Data Processing Maverick Mailing

Our experienced data processing team is here to help with your challenges from file format conversions and specialized database processing to data entry, complicated mail-merges and mailing list cleanup. Industry leaders, government agencies, and customers of all shapes and sizes trust us with their important data projects!

Most data file formats are accepted, but most of our customers send us their mailing lists as either Excel or CSV (comma-separated values) files. In order to provide the best possible outcome for processing a mailing list it will be important to have as many parts of the address broken out as possible. For example there should be fields/columns for first and last names, company names (if applicable), primary mailing address, city, state, and zip codes at a minimum. 

Before we take your data into our mailing list software we will check it carefully for consistency. Once we have imported the data into our software we will compare your address information to the USPS National Database of addresses. We will standardize the addresses per the USPS recommendations for address quality. We will also update any addresses for which the recipient has submitted a change of address with the USPS in the last four years (48-month NCOA). We can send you a list of those addresses that were updated so you can update the mailing list in your database as well.

Once the address information is current we can check for duplicates in the file. We can select to purge out duplicate individuals with the same name at an address. We can also combine people with different first names sharing the same last name at an address and/or combine people with different first and last names at an address.  Or we can simply purge based on the address information regardless of the name. We can create any matching code that you might want to consider to ensure you have a mailing list that is free of duplicates saving money in printing and postage and also looking better to the recipient.

When the mailing list is ready to go we will prepare it for mailing to USPS presorted mailing standards. We will make certain that you get the lowest postage rates possible  If you have a high enough concentration of addresses in a certain location you mailing may qualify for Carrier Route discounted postage rates  And if the mailing is automation compatible you will also benefit from the Automation discounted postage rates. The postage saving we help you realize often pay for most of our services.

If you have a dedicated group of volunteers who look forward to the annual ‘mailing party’ we can prepare your mailing materials to USPS requirements and get you ready all the way up to a place where your crew can tackle it. We will give you the instructions needed to get them going and upon completion we will take the mailing to the USPS and do all the required paperwork, etc. (Note: you cannot get any postage discounts with handwritten addresses.)

Form letters and mail merges are our specialty. If you have a simple appeal letter requiring just the address block and salutation we can easily make that happen. If your letter has variable text in the body of the letter we can also make that happen whether the address will go into a window envelope or if it will need to be matched to an addressed envelope. There are some requirements with the USPS about what is allowable with variable data, however. For example you may not sign a letter by hand if you are hoping to get any postage discounts.  

No matter what your printing and mailing needs might be we cannot recommend that you check with us before your project planning gets too far along. Preventing snafus helps you save more than just printing and postage costs!