When you create a direct mail campaign, one of the decisions you must make is how you will mail it. Will you send it with First Class postage or by Standard Class postage? These two choices vary in pricing and other features, so it’s important to know the difference.

Delivery

First Class is the fastest way to send your direct mailings. It takes about 2 to 3 days within your area and up to 4-6 days around the country. First Class is the best choice if your mail is time sensitive.

Standard mail arrival can vary from less than 5 days to up to 3 weeks (we typically see a 7-10 day bubble on average), depending on where the recipient lives. If it doesn’t matter when the mail arrives, Standard delivery may work for you.

Here is a map outlining a rough timeline on when your standard class mail will hit depending on location. Source: USPS.com

Return and Forwarding

Standard mail won’t automatically return or forward mail if the recipient has moved or if the mailer is undeliverable.

When you send mail First Class, it will be forwarded to the correct address, or if there is no address to forward to it will be returned to you at no cost. You will know which recipients need updated information before a further attempt at mailing. You can also use Certified Mail with First Class, which gives you added security that your mail is being received by the correct person.

Price

When it comes to cost, First Class is more expensive than Standard mail. Our pricing is 0.17$ per mailer more than standard class. Small postcards are automatically sent first class while large postcards automatically goby standard mail.

If you aren’t sure which mailing option is right for your direct mail campaign or if you don’t know what you want included in the mailing, contact Open Letter Marketing today at (978) 269-0245 or [email protected].