What Is Inkjet Addressing in Direct Mail?

Key Takeaways

• Inkjet addressing can allow the recipient’s name, address, and other variable information to be directly printed onto each individual mail piece.
• Lettershops will commonly use automated addressing equipment to prepare mass quantities of personalized mail efficiently.

Introduction

When preparing a bulk mailing for your campaign, addressing could appear to be a daunting task. If you’re sending out several thousand pieces of mail, then the thought of needing to manually address all those envelopes could sound like a tedious, monotonous task. Thankfully, there is a solution to this problem, and it’s called inkjet addressing. Inkjet addressing allows for large quantities of mail to be addressed in a much more efficient manner when compared to manually addressing individual pieces of mail.

What is Inkjet Addressing in Direct Mail?

Inkjet addressing in direct mail is the process of directly printing mailing information directly onto your mail piece. Inkjet addressing can print information directly onto the mail piece, such as the recipient’s name and mailing address. Due to the process being automated, inkjet addressing reduces the required amount of manual addressing. However, the addressing equipment relies on the mailing data that it receives, so any inaccurate or incorrect information that’s on the mailing file can still result in an inaccurately addressed mail piece.

How Does Inkjet Addressing in Direct Mail Work?

Inkjet addressing in direct mail uses specialized equipment that is connected to the mailing data for your campaign. As the piece of mail moves through the addressing system, the inkjet equipment uses the next address on the file to print the variable information onto each mail piece. This process allows for thousands of mail pieces to be addressed individually without each address needing to be manually applied.

What Types of Mail Can Be Inkjet Addressed?

All types of mail can be inkjet addressed; the inkjet machine just needs to be compatible with your mail piece. Contact your lettershop ahead of time to ensure that they’re able to accommodate your mail piece.

Why Is Inkjet Addressing in Direct Mail Used?

Inkjet addressing is used to automate the process of addressing envelopes. Depending on your mail piece and your levels of personalization on the mail piece, it wouldn’t be practical to individually address several thousand pieces of mail. Inkjet addressing can assist with making this monotonous grind much easier and streamlined.

Is Inkjet Addressing in Direct Mail the Same as Personalization?

Not exactly. Inkjet addressing can allow the mailer to put individual names and information on the mail piece’s address spot, but personalization can allow the mailer to put customized messages on the mail piece, such as giving a personalized greeting or offer.

Does My Mailing List Need to Be Clean Before Inkjet Addressing?

Your mailing data should be processed and checked for any incorrect or unformatted addresses before your mail pieces are addressed. Inkjet addressing prints the information supplied by the mailing data, but it can’t automatically know if a recipient has moved or if an address that is contained on the original file is incorrect. Performing data hygiene on your mailing data before production starts can reduce mail that has inaccurate or outdated information.

When Does Inkjet Addressing Happen?

Inkjet addressing generally happens after the mail pieces have been printed, but before the postal preparation process. The exact production sequence for your mail piece can vary from job to job, but a simplified, example direct mail workflow could look like:

• Design
• Print
• Data Processing
• Addressing
• Postal Preparation
• USPS

Inkjet Addressing vs. Address Labels

The primary difference between an address label and inkjet processing is that an address label is generally an adhesive that is stuck onto the mail piece that has the mailing information, whereas inkjet addressing prints the recipient’s information directly onto the mail piece itself.

FAQ

• Q: Can inkjet addressing in direct mail be used to correct a badly formatted/incorrect address?
  • A: Inkjet addressing itself isn’t able to catch a bad address. Address formatting, standardization, and other data quality processing should take place as a part of preparing the mailing data before the information gets printed onto the mail pieces.
• Q: Can both postcards and envelopes be inkjet addressed?
  • A: Assuming that the equipment is compatible with your mail piece, yes, you can inkjet address both postcards and envelopes. Just be in communication with your lettershop early in the process to ensure that they’re able to accommodate your mail piece.
• Q: Does inkjet processing happen at a lettershop?
  • A: Yes, it commonly happens at a lettershop. Addressing is one of the commonly provided services that lettershops provide.

Conclusion

Inkjet addressing in direct mail allows for the recipient’s information that is contained within a mailing file to be printed directly onto individual mail pieces in an efficient manner. When combined with a mailing list that has good data processing and postal preparation, addressing becomes one of the steps in the direct mail process that requires less effort than what the mailer could be expecting.

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