.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
Anyone who has tried to launch a direct-mail campaign knows the agony of postal regulations. Sizes, weights, dimensions, classes, stickers – it is a blur of frustration and potential roadblocks.

But the U.S. Postal Service wants to help. It has created a 140-plus-page guide that takes much of the sting out of sorting through the red tape. The guide is clear, well-organized and very educational. Best of all, it’s free. Just stop by your local post office or visit www.usps.com and ask for a copy of “An Introduction to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations” (DMM 200). You can call a 24-hour information hotline at (800) ASK-USPS.

If you really want to dig in, visit the recently revamped Business Mail 101 site: www.usps.com/businessmail101. Here you’ll find a ton of smart tips to save you time and money. The site includes calculators to help you decide which mailing class will save you the most money.

All of that is well and good, but sometimes you just need to talk to a live person. The post office has arranged for that as well. Each city has a mail piece design analyst who will look at your piece before you print it to make sure it meets regulations. You’ll also find a business mail entry clerk who can walk you through all the rules and regulations so that you sort and label properly.

Bottom line, the rules haven’t changed. But the Postal Service is recognizing that it needs to help us navigate the waters and has created several tools to help us do just that. Make sure you take advantage of them before you drop your next direct-mail campaign!

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2008 Drew McLellan