Preparing Your Mail


An infographic displaying some of the topics that you can learn about in Geon's "Preparing Your Mail" category topic page.
Some of the various topics that you can learn about in Geon’s “Preparing Your Mail” category topic page.

Introduction to Preparing Your Mail

Preparing a direct mail campaign involves much more than just designing an attractive postcard or letter. Every decision that you make before your mailing reaches the post office can help impact delivery speed, response rate, and your overall return on your investment. By making thought-out decisions from choosing the right mail format to ensuring that the mailing list for your campaign is accurate, mailers can maximize the value of every mail piece that is sent out.

Whether you’re planning and preparing your mail campaign for the first time or refining an existing one, understanding the mail production process can save both time and money. Making small decisions, such as selecting USPS Marketing Mail or First-Class Mail, or deciding to use postcards or envelopes, can have a significant impact on your campaign’s performance.

The articles below help explore the key steps that are involved in preparing a successful direct mail campaign. Each guide goes into an in-depth guide on an important topic in easy to understand language, which can help you make informed decisions before your mailing goes to print and enters the mail stream.


What You’ll Learn

  • What the differences are between USPS Marketing Mail and First-Class Mail.
  • How direct mail presorting works, and why it’s worth considering when preparing your mail.
  • How direct mail postage discounts work, and how to qualify for them.
  • How dropshipping your mail works in the context of direct mail.
  • How USPS automation mail works, and how to prepare your mail to qualify for the benefits USPS automation brings.
  • What lettershop services are, and when you should consider using them for your direct mail campaign to help with preparing your mail.
  • The pros and cons of using envelopes and postcards for your mail piece.
  • What basic mail piece design is for your direct mail campaign.
  • How inkjet addressing works, and how it can be used to personalize your mail.
  • How Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb) work, and how the USPS uses them.
  • How far in advance you should start to plan your direct mail campaign.


Articles in This Category


Geon reviews your intended audience and mail piece to identify additional criteria that can help refine your mailing list selection. This helps us select names that more closely align with your offer and campaign goals.

Learn why mailers choose Geon Media.

How Ordering Works

1. Tell us about your campaign. Share your intended audience, quantity, and a sample of your mail piece.
2. Review your options. We help you choose a mailing list and any suitable selects or segments.
3. Confirm your order. Review and approve the final pricing and rental terms.
4. Receive your list. We prepare your selection and deliver you with a spreadsheet containing your mailing list.

Learn more about ordering a mailing list.

New to Direct Mail?

Are you running your first direct mail campaign?

Read Geon’s beginner’s guide for to direct mail here.

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