| The United States Postal Service is implementing new postal regulations that could have a huge impact on your direct mail efforts. Starting March 29, 2009, the USPS is requiring that all delivery addresses on flat-size mail pieces larger than 6.15” x 11” are placed on the upper portion of the mailers. While the change in address placement may seem subtle, it will impact the design of catalogs, postcards, magazines, newsletters and countless other flat-size mail pieces.
Now that there is a specific location the delivery addresses must be placed, many publications will have to go back to the drawing board to re-design their covers. Think of your favorite magazine that you get every month. It’s likely that your address label is in the bottom right-hand corner of the cover. If that label is moved to the top part of the cover, it blocks the magazine’s title and a portion of the cover’s features. This means magazines will have to change their cover design. Just think of all of the other flat mailers that will have similar design dilemmas! It’s possible that your own direct mail pieces may need to be re-worked to accommodate the new postal regulations.
A good designer can take the direct mail pieces you already have and rework them to meet the new regulations. This may also be a good excuse for you to look at the design of your direct mail pieces and consider whether or not they need a refresh. Depending on how long it’s been since they’ve were designed, you may be overdue for a new design all together. Whatever you decide, be sure that your direct mail pieces are regulation-ready by March 29, 2009. The sooner you start using your new direct mail pieces, the sooner you’ll see the return in new business.
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