The USPS has eased the rules on simplified addressing effective Jan. 2, 2011. These changes are expected to help small businesses who have not used direct mail because of the cost. Simplified addressing enables business mailers to use mail delivery route information, instead of exact names and addresses, to reach target customer groups in specific geographic areas.
While the expansion of simplified addressing does not change existing prices or classification standards for Standard Mail flats, the new rules will help lower the costs for businesses by reducing mail prep time and eliminating the need to purchase address lists and on-press printing. The format will be expanded for use on saturation flat-size mail and irregular parcels delivered on city routes.
Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing/sales officer of the U.S. Postal Service says,
“Simplified addressing will help local small and midsize businesses as well as large businesses drive more traffic and attract new customers. This can help strengthen the U.S. economy as well as our organization, the U.S. Postal Service, which is doing everything it can to drive revenue growth.â€
The simplified addressing option enables business mailers, in most instances, to conveniently address mailpieces to “Postal Customer†when complete coverage on any designated delivery route is intended.
“Simplified addressing will serve as the on-ramp for many small businesses trying to reach their audiences within a specific geographic range,†Vogel said. “It will allow them for the first time to take advantage of the most effective marketing channel there is — direct mail.â€