Frequently asked questions

Direct mail can be a big investment for a business of any size. You want to get your campaigns just right — and be sure you’ve got the right partner to help you do it. We get it! It’s natural you’d have some questions. And you’re in luck: We’ve got answers to all of them.

Check out some of our frequently asked questions below. Got a burning question you can’t find an answer to? The Mailworks is here to help.

with anything else you’re curious about.

Getting started

Just get a meeting with our solutions specialist on your calendar to tell us more about your business and direct mail goals! Schedule a time here.

It’s tough to give general numbers about direct mail costs — we’d love to learn more about your project before we can give you an accurate quote. Schedule a call with our solutions specialist today.

We specialize in direct mail for the hearing health, dental and orthodontic, automotive, and real estate industries, but we serve a variety of different industries nationwide and would love to hear about your project.

PRICING

We offer predictable flat-rate, per piece pricing. Based on the project details we establish during our initial call, your cost per piece will include the following:

  • Design with unlimited edits
  • Mailing list and footprint management
  • Printing
  • Postage
  • Drop shipping
  • USPS Intelligent Mail™ tracking
  • Call tracking
  • Complete campaign support

Nope! Flat rate means your cost per piece will never change based on how many pieces you mail in a given campaign. We use an on-demand model that locks in your price per piece, whether you send 2,000 or 10,000 pieces.

No. We do not require contracts or commitments of any kind.

Several factors can affect your pricing, including:

  • Upgrading your paper stock
  • Changing the size or shape of the mailer
  • Upgrading the mail class to first class

We’ll always be transparent about changes or requests that will impact your cost per piece!

Thanks to our production methods, we already apply high-volume discounts to your quotes — even if you aren’t high volume! But if we determine during our discovery call that your volume exceeds that built-in discount, we’re ready to discuss additional pricing options.

postage

Here are the main differences between First Class and Marketing Mail:

  • Postage cost
  • Speed of delivery
  • Mail forwarding
  • Returns

We include postage pricing in the cost per piece we quote you. It includes the trucking and logistics to get your mail delivered on time with the lowest postage rates.

Your solutions specialist will help you determine the best, most affordable postage option based on your project needs when we present your proposal.

mailing lists

Yes. You can provide us with your business’s own mailing list or use one purchased from a data supplier.

Yes! We include basic data cleanup, including NCOA, at no cost. The Mailworks also offers more complex data cleanup for a small fee.

We can work with you to order a list. Don’t forget to mention this to your solutions specialist as we’re preparing your quote!

Targeted mailing lists, coupled with professional creative, will make the biggest impact on the success of your direct mail campaign. A targeted mailing list segments your recipients by specific criteria, ensuring that your message is in front of the right audience.

Your solutions specialist will help you identify the ideal audience for your campaign.

If you have a list of people who do not want to receive mail from your business, you can send it to your account manager for suppression (or upload it directly to your online portal).

Artwork and creative

Yes, you can provide your own artwork, as long as it conforms to our product specifications! Your solutions specialist will make sure you have the correct dimensions before you submit your creative.

Yes, we have a team of graphic designers available to create custom artwork or modify any designs from our creative catalogs. We’re here to make sure your campaign pops!

During the discovery process, your solutions specialist will give you a sneak peek at the creative catalog for your industry. If you decide to work with The Mailworks, you’ll have unlimited access to the catalog through your online portal.

Delivery, turnaround times, and proofs

Yes, USPS Intelligent Mail™ tracking is provided for all mailings. You’ll be able to see tracking information for each of your campaigns through your online portal.

In-home dates are how we refer to when your mail will arrive in mailboxes. Our delivery model targets a specific three-day window every week of the year. 

Turnaround time depends on the mail class you select and how quickly you approve your campaigns. On average, Marketing Mail campaigns take 20 days to arrive in homes from your approval date. Our approval deadline for Marketing Mail is Thursday of every week. 

As an example, if your in-home target date is June 1, 2022, your approval deadline would be May 12, 2022.

First-Class campaigns can arrive in homes much faster (6–7 days from your approval date, on average).

We do not offer rush services. However, upgrading to First-Class postage greatly decreases the amount of time to mailboxes.

Yes! We are based in Albany, New York, but deliver to every state in the continental United States on a weekly basis.

No, your location will not change your approval times or delivery schedule.

You’ll view, approve, and store all your proofs in your online portal.

Depending upon the complexity of your campaign, your proofs could be available for review in as little as 30 minutes! But you’ll always receive them within 1 business day.

When you sign on with The Mailworks, you will have a dedicated account manager who will help you make adjustments to your projects and campaigns — anything to take it over the finish line!

Ready to rock?

If you found all the answers to your questions and want to get started right now, we’re here for it!