BRE = Business Reply Envelope, a return envelope enclosed in a mailing

Gummed mailing wallet = A particular type of envelope that can be processed by machine

Gusset Envelope = An envelope with sides that can be expanded to accommodate larger mailings

Manila envelope = Made from fully recycled stock, a large and strong envelope, typically beige in colour

Oversized= A larger than normal envelope for machine enclosing

Glue Dot = A sticky pad to hold items together

Super Disc = A clear circular sticker to hold closed a mail piece

Carrier Sheet = The sheet which contains the address, typically used in polythene mailings

Enclosing = The insertion of items into a mailing

Fulfilment = The entire process of getting a mail piece ready for mailing.

Overprinted = On to full colour print onto for example the front of an envelope

Polythene = Clear wrap which can be used to contain a mailing

QR Code = A barcode which can be scanned by Smartphone users to provide quick access to a website

Simplex = Single sided

Duplex = Both sides

Laser Print = A method of printing to paper commonly used for letter printing

Inkjet Print = A method of printing to paper commonly used for envelope addressing

Mono = Black

To face = To the front of an envelope

RA = Return Address

NW = Non-window envelope

Insert = Any item placed into a mailing

Litho = A method of printing using metal plates, typically used for large runs

Digital Print = A print process for smaller personalised print runs

Die Cut = Specifically designed and cut mail pieces

Label = Placed onto a mailing, this can contain a delivery address

PPi = Printed Postage Impression, the alternative to postage stamps or franking for large quantity mailings

Weight Break = The divisions between weight categories for postage

Macro = A program to identify and sort data

De Dupe = The process by which multiple entries on mailing lists are removed

Data Cleanse = The removal of incorrect incomplete or non mailable entries on mailing lists

Gone aways = Mail that can’t be delivered to the recipient changing address

Seed = An address inserted into a mailing to test delivery success

Concertina fold = An item that is continuously folded in a zig-zag shape when viewed top-down

Gate Fold = An item folded in a way that opens out from the centre

Packet = Anything larger in size or weight than a large letter

PP = Printed pages

Letterhead = The top of a letter

Mail Merge = The process of creating personalised address labels and letters from a document.

Uncoated = A way to leave an area of print on a postcard with out a coating to allow inkjet printing

Stamp Rate = The price of a mailing when using stamps

Perf = Perforated section on a letter or flyer

Magalogs = A combination of magazine and catalogue, typically a short promotional mailing

DM = Direct Mail

Salutation = Often overlooked, the vital greeting used on a letter

Paper GSM = The different weights of paper

The client explained that their mail piece had been left in a rented house after the previous incumbent had left. A new tenant – who happened to be the purchasing manager for a large industrial firm – rented the property on a short-term lease while between house moves. He found the catalogue, flicked through it and was clearly impressed. He contacted our client to place a trial order, which has now been successfully fulfilled. Our client was thrilled to say that thanks to the longevity of their mail item they had been able to sign a significant new customer.

That phone call served to demonstrate the power that a physical mail piece can deliver. It’s a key benefit that can’t be matched by other forms of marketing – where emails or text messages would have long since been deleted or lost in the electronic wilderness, the humble catalogue was still capable of facilitating a big sale a full two years after first being delivered.

2) This fine art client reflects its high-quality brand image with a glossy concertina folded card posted in a bespoke oversized envelope, hand enclosed to ensure that it fits tightly and reaches the customer in perfect condition. The address is inkjetted in high quality, so there are no labels or stamps in sight!
Once the card is opened, the customer is cordially invited to a private exhibition of art. That invitation is flanked by six beautiful full-colour selected paintings on each fold of card, with the eighth and final side providing a written introduction to the artist.
This mail piece is a perfect example of how a carefully designed and lovingly crafted mailshot can reap rewards when you know you’ve got an appreciative audience.

3) An A4 sized catalogue for a signage company wrapped in polythene. Clear poly ensures that the company’s vivid graphic design greets the customer from the moment they look at the catalogue.
On the reverse is the full-colour digitally printed carrier sheet we provided for them, two-thirds of which is covered by a high-resolution image of their specification, ensuring that the carrier sheet is every bit as eye-catching as the front of the catalogue itself. A QR Code gives smartphone users immediate access to the company website and a personalised printed postage impression provides a professional finishing touch.

4) This colourful C5 sized postcard uses bright colours and a multitude of images on both sides. The customer address and postage labels are kept to a 3cm tall band at the bottom of the reverse, therefore remaining unobtrusive and letting the theatre’s show take all the limelight. It’s a cost-effective direct mail mailshot that gives the client great response to their campaign while still letting them benefit from sizable postage savings.

5) Overprinted on the front of this gummed wallet mailing is the theatre’s brand identity, which is splashed across the C5 envelope in a vivid blue and contains calls to action and links to the company’s website and social media profiles. The inserts for the mailing are just as interesting, with a full-colour flyer and a personalised letter which has an image of the theatre set behind the text.

Please call 0121 604 5553 for further information.

Royal Mail figures show that in 2011, 21.9 million people in the UK directly responded to a mail piece received in their letterbox, with 8.3 million of that number keeping the mail in their possession to peruse again. That’s the reach of an incredibly powerful medium – and the responses make for great reading too, with 7.3 million going to a store or picking up an item in person and 6.2 million heading to online shopping as a result of direct mail.

With marketers looking at every possibility to reduce costs and meet tight budgets in a time of austerity, some may look at direct mail to take the fall. A return on investment of £14 for every £1 spent (DMIS Response Rates survey) shows that it’s still very much relevant in the armoury of any marketing team. That is reflected further as it was one of the few methods of business communication to actually see a growth in marketing budgets in the last year, according to the IPA Bellwether report.

The comparison with other forms of marketing is brought up regularly, with those who have a vested interest such as social media marketers eager to proclaim that traditional forms of marketing are in decline. Such claims are very much wide of the mark. Putting all eggs in a single basket has rarely been best practice, and that remains as relevant today as it always has.

The key is to combine these different methods of marketing and use them to their strengths – and direct mail certainly possesses some distinct advantages compared to those other methods. It’s tangible – where tweets and emails become drowned out by others soon after their arrival, and radio and television advertisements pass by in fleeting moments, direct mail is there to hold, to pass on, to view again in future. It can be personalised in a way that no other forms of marketing can, ensuring that for any marketer who knows their audience, it’s the perfect way to make a connection with the customer and build links that will last.

So for those proclaiming the decline of direct mail, the message is clear – such reports have been an exaggeration, and it is here to stay, as flexible, relevant and beneficial today as it has always been.

Every month Central Mailing Services provides postage solutions for a Birmingham-based distribution company’s brand mailing – but this month we went above and beyond to give them the best service possible.

The printing company contracted by our client to produce the brochures hand folded the items down by accident straight to A4 rather than A5 – and consequently had to fold the item again when the mistake was realised. The end result was that the brochures were unable to be enclosed by machine. With an urgent deadline approaching, we notified the client and offered to hand enclose the brochures so as to make their deadline – all at no extra cost to them. Through our pro-active attitude and hands-on approach, we were able to solve the problem and meet the client’s deadline, ensuring that their mailing arrived on time and on budget.

It’s a perfect demonstration of how we work hand-in-hand with our clients at Central Mailing Services, effectively becoming an extension of the client’s marketing team. Problem solving is just one of the many ways we go above and beyond to provide the best service possible. 

Here at Central Mailing Services we pride ourselves on our dedicated, personalised approach. Contact us today to see how that approach can help with your mailing needs.

The theatre’s urgent seasonal brochures left their printers headed for Central Mailing Services ready for postage and fulfilment – but arrived with much of the stock irreparably damaged thanks to negligence from the driver of the transport company sub-contracted to bring them here.

Where other mailing houses would’ve refused delivery altogether, or at best just mailed the damaged stock, Central Mailing Services went the extra mile. Our staff quickly assembled in a human chain to take the stock from the lorry and sort through the 40,000 brochures to accurately count which could be saved, before we re-boxed and re-packaged them. We retained close contact with the theatre to let them know what was happening, as well as getting in touch with the printers to enable them to make a claim against the distribution company – and to dispatch the 2,000 replacement brochures to us by dedicated courier.

With our staff working throughout the Saturday at no extra cost to the customer, we received the replacement brochures and completed the full mailing. Thanks to our quick action, the theatre’s 40,000 brochures hit doorsteps on schedule ahead of the Easter Holiday weekend – all in perfect condition.

Here at Central Mailing Services we always put the customer first. Get in touch to find out how our dedicated team can go the extra mile for your mailing needs.