Mailing software has long been used to handle bulk mailing and shipping needs. Now there are many products under the mail software category that actually handle bulk emailing requirements exclusively. Snail mailing software allows businesses to meet the US postal services strict requirements for discounted bulk mailings. It includes software to meet ZIP + 4 zip code requirements including address verification.
Direct mailing licenses can be expensive to obtain, particularly for a small business, so you want to be sure that you have the correct software application to help you capitalize on your investment. These software packages should help you meet all requirements to get the largest discounts you are entitled too.
Because bulk direct mail and bulk email are so different, it probably is best to buy a product specifically designed for the type of mailing you are doing. If you do both, 2 separate software solutions are probably better than one application that attempts to do both.
Features available in mailing applications include:
- USPS presort requirements
- PAVE (Presort accuracy validation and evaluation) certification
- shipping label printing
- Shipping container tag printing
- Labels and form letters
- Support of non-windows high production label printers
- Mailing list software
- Calculates postage savings
- Barcode printing
- Import/Export flexibility
- Database maintenance
- Data entry and editing
- Advanced search capabilities
- Reporting tools
- Packaging list tool
- On line support
Major Vendors in the direct mail solutions arena include:
- BCC Software
- Microsoft
- Streamline Solutions
Selection Criteria:
- Should meet all USPS certifications
- Should integrate with contact management software
- Make sure this product will have room for future growth
- System resources: Not usually an issue, but sometimes small business environments are on over-taxed hardware already.