Jack's Special Delivery:
Money-Saving Tips

The Ratio Rule

In Boston, Buffalo or the Bay area of San Francisco, in fact anywhere you’re mailing in bulk in the US, the Post Office has a rule: The height and width of your piece, say a postcard or envelope, must meet rigid ratio standards.

Stay inside the ratio and you’ll enjoy all those great, money saving discounts offered by the USPS. Break that ratio and get ready to get hit with a hefty surcharge. Big time!

Ah, what excesses can be committed in the name of “creativity!” CITYMAIL has done mailings in square envelopes — not such a hot idea unless you want to spend big money; at 12 cents extra per envelope, that’s a quick $120 per thousand. We’ve even done menus for upscale restaurants — We’re sure the food was great, but the idea wasn’t; too long and too high added 12 cents per mailed piece there, too.

Short story: the ratio rule was broken, and much to the client’s regret. But it didn’t have to happen, and never would have if the graphic designer or creative director had shown us a preliminary “ruff comp” and discussed their ideas before going to press!

Time and again a truck pulls up to our loading dock, endless boxes of printed material are delivered, and we find the ratio rule’s been violated and the damage, which could have been avoided for the price of a phone call or a mailed “designer’s dummy,” has been done.

So let’s make a new rule: After the creative conferences are done, but before the piece even gets close to going to press, give us a call and give us the “specs.”

We’ll tell you all about the ratio rule and whether your piece complies.

Simple, right? That’s just one more way you’ll save money, time and bother. Use CITYMAIL the next time you want to make an impression while impressing your client or boss that you know how to be creative in an economical way.

Want to know what that vital ratio is?

Contact jack@citymailusa.com

Jack Zaccardi

See more money-saving direct mail tips in our archives.

Jack's Special Delivery: Money-Saving Tips

The Ratio Rule

Jack's Special Delivery:
Money-Saving Tips