Postcard Magnet Mailers

Can I produce custom sized magnets?

2012-02-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have a huge selection of standard shapes available and we can also create custom shape magnets. E-mail us with the details on your vision and we will be happy to help accommodate.

You can also search our online catalog by measurements (such as "3x4") to find the pricing and product details for custom shapes.

What is the minimum order for magnet mailers?

2012-02-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

250 pieces is the absolute minimum for a magnet mailer order.

However, if you order 3.5” x 4” magnets may be ordered at a minimum quantity of 100 pieces.

What are the specs for the material used for the postcard magnet mailers?

2012-02-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Postcard Printing: The postcards are manufactured from a printed and laminated sheet. Final postcard stock thickness: 14 point, which includes being coated with a 2 mil polylaminate.

Magnet Printing: Magnets are manufactured from a printed flexible magnetic sheet and laminated. Final magnet thickness: 25 mil.

What is the difference between the "Magna-Peel" postcard and the "Magna-Seal" postcard?

2012-02-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

The Magna-Seal postcard is produced by sealing the magnet to the postcard under a laminate coating. The Magna-Peel postcard is produced by gluing the magnet to the postcard with fugitive glue. Both pieces are safe for mailing. The Magna-peel postcards are less expensive and more popular for thier ease of use.

Can you bill my shipping account?

2012-02-10T16:29:00.001-07:00

Yes, third party billing incurs a $5 charge per order.

What happens during the production process?

2012-02-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

After proof approval the postcards and magnets are printed separately. After they dry the postcard are trimmed and the magnets are die cut to size. A third machine seals or spot glues the magnet to the postcard. Finally, the postcards are addressed, sorted and trayed for mailing or boxed for shipping.

What is your standard production time?

2012-02-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

Normal production time for orders less than 10,000 pieces is 10-12 days after final proof approval. From receipt of artwork until the proof is ready for review usually takes 48 hours. Please factor in the time it takes to prepare and then receive proof approval in the total production time.

Production time for orders more than 10,000 pieces depend on current production demands. Pleasecontact us for a production estimate.

How to Advertise with Magnets Mailed on Postcards

2012-02-07T10:01:00.001-07:00

Most business owners do not know how to advertise with magnets that are sent using postcards. They are also unaware of the effectiveness of this method of direct marketing.

Direct mail is one of the cheapest methods of effective advertising for most businesses. The response rate is easy to measure, and businesses can keep their advertising costs down, by targeting the right consumers with products and services that are relevant to their needs. A study done in 2010 showed that U.S. companies spent, on average, more than 54 percent of their advertising budgets on direct marketing.

Using postcards is a good method of getting your business brand known, and to deliver a short, sharp message, as well as a call to action. Even though bulk mailing of postcards is relatively cheap - in comparison to indirect advertising such as television adverts, or radio spots - the response rate can be vastly improved by the inclusion of postcard magnets, thereby making this method of advertising more cost effective.

Why should you use postcard magnets?

Most direct mail is simply thrown away, before it is even read. If you can include something useful, besides the products or services you are selling, there is a much better chance that the potential customer will retain the item, increasing your brand's exposure. Fridge magnets are popular, useful items in most consumers' homes, and they can be sent to your clients attached to postcards.

Distributing these magnets using postcards, and fine tuning your mailing list, means that you can reach your target market with a valuable promotional product. This is much better than randomly giving away magnets. Because the magnets are visible on the outside of the postcard, as opposed to being in an envelope, they will draw more attention and stand out from other direct mail pieces and there is less chance of them being disposed of unintentionally.

How to advertise with magnets

Postcard Magnet Mailers provide the perfect direct mail advertising solution. You simply upload the artwork or designs for the magnet, or magnets, and the design team at PostcardMagnet.com will optimize it for printing. They even offer 30 minutes of free design time, to help make your advertising look as good as possible.

The magnets can be attached to the postcard using spot glue, or they can be folded or sealed into the postcard. Postcards can be full or half-sheets. Standard and custom magnet sizes are available. You can even include a message that is printed on the postcard underneath the magnet and is only viewable once the magnet has been removed.

PostcardMagnet.com offers a free direct mail sample kit, which is mailed free of charge. The sample kit contains all the different product examples, as well as order, production and pricing details.

How much more effective are the magnet mailers?

There is evidence that postcard magnet mailers are 56.6 percent more effective than regular direct mail. This is just based on the short-term response rate. Bear in mind that many consumers will keep their magnets for many years, so they will be constantly exposed to your brand or call to action.

Most people keep their magnets on their big kitchen appliances, such as the fridge or deep freeze, so they will be able to find the phone number or website address of your business quickly and effortlessly when they want to contact you. This is much easier than requiring your client to rummaging through a drawer full of business cards or pamphlets, or have to look you number up before giving you a call.

Written by: marcerickson

How does the magnetic peel off (Magna-Peel) postcard work?

2012-02-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

The magnet is attached to the postcard with strips of fugitive glue. Fugitive glue holds the magnet securely to the postcard during mailing and allows the magnet to be conveniently pull off once delivered. (See video below).

What magnet mailer postcard sizes are available?

2012-02-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

Our standard product size is 8.5” x 5.25”.

The smallest size we can produce is 5” x 4.25”.

The largest size we can produce is 8.5” x 10.875”.

The largest size magnet we can attach to a postcard is 4” x 6”.

The smallest magnet we can attach to our standard product is 3.5" x 2".

Take a look at page 5 of our PDF catalog for pricing on any magnet mailer larger than our standard half sheet size.

Can I print postcards with magnets?

2012-02-04T16:26:00.001-07:00

Printing and sending magnets on postcards is our speciality. We print the postcards, print the magnets, and then combine them together with spot glue or lamination to be sent out as a direct mail piece at bulk mail rates.

How much does it cost to print magnet postcards?

2012-02-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

The cost depends on the product you choose and the quantity you order. To view our standard magnet mailer products and pricing please visit our product page.

Do you provide proofs?

2012-02-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, each postcard magnet order includes a free PDF proof. The PDF proof is sent via e-mail.

A color correct paper proof costs $20.00.

An actual working product proof costs $60.00.

Both the paper and the product proof are shipped Next Day Air at no cost to you.

Do you offer design service?

2012-02-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

Each postcard magnet order includes 30 minutes of free design time or roughly three proofs. This is usually sufficient for most orders. In the case that you need more extensive design service it will be billed at $50/hour. You will be advised before any cost is incurred for design work.

USPS Mailing Permit Application - Post Office Form 3615

2012-02-02T13:33:00.003-07:00

What is a mailing permit?

Having a mailing permit is like having a checking account with the Post Office. For each mailing you complete the Post Office will withdraw funds to pay for postage from your permit account.

You can use this mailing permit (also referred to as an indicia) when sending out direct mail. Instead of having to purchase and apply stamps, or use a metering machine, simply imprint your permit as part of the postcard artwork and the postage due will be debited from your previously funded account. The Post Office refers to your permit account as an "advance deposit account" indicating that the funds must be in the account before you can send out a mailing. This is the most convenient and the most popular way to pay for bulk mailings.

Here is an example of what a permit imprint indicia looks like:

How to apply for a permit imprint

1. In order to get your own postage permit for use on your direct mail pieces you need to fill out USPS Form 3615.

2. This form needs to be turned into the Main Post Office in your area. This may not be the Post Office that you usually visit. To find the correct location give your local Post Office a call. You can find the phone numbers of your surrounding locations using this online tool.

3. At the Post Office turn in the completed form 3615. You will need to pay a one-time application fee. As of January 22, 2012 the application fee is $190.00.
There is also an annual fee of $190 to keep the account open and active.

Note: You do not need to add any funds to your account at the time it is setup. You do not have to keep a balance in the permit account. Usually businesses add money to their account at the same time they bring in their mailing.

4. The Post Office will assign your a permit number. You can then design a "permit imprint indicia", using this new number. The permit can then be imprinted as part of the postcard artwork for your next mailing. You can review the USPS guidelines for designing the imprint indicia for design ideas.

Note: If you want to be able to mail out standard bulk mail and first class bulk mail you will have to apply for each permit separately. They cannot be used interchangeable. A standard bulk mail permit includes the text: PRST STD as part of the permit imprint. A first class bulk mail permit includes the text: FIRST-CLASS MAIL. If you apply for a permit for both methods you will be assigned a permit number for each.

Is there an easier and less expensive way?

If you would prefer not to have to fill out paperwork, wait in line at the main post office and then pay $380 to obtain you own permit, why not just use ours? It's quick, easy and FREE.

We already have everything setup for you and it's ready to go. Send us over your postcard artwork we'll add our permit to the piece and it will be ready to mail.

No paperwork and no extra fees.

We will also check your mailing list against the Post Office database (a process called NCOA) to make sure that all the addresses are accurate. If any addresses come back as incorrect we'll send you a copy of them so that you can update your records.

We'll can address the postcards for you too - again at no cost to you. We'll bill you the exact postage cost charged by the Post Office and your mailing will be on it's way.

One last concern

One of the reasons businesses decide to get their own permit imprint is because they want to appear local. They don't want to have the city and state of an out of town mail house appear on their mail piece.

No worries. By request we can remove the city and state from our standard permit so that no one will be able to tell where the piece actually originated from.

If you have additional questions about bulk mail contact us.

Request free samples of our postcard magnet mailers so you can see the product for yourself.

Does the product cost include postage?

2012-02-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

No. Postage is not included. Current postage costs are as follows:

Standard bulk mail: $0.281 (200 piece minimum)
First Class bulk mail: $0.424 (500 piece minimum)
Nonprofit bulk mail: $0.194

NCOA, addressing, sorting, and delivery to the Post Office are done at no charge.

De-duping mailing lists usually costs $75.00

Can I have a portion of the order mailed and have the rest sent back to me?

2012-01-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Yes. For example, if you ordered 10,000 magnet mailers you could have 8,000 mailed out and 2,000 shipped back to you.

Can I order any quantity or only at the price breaks shown? (500, 1,000, 2,500, etc.)

2012-01-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

You can order any quantity. The pricing for the magnet mailers will be based on the previous price break. For example, an order of 4,000 pieces will be billed at the 2,500 piece price. We produce exact quantities, so if you want extras please adjust the total order quantity accordingly. You can use our interactive pricing guide online.

Can I send a magnet at bulk mail postage rates?

2012-01-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

A magnet cannot be sent through the mail by itself. To send a magnet in the mail it has to either be attached to a postcard or sent in an envelope. Our complete postcard magnet mailers can be sent at the bulk mail rates.

If I mail a magnet will it come off in the mail?

2012-01-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

No, our magnet mailers have been thoroughly tested and passed the United States Post Office approval process. The magnet will stay attached and be safely delivered to the recipient's home.

Can you attach a magnet to a postcard for mailing?

2012-01-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, we can attach the magnet to the postcard under a seal of laminate, referred to as the Magna-Seal postcard, or we can spot glue the magnet to the postcard, using fugitive glue, which we refer to as the Magna-Peel postcard. Both options allow you to send a magnet through the mail.
The Magna-peel postcard is more popular, more user-friendly and less expensive.
You can request free samples of both products for review.

What format do I need to provide the mailing list in?

2012-01-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

The mailing list can only be processed in an Excel compatible format (.csv, .txt or .xls). The data must be divided into separate columns as follows:

Name Info Address 1 Address 2 City State Zip
The list cannot be processed for mailing unless these items are in separate columns.
We are limited to only “Address 1” and “Address 2” columns.
For alumni mailings please put the class year in a separate column from the name.
The First name and the last name may be in separate columns.

Can I provide the mailing list for addressing?

2012-01-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, the list must be in an Excel compatible format and follow the criteria below. Please send the mailing list to: bulkmail@postcardmagnet.com

Can I buy a mailing list from you?

2012-01-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, we sell mailing lists. Please e-mail us with the list of zip codes you want to mail to and the criteria regarding who you want to deliver to. For example, "Homes and PO Boxes in zip 99999" .We will provide you with a spreadsheet of mailing data and a cost for your review and approval before purchase. You have the option to include or exclude any of the following address categories:
SFDU - Single Family Dwelling Unit - free standing homes
MFDU - Multi-Family Dwelling Unit - such as apartments and condos
TRLR - Trailers
PO Boxes
BUS - Businesses
Mailing lists with these basic criteria are usually $0.01 to $0.02 per name.

You can filter by the additional criteria, listed below, for a cost of about $0.04 per name.
Age
Annual income
Gender
Marital status
Year Home Built
Length of Residence
Home Ownership (Homeowners, Renters, Probably Homeowners, Unknown)
Housing Type
Home Value
Presence of Children
Age of Children
Gender of Children

Additional search criteria are available at an additional cost. Please contact us for additional details.

Can you remove duplicates addresses for my mailing list?

2012-01-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

If you have compiled your mailing list form multiple spreadsheets or other databases it's usually a good idea to check for duplicate addresses before mailing. Removing duplicates ensures that you aren't printing more pieces than you need and that the same person, or some address, doesn't receive more than once piece.
The process of removing duplicate addresses is commonly referred to as "de-duping".
If you have more than one excel spreadsheet we can also merge these separate database into one master file before removing any duplicates. This is commonly referred to as "merge and purge"
This service usually costs about $75.00 but may be more for large databases. Please contact us for an estimate on your data prep needs.
We have the option to remove duplicates by address or by name. For example, filtering by name would mean that each person would only receive one mailing, but more than one mailing could be delivered to the same address such as to a husband and a wife. Filtering by address would mean that each address will only appear on the list once.