Direct Mail Printing FAQs

Modified on Thu, 8 Feb, 2024 at 6:10 PM

Direct Mail Booklets

What sizes are available?

Our default sizes are 5.5 x 8.5 inches or 8.5 x 11 inches. Please submit a custom quote request to inquire about other sizes.

For mailing, does my booklet need to be a specific size?

Yes! There are specific size restrictions you must follow if you would like to use USPS letter rates. The height must be between 5 and 10.5 inches. The width must be between 3.5 and 6 inches. Booklets that fall outside of these size ranges may be charged at a flat rate postage price.

It’s also a good idea to check with your local post office to confirm that your book dimensions meet their requirements.

What paper stocks are available?

We offer a variety of materials for direct mail booklets. Our most popular are:

100% PCW Uncoated Paper
- Smooth, dull, and white surface
10% PCW Recycled Coated Paper
- Smooth, sleek, and white surface
50% PCW Recycled Kraft Board
- Textured, dull, and brown surface

How do I arrange pages for printing?

Please order your pages how you want them to appear in your finished booklet. We will do all imposition for you. Page 1 in your document will be the front cover, followed by the front inner cover (add a blank page here if you want a blank inner cover). The second to last page in your document will be the back inner cover (add a blank page here if you want a blank inner cover) and the final page in your document will be the back cover. The example below shows the page order of an 8 page booklet.

What is the difference between pages and sheets?

A single sheet of paper has two sides, as shown on the left below. When the sheet is folded in half, it creates 4 different pages, as shown on the right below.

Should I submit my PDF in spreads or individual pages?

Your PDF should be submitted as individual pages within one PDF file. They should NOT be exported as spreads or imposed. Your cover should be included as separate pages in this PDF, unless you have a design or text that crosses the spine. If this is the case for your cover, please provide a separate PDF spread with your inner and outer cover designs.

What is the minimum and maximum number of pages my booklet mailer can have?

Saddle-stitched booklets must have at least 8 pages and at most 60 pages. Page counts must be a multiple of 4 or we will need to add in blank pages.

Are there design guidelines for the address field, postage area, or return address?

The USPS has certain requirements about how big blank spaces must be for direct mail booklets:

Blank areas must be on either the front or back of the booklet and all be on the same side.
All blank areas must run parallel to the longest edge of the booklet.
There must be a roughly 1” blank square left in the top right corner for mailing indicia.
A clear zone measuring at least 3.75” by 2.25” must be left for the mailing address. This area must be white with no ink. This space will be where we put the recipient’s address and the USPS will add a barcode.
If you add a return address, it must be located above the recipient address blank zone.

USPS also requires your books to be sealed with wafer seals. We will add these for you.

Can I add a coating to my booklets?

If you choose a coated paper (like silk or gloss), we can add a soft touch coating. Soft touch coating creates a velvety texture and matte appearance.

Can you print variable data?

Yes! We can use variable data to print addresses, names, and any other information you need on each mailer.

Can you mail my booklets for me?

Absolutely! We can print and mail your booklets directly from our facilities, so you never have to worry about making it to a post office.

Do my mailers need envelopes?

Your booklet mailers will not need envelopes as long as they meet USPS size and address guidelines and are properly secured with wafer seals.

How much is postage?

By clicking the “estimate postage” link (located right above the “Add to Cart” button) on the direct mail order form on each direct mail product page, you can find out how much each mail piece will cost, based on the settings your have selected in the order form. After you place your order and we clean your mailing list, we will provide a more accurate total estimate for your postage costs.

Direct Mail Cards and Envelopes

What sizes are available?

We have a variety of default sizes ranging from 3x3 inches to 5x7 inches. Please check our direct mail cards order form for a full list of default sizes. We offer matching envelopes in most common envelope sizes. Please submit a custom quote request to inquire about custom shaped and sized cards.

It’s also a good idea to check with your local post office to confirm that your card dimensions meet their mailing requirements.

What paper stocks are available?

We offer a variety of materials for direct mail cards. Our most popular are:

100% PCW Uncoated Paper
- Smooth, dull, and white surface
10% PCW Recycled Coated Paper
- Smooth, sleek, and white surface
50% PCW Recycled Kraft Board
- Textured, dull, and brown surface

What do the different ink choices mean?

We have a variety of ink choices for you to pick from. Options may change depending on your selected stock and project. There is a slight discount for choosing black ink only.

4/4: Full Color (CMYK) on both sides.
4/1: Full Color (CMYK) on the front side, and black only on the back side.
4/0: Full Color (CMYK) on the front side and blank on the back side.
1/1: Black Ink only on both sides.
w/w: White Ink on both sides.
w/0: White Ink on the front side and blank on the back side.
(w+4/w+4): White Ink and Full Color (CMYK) on both sides.
(w+4/0): White Ink and Full Color (CMYK) on the front side and blank on the back side.

Can cards be printed double-sided?

Of course! You can choose which sides of the cards get printed or left blank, including the front, back, and inside.

Can I add a coating or laminate to my cards?

If you choose a coated paper (like silk or gloss), we can add a soft touch coating. Soft touch coating creates a velvety texture and matte appearance. This is available on flat and folded cards.

On any flat cards (no folds), we can add a gloss laminate. We use the most eco-friendly gloss laminate available. It uses heat to seal itself to your paper product. Because of this, a small edge of laminate will be left around the outside of your product to ensure proper sealing. Laminated cards will require an envelope for direct mailing.

What mailing and addressing options are there?

We can do all of your addressing and mailing in our facilities. We can also only do specific parts, if there are parts you would like to do yourself. Ask us about our mailing list services and kitting!

Are there guidelines I should follow for mailing?

Yes! We recommend checking with your local mail carrier for specific envelope requirements. In general here are some key guidelines to consider when designing envelopes:

The area for a return address should be 1/4” away from the top and left edge.
A 1” square should be left blank in the upper right corner to add postage or mailing indicia.
The top of the mailing address must be less than 2 3/4” from the bottom of the envelope.
The bottom edge and address areas should have a white background so post office machines and workers can easily read these areas.

How much is postage?

Direct Mail Postcards

What sizes are available?

We have a variety of default sizes ranging from 3x3 inches to 5x7 inches. Please check our direct mail postcard product page for a full list of default sizes. We offer matching envelopes in most common postcard sizes. Please submit a custom quote request to inquire about custom shaped and sized postcards.

It’s also a good idea to check with your local post office to confirm that your postcard dimensions meet their mailing requirements.

If I want to mail my postcard, does it need to be a specific size?

Postcards must be rectangular. The minimum size is 5″ long by 3.5″ wide. The maximum size is 6″ long x 4.25″ wide. Your postcard size must fit into this range.

What paper stocks are available?

We offer a variety of materials for direct mail postcards. Our most popular are:

100% PCW Uncoated Paper
- Smooth, dull, and white surface
10% PCW Recycled Coated Paper
- Smooth, sleek, and white surface
50% PCW Recycled Kraft Board
- Textured, dull, and brown surface

Can postcards be printed double-sided?

Of course! You can choose to print on one or both sides with either full color or black ink only.

Are there design guidelines for the address field?

The address field must be at least 1/2” from the right edge and 3/4” from the bottom. The field must be at least 2 1/4” tall and have a white background with no printing. Any return address must be put in the top left area and be at least 1/4” from the top and left edge.

Can I add a coating to my postcards?

If you choose a coated paper (like silk or gloss), we can add a soft touch coating. Soft touch coating creates a velvety texture and matte appearance. This is available on flat and folded cards.

Can you print variable data?

Yes! We can use variable data to print addresses, names, and any other information you need on each mailer.

Can you mail my postcards?

Absolutely! We can print and mail your postcards directly from our facilities, so you never have to worry about making it to a post office. We also offer EDDM Postcards which allow geographically targeted mailing from the USPS.

How much is postage?

Folded Self-Mailers

What sizes are available?

Our default sizes are 5.5” x 8.5”, 8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 14”, and 11” x 17”. Please submit a custom quote request if you would like a self-mailer in a different size.

For mailing, does my self-mailer need to be a specific size?

Yes! Folded self-mailers must meet the following size guidelines. The height must be between 3 1/2 and 6 1/8 inches. The width must be between 5 and 10 1/2 inches. The panel with the recipient’s address must be facing out so the post office workers and machines can read it. The folded side must be the bottom or right side of the finished piece.

It’s also a good idea to check with your local post office to confirm that your mailer dimensions meet their mailing requirements.

What paper stocks are available?

We offer a variety of materials for folded self-mailers. Our most popular are:

100% PCW Uncoated Paper
- Smooth, dull, and white surface
10% PCW Recycled Coated Paper
- Smooth, sleek, and white surface
50% PCW Recycled Kraft Board
- Textured, dull, and brown surface

Are there different fold options?

As with our brochures, we offer a wide range of folds for our self-mailers, including half-folds, tri-folds, z-folds, and more, as shown below. If your desired fold is not listed, please request a custom quote! We would love to work with you on your next folded project.

Can custom mailers be printed double-sided?

Of course! You can choose to print one or both sides in full color or just black and white.

Are there design guidelines for the address field?

Can I add a coating to my self-mailers?

If you choose a coated paper (like silk or gloss), we can add a soft touch coating. Soft touch coating creates a velvety texture and matte appearance. Unfortunately, we cannot laminate folded products.

Can you print variable data?

Yes! We can use variable data to print addresses, names, and any other information you need on each mailer.

Can you mail my self-mailers for me?

Absolutely! We can print and mail your booklets directly from our facilities, so you never have to worry about making it to a post office.

Do my self-mailers need envelopes?

No! As long as you have left the proper space for addresses and post office uses, and sealed it with a wafer seal (we can do this for you), your mailer does not need an envelope. If you would like an envelope, we offer a variety of common envelope sizes that can fit your mailer.