Direct Mail FAQ

What is the minimum number of people I have to mail to in order to qualify for a direct mailing at discounted postage rates?

You only need a mailing list of 200 names and addresses. Once you get into the habit of getting the names and addresses of all your customers when they come into your store, your list will quickly grow. The more names you have on the list, the better your chances of qualifying for the absolute lowest rates, thereby maximizing your advertising dollar.

There are size and weight restrictions to which you must adhere to qualify for the postage discounts. Generally, as long as each piece

your mailing will qualify for the Postage Rates we have quoted at this site.

CASS stands for Coding Accuracy Support System. Coyote Communications, Inc., uses this software to check the accuracy of your mailing list. The software identifies and corrects any errors in format, and assigns the correct Zip+4 code to each address. This enables us to be able to print bar-coded labels, which enables you to qualify for the lowest postage rates.

The software is not capable of verifying that an address is correct. For example, if you type "5017 S Florida Ave," when you meant to type "5015 S Florida Ave," the software will not tell you that there is no such address as 5017. However, if you type "10515 S Florida Ave," and addresses on that street only go up to 8000, the software will know that the larger number address does not exist.

No. Coyote Communications, Inc., CASS certifies mailing lists. Therefore, we need to run your mailing list through a special program prior to printing the labels with bar-coding on them. This requires that you provide your mailing list to us on computer disk or via email. If you don't have your mailing list set up on your computer, we'll be happy to stop by and set it up for you at no charge.

No charge? You'll come to my store and set up my mailing list on my computer at no charge?

Yes. Our goal is to create a long term relationship with you. We are interested in your mail campaigns succeeding, and want to make the process of maintaining your mailing list as easy as possible. So, we'll set up your list for you so that you can maintain it. We'll also show you a few neat tricks. And that's not all. Every time we certify and clean up your mailing, we'll give you back your list all cleaned up ... at no additional charge. You do need to have a computer. Although we will set up the list for you, you are responsible for inputting all the names and addresses.

I heard the mailman just throws away bulk mail. How can I be sure my mailing will get to my customers?

When you mail at discounted direct mail rates, you give up certain privileges that you enjoy when you mail at first class rates. But at a savings of over 20¢ per piece, isn't it worth it when you're mailing hundreds of pieces? One of the privileges you give up is the mail forwarding service. If your addressee has moved, the post office will not forward the piece to the recipient (unless you have added and agreed to pay for ancillary services). In this instance, the mailman will throw the piece away. One way to avoid this is to address the mail to your recipient "Or Current Resident." This way, if the recipient has moved, the new resident will get the mail. Who knows? Maybe you'll get a new customer too.

Absolutely not. You worked hard to develop your customer base and that list belongs to you. We will never sell or provide your mailing list to other clients, nor will we sell you the mailing lists of our other clients.

No. We only do what we call "Preferred Customer" mailings to help you promote your business to your existing customers. There are plenty of companies in the business of selling mailing lists. Keep in mind that when you do a blind mailing to people you don't know, the expected rate of return is 1 response out of every hundred pieces you mail. There are other, more cost-effective methods of advertising to draw new customers to your store. The point of our service is to help you stay in touch with your existing customers and get them to come back and shop again and again.