, select the button to “Send Letter(s).”
Name your job, select the address source and then, on the same page, choose the delivery method on the right hand side. There should be an option for FedEx 2Day to select.

LetterStream online portable that shows where you upload your job and how to choose the FedEx 2Day option

If by some chance you’re not seeing that seeing that option:

For security reasons the FedEx product is not available to users who have not been a customer for less than 90 days. It gets complicated but let’s just say we don’t want to block any users from finding this product, so if you have a legitimate need for the FedEx2Day option and you can’t seem to find it, reach out to our support team and we’ll get you taken care of.

When Will Overnight Options be Available?

The FedEx overnight option is currently available to a few select customers who meet our criteria. However, if you have the need to send more than 100 overnight letters per year, reach out to us and we may be able to qualify you for this added service.

To learn more about FedEx 2Day, click here.

What Happens to Mail Delivery During a Powerful Hurricane?

You’ve heard the old adage, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Well, while that goes to show the determination of the 300,000 plus fearless United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers, it doesn’t always reflect the full story of mail delivery.

Mail Delivery Disrupted

Mail delivery can be disrupted by a great many natural and not-so-natural causes. Take Hurricanes for instance. While mail carriers may be determined to show up and sort and deliver the mail, sometimes roads are closed or impassible due to high water and they aren’t able to make it to their designated Post Office.

Sometimes Post Offices are damaged by rising flood waters, a storm surge and even extra heavy rain that seeps into the building before it could drain away. When Post Offices are flooded, they need to be shut down and mail needs to be diverted to nearby postal facilities until the water has cleared and the Post Office can be used again.

What you might not know is that the USPS keeps an active list of all the Post Offices that are closed and the various reasons that cause them to be unable to sort or process mail.

USPS Service Page Alerts

At the time of this publication, the USPS website (USPS.com) has a link in the footer of their website called USPS Service Updates. Clicking the link will take you to their Service Alerts page.

Today, August 30, 2023, the USPS shows 50 Post Offices closed in the state of Florida for Hurricane Idalia, which has yet to make landfall. When Idalia comes to shore and pushes a storm surge towards the coast, we are likely to see even more Post Office closures.

Also, it’s not just current Post Office closures that show up on this page but also past ones. Consider this list of closures for Hurricane Ian on November 4 of 2022.

Keep in mind, it’s not just Hurricane’s that can disrupt mail delivery times. Any natural disaster, including fires, mudslides, tornados, floods, earthquakes and volcanos, to name just a few, can cause a Post Office to close and delay mail. Even non-weather events can close a Post Office. Here are a couple of post offices that were closed due to power outages.

Not all closures result in delayed mail. Sometimes our cherished mail pieces can be diverted to a nearby Post Office and mail carriers report for duty at this secondary facility and carry on with their work. However, just because the mail carrier can sort the mail, it doesn’t mean that the coast is clear for them to deliver mail to their entire mail route.

Mail Tracking

So, when you send USPS Certified Mail and follow the Certified Mail Receipts or tracking information, you might see odd delays and rerouting of the mail. Sometimes this is due to postal closures. First-Class Mail doesn’t have the same transparency in that tracking as it isn’t typically included in First-Class Mail service. But, you still may discover that a letter arrived a few days later than you anticipated. When wondering why, consider checking the USPS service alerts just to see what might be happening in that local area.

Given the number of storms and unforeseen circumstances that takes place around us, we have to give our local mail carriers a hand for working and doing their best, despite the weather, in order to get our mail delivered on time, every (or nearly every) time.

Mailing for Success: How To Get Your Mail Opened

Should you utilize LetterStream for sending out promotional mail with the aim of expanding your potential client base and, ideally, boosting your income, we are delighted to accompany you on this journey.

We believe you’ll see some positive results in your bottom line when promoting your goods and services through postal mail.

Increase the Chance of Someone Opening Your Letters

To make a mailing campaign work, there are two things to focus on. The first is what’s on the outside that gets your letter opened. The second is what’s on the inside that delivers your specific message and call-to-action. Think about this in your marketing strategy.

We like to consider the first step as judging a book by its cover. We realize you’ve probably been taught not to judge a book by its cover, but let’s face it, that’s how we all work, especially when it comes to making purchases.

What Should the Outside of My Mail Piece Look Like?

For this article, we are focusing on the external components and the important things to consider in order to get your envelope opened.

Whether you’re sending an invoice, a newsletter, or a direct mail marketing campaign, these principles hold true. The exterior of your mail item is what compels the receiver to open and scrutinize the letter or its contents.

It’s Not About Pretty Envelopes

Yes, you read that correctly and this may throw a twist into things a bit. We may even get a lot of push back from the graphic designers and envelope engineers out there. However, it’s not about pretty and it’s not about eye-catching. It’s about something far simpler.

Getting someone to open an envelope from the postal service is all about the term “recognizable”. Think about this the next time you sort and open your mail. Chances are, unless you design envelopes or are in marketing, you won’t sort your mail by pretty or eye-catching. Instead, you will sort and even prioritize by the concept of “recognizable.”

Make your Envelopes Recognizable

You’ve likely already realized this while going through your own mail: your envelope should hold something identifiable or familiar to resonate with the recipient.

Consider the reasons behind your specific method of sorting your incoming mail, and let’s try to define the different priorities based on the principle of recognition.

The Mail Sorting Routine

Let’s capture the mail sorting process. Keep in mind the exact steps won’t be the same for everyone. I ought to know, for some weird reason I like to sort my mail by envelope size, from smallest to largest.

General Sorting Efforts Beyond Envelope Size

A person generally will end up with a couple piles of mail after sifting through the stack. There will be the friendly mail like wedding invitations, birthday cards, holiday letters and thank you notes.

Next there will be the pile of bills that need to be sorted out for payment and processing, maybe not now, but not to be forgotten.

Then there’s the rest of the mail. Granted, you may make a pile for grocery store coupons and various other items, but the bulk of everything else is just noise. You might just dump it in the shred bin, or you may let it accumulate for another day when you have more time. Which face it, never really happens.

Which Pile Would You Like Your Message In?

That’s easy; you want it in the friendly mail pile. If you can’t obtain that, you’ll want it in the bill pile. If you can’t secure that, you’ll want it to be the most stand-out piece in the pre-shred pile.

Our recommendations are deigned to keep your mail out of stack three completely. We want action taken by the receiver before they toss it through the shredder.

Hey, I know This Sender

We believe there are two key components of recognition and familiarity.

The first component is, do you know the name in the return address of the envelope? We believe fairly early in the process you will look at the sender’s name to decide which pile the mail goes into. If you see a family member’s name or an old high school buddy on the envelope, it’s going to get opened first.

These personal connections are the most powerful for getting a piece of mail opened. (Side note: This also is why its important to send a personal note to a potential business contact within days of meeting them. So that your name and sales pitch are still in the forefront of their mind.) So, be sure to put your name and/or company name on the outside of the envelope.

If you choose to not place your name or company name on the outside of the envelope, you might feel like you are being clever. However, it’s quite similar to a cell phone call which pops up on your phone as “restricted”. Most people won’t answer the call. The same is true for mail. People won’t open your letter.

The second way to make the return address recognizable is to send it from a town local to your recipients. This isn’t often possible, but when you can, try to make it happen.

Is This a Bill?

Here’s where a transactional mailing company like ours has a totally different perspective than flashy marketing companies.

We know that bills get opened, and we also know they get sorted to the second tier of mail. If something looks like a bill, it will avoid the first round of shredding. Why? Because of importance.

For clarification, we are still talking about the outside of the envelope. Bills come in plain white envelopes, have a security tint on the envelope and typically have one or two windows for addresses to show through.

We don’t recommend making your message look like a bill, as that could make people grouchy. However, we recommend making it look important.

Do You Really Know Me?

Who are your true friends? Are they the ones that call you by your casual name or your nickname? We may not know entirely but we do know, they don’t call you by your last name followed by your first name (Jones, Mike).

If you receive a piece of mail with your last name, a coma and your first name, are you intrigued? Is the sender familiar? No; no one would call you that.

There’s a reason we call it the First Name and Last Name. Also, spell your recipients names correctly. If you don’t know how to spell their name, don’t bother sending the mail.

Should You Make Your Stamp Stand Out?

To be honest, we don’t get it either. Stamps probably don’t make any difference. If you see grandma’s name in the return address area of a piece of mail, you’re going to open the letter. Doesn’t matter if it has a squished bug where a stamp should be.

There are so many other mail sorting methods that take priority over the stamp, that you probably shouldn’t care about it. Let’s rephrase. Put real stamps on your wedding invitations and other luxurious mailings in order to honor your friends but don’t use it on marketing mail.

If It Doesn’t Arrive, It Won’t Be Opened

Seems simple, but that’s not always the case. We can’t forget making sure you have right addresses.

Double check your mailing list. Make sure you didn’t accidently sort only of your addresses and scramble up your entire mailing list. Yes, this one makes us a little sick and we’ve seen it far too many times. Databases and Excel spreadsheets can assist in shuffling your data, but ensure all elements are correctly aligned prior to uploading your address list.

You can also clean up your mailing lists using CASS software or better yet is the NCOA (National Change Of Address) database.

A quick note: we offer “Address Cleanup”/CASS and “Deluxe Address Cleanup”/NCOA on our website to help you get the most out of your mailing list. Also, if your data has gotten scrambled, our Deluxe Address Cleanup will let you know.

Another way to verify a few addresses is by using the USPS zip code lookup tool. Only use if you don’t mind entering them one at a time. It does more than look up a zip code; it will actually tell you if the address is complete and if it is valid.

Happy Mailing

Hopefully these little tidbits will help you reflect on your next mailing and how you can increase its effectiveness. And just maybe, your next mail piece will be recognized by your clients in their stack of mail!

Certified Mail – Return Receipt vs Electronic Return Receipt (ERR)

What is the difference between a Return Receipt and Electronic Return Receipt (ERR)?

Actually, let’s get more specific, shall we? What are the different types of Return Receipt for Certified Mail?

There are two different ways to get a Return Receipt through the United States Postal Service (USPS) for your Certified Mail. The first is the traditional green card, also known as PS Form 3811, which the Postal Service calls a Return Receipt.

The second method is an Electronic Return Receipt (ERR). No special forms are needed to purchase or take advantage of with ERR. An Electonic Return Receipt, simply put, is an electronic version of a Return Receipt.

Do I Need a Return Receipt?

Let’s back up just a bit and point out that you may not even need a Return Receipt for your Certified Letter. A simple Certified Letter without a Return Receipt will provide tracking on USPS.com or various other websites that have access to USPS tracking data, like LetterStream.com and www.OnlineCertifiedMail.com. So, if you just want to know the status of your letter, you may not need to spring for the additional expense of a Return Receipt.

The Return Receipt, however, does give you the added information of the name and signature of the person who received your letter. This provides you with a little extra information and might help you prove that someone actually saw your letter and took it into their hands.

Return Receipt Vs Electronic Return Receipt

So, back to the differences between Return Receipts. A Return Receipt, also known as a green card, is a green pre-printed postcard that you can pick up at your local post office and apply to the back of the Certified letter you are about to mail.

You will need to add your address to the green card or the address where you’d like the green card sent after the letter gets signed for. You’ll also want to put the tracking number from the Certified Mail barcode label (PS Form 3800) on the green card as well so you will know specifically which letter the green card relates to.

After paying the extra fees for Return Receipt and attaching the form to your letter, you are ready to give the letter to the USPS and let them do their part. When they deliver your Certified letter with Return Receipt included, they will have the person who gets your letter sign the green card.

The postal carrier will then take the green card back to the USPS and put it in the mail so it will be returned to the sender. If all goes well, you’ll have your green card back in no time (or maybe longer, just depends).

The process gets a bit simpler with Electronic Return Receipt. You simply tell the USPS cashier that you’d like to send your Certified Letter with ERR. No extra forms are required, but there is a charge for this service. The cashier will scan the Certified Mail barcode (PS Form 3800) that you’ve placed on your letter. This tracking number will appear on your USPS receipt along with the fees for Electronic Return Receipt. You will then be able to use this tracking number to check the status of your Certified letter.

Collecting a Signature

When the mail carrier delivers your Certified letter, they will collect a signature either on the green card or on their digital tracking pad. When they get back to their office, they will either scan it into their computer system or they will download the signatures from their digital tracking pad.

Once the signature is in their computer system, they will create an electronic document/letter providing details of the delivery. It will show the date the letter was delivered and include the signature of the person who received the letter. If you choose to send it as a Return Receipt, the green card will get mailed back to you. If Electronic Return Receipt is choosen, this document will not be mailed to you; however, you can go to USPS.com, enter the 20-digit tracking number from your receipt and request the signature via email when it is available.

If you choose to mail you Certified letter, either through LetterStream or OnlineCertifiedMail.com then you can access a copy of the Electronic Return Receipt right in your online portal.

Is There a Difference Legally?

Some people want to know if there is a difference in the legal authority of a green card compared to an ERR. Long ago the USPS claimed on their website that there was no legal difference, however, they soon discovered that they are not the judge of that. Instead, the ultimate authority belongs to the local judge who gets to determine whether they are the same or not.

From our experience, the Electronic Return Receipt is accepted by most judges. We haven’t heard even a rumor of a judge tossing out the ERR as valid proof of delivery. If in doubt, we suggest that you contact the local authorities and see if they can confirm that an ERR is just as binding as a green card.

To sum it up, Return Receipt and Electonic Return Receipt both provide the same value when it comes to the added information of the name and signature of the person receiving your Certificated letter. One actually just is a bit more convenient than the other.