I love this time of year.  I live in East Tennessee about 40 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains.  The leaves are turning and there is a definite chill in the air in the mornings. There is a roadside market that has a large display of pumpkins that I pass on the way to work.  It really made me want to make a pumpkin pie.  Not the kind that you make using canned pumpkin but the kind, like my Mother used to make, where you actually cook the pumpkin yourself.

We work for many non profit organizations and they are all gearing up for the fall appeals.  There was some advice being given by various sources that non profit organizations should go to email to save money.  I don’t disagree with sending out emails but I think that it is important to also use direct mail for appeals and newsletters as well.  You certainly can not provide an envelope for the donor to send back a check with an email.  I know this may be a shock to the younger generation but not everyone has or reads emails.  So to maximize the contact with donors, use both electronic and direct mail.

I suggest you drop you appeal before the Christmas mail get heavy so that your appeal does not get lost in the Christmas rush.  My Mailing Manager walked into my office yesterday and informed me that I must not promise to mail another job on November 15th as she is fully booked for the 15th.  Nice problem to have but there is always the 16th.

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Finally, the USPS has set a date to begin discounts for the Intelligent Mail Bar-code, it is May 2011.  After May 2011 postnet bar-coded mail received at the USPS will be charged non automated postage rates.  Any mail containing a reply piece with the old postnet bar-code will be charged non automated rates as well.  If you have a supply of #9 reply envelopes, 4×6 reply cards or any size reply pieces with Business Reply or Courtesy Reply you will have to use them before May 2011.  I advise any reply printing be done with the new Intelligent Mail Bar-code starting immediately.  Before you get new art work from the USPS you need to get a Mailer ID Number.  This number is specific to every mailer.  You need a Mailer ID Number if you have a mail permit, , if you have nonprofit status at the USPS, or if you are a for profit mailer.  In other words, if you mail direct mail you will need the Mailer ID Number.  Even if yu don’t use reply pieces if you have a mail permit the Mailer ID Number will be encoded into the Intelligent Mail Bar-code on the outgoing mail piece also.

In order to get a Mail ID Number go to the USPS website, www.USPS.COM.  The link to the customer gateway is in the lower right corner.  This link will take you to the log-in-page.

A current user may sign in with an existing user name and password.  New users should click sign up.

On the new user sign up screen, create a username and password.  Then click continue.

On the profile account type screen, select business (personal will send you back to USPS.COM.  Then click continue.

Create your business profile.  Red asterisks indicate required information.  Then click continue.

Verify your company account information on the company profile summary.  Then click edit or continue.

Agree to the privacy act statement. Then click continue.

On the select a business service screen, select Mailer ID.  Then click continue.

New users will have to go through the business service administrator (BSA) process, click I certify…, then click yes.

On the business service administrator (access granted) page, click continue

Business customer gateway page opens.  Click sign out at the top of the page.

Go to your email and open the email from USPS. Scroll down to and click sign in and get started line.

At the business customer gateway page, log-in with user name and password.

On the gateway page, click on Mailer ID under design and prepare.

On the welcome to the mailer ID system page, click request a MID.

At apply for MID screen, use drop down arrow and select 9 digit MID, then select # of MIDs requested (1), then click request MIDs.

At next screen, select automatically generate this MID and select full/basic service, then click request MIDs.

At next screen, system issues a new MID.  Record this number and sign out.

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