Updating Addresses for Greater Direct Mail Success and Move Update Compliance

A big factor in the success of your direct mail is making sure every piece you mail is delivered on time and to the intended recipient. Though challenging, the key is paying close attention to your mailing list and keeping your addresses updated. Otherwise, you may lose touch with top customers who have moved without providing their new addresses. This could mean lost sales and reduced Return On Investment (ROI).

Each year, 12-18% of the population in the U.S. moves and 10-15% of businesses move, consolidate offices or stop operating. This creates a greater likelihood that many of the addresses in your mailing lists are no longer correct. When you collaborate with Modern Postcard, you’ll work with committed, professionals who will guide you through the US Postal Service rules and requirements. We provide all the services and support necessary to help you achieve your direct mail goals.

The Postal Service offers significant postage discounts when your mailings are properly prepared so they can readily automate the processing of your mail. One of the requirements for earning these discounts is called “Move Update”. This establishes the standard for matching your mailing list address records to change-of-address (COA) orders that are filed with and maintained by the Postal Service. The goal of Move Update is to reduce the amount of time and resources wasted on mail pieces that need to be forwarded or returned. This matching must occur no more than 95 days prior to your mailing date.

By making sure that your mailing list meets this Move Update standard, you’ll mail to the most current addresses, ensure your mail piece reaches customers and prospects, and give your campaign the best chance of success. You will also avoid a potential USPS post-mailing penalty of up to 7¢ per mail piece if they identify that you have not complied with this rule.

Modern Postcard makes Move Update compliance and mailing accuracy easy. We provide NCOALink change-of-address processing as a no-charge included service every time you use our Mailing Services. Your mailing list addresses will be electronically compared to the USPS 4-year database of submitted change-of-address filings and provide the latest addresses from those COAs. We can then apply those updates to your list before we address your mail pieces (or delete them if you choose), thereby fully complying with the Move Update standard.

If you choose not to take advantage of this free NCOALink service, you have several other options for satisfying the Move Update requirement:

1. You can add “Or Current Resident” or “Or Current Business” to every address record, instructing the Postal Service to deliver your mail piece without regard to who is currently at that address.
2. You can replace the names in your mailing list with a generic name such as, “The Pool Owner At” or “To Our Neighbors At”, etc.
3. You can use an Ancillary Service Endorsement on each mail piece such as “Return Service Requested” or “Address Service Requested” to get post-mailing corrections back from the Postal Service. This satisfies Move Update only if you can document to the Postal Service that have used this or some other approved address correction method on a previous mailing and applied any address changes you received back to your mailing list. That previous mailing must have occurred within the last 95 days prior to the mail date of your current mailing.

We know all of this can be pretty complicated, which is why we’re available to answer your questions. So, if you need help regarding Move Update and choosing your best address updating options, please contact us from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. PST Monday through Friday at 800.959.8365 x2500.