TABLE OF CONTENTSAll About Mailing House: Why Do You Need One?If yours is a business that sends out postal mail, you have already heard about mailing houses. Perhaps someone may have suggested it for your business, or maybe you came across the term randomly. ![]() However, many of you may still not have a clear picture of what is a mailhouse or how it can help your business organisation. And many organisations that already have an idea of what a mail house does are not sure if it is a service worth buying. Hence, we will explain what a mailing house is and why it is essential for your business. You will also find a list of advantages of employing mailing houses for your business. And then you can decide for yourself whether or not your business can benefit from it. What is a Mailhouse?A mailhouse or mailing house is an agency that prepares direct mail for business organisations to send to local, national, and international addresses. You may also know them by the name of the mailing agency, which is perhaps more apt for its functions. The first and foremost reason why business organisations employ a mailing agency is because of the convenience it offers. Many assume that incorporating another agency would only increase their expenses. While the logic behind such an assumption is sound, it is not valid. Manually processing your business’s direct mail may seem like a good idea to save money. But what you fail to account for is the scope of error in a manual process. A mailhouse not only takes over the complex direct mail process but also frees up your workforce, resources, and time. Why Does Your Business Need a Mailhouse?There are numerous ways your business organisation can benefit from employing a mailing agency. Below we list some of how a mailing agency can help you optimise your direct mail operations and put your resources to better use. Save Valuable Time and MoneyOne of the things that businesses always wish they had more of is time. With an in-house direct mail process, you are likely to spend hours and even days on a single direct mail campaign. Hence, it is no wonder why more and more businesses find the service offered by a mailhouse more appealing. The mailing agency takes over all aspects of your direct mail process, saving hours of manual labour. But that’s not all. Mailing agencies also let you have the benefit of lower bulk postage rates and their data management expertise. Several advanced solutions like PostGrid even offer full automation for your direct mail operations. Full automation means you can eliminate manual errors, which ultimately leads to a minimum return rate of mailers. Expert Designing and PrintingFrom real estate to healthcare to insurance, every business vertical uses direct mail for marketing and communication purposes. Unlike a mail house, most business organisations have little to no experience designing and printing direct mail. A direct mail expert can quickly help you design and print your direct mail. PostGrid even offers a template gallery where you get ready to print templates for your direct mail. You can also use your custom designs for your mailers, and the mailing agency will print them for you. Advantages Of Using Mailhouse Fulfilment ServicesWhen it comes to direct mail, hiring a mailing house has several advantages for your business. We have listed some of the significant benefits below: Database ManagementThe chances are one of the most challenging things you’ve had to do when manually processing your direct mail is database management. With the help of a mailing agency, it becomes significantly easy for your business to manage a customer database. If you are using a mail house fulfilment service like PostGrid, you can get access to an advanced address verification API. What does it do? It ensures that your address database is clean and accurate by validating your addresses. Some other ways a mailing agency can help you with database management are as follows: Data Compilation Mailing agencies often help businesses compile data to a single database from different sources. If you gather the data manually, there is a good chance of data corruption or error. Data Cleansing Data cleansing is how the mail house can ensure your database is updated and error-free. Furthermore, it also provides the correct format of your addresses. Data Sorting Data sorting enables you to mail your marketing letters in an optimised manner. For example, you can have the mailing agency sort your mailers based on postal code and ensure their fast processing. Data Security Most established mailing agencies equip themselves with advanced security and certifications to protect customer data. Targeting With more reliable data, it becomes easier for a mail house to help you target your customers. The geocoding feature from PostGrid is a perfect example of this. It enables your business to identify geographical patterns and pitch relevant marketing campaigns to customers. Easy PersonalisationPersonalising your direct mail communication becomes much easier with the correct mailing agency. For example, PostGrid’s fully automated direct mail system can print personalised mailers simply by connecting with your CRM. Personalisation has a tremendous effect on the customer, and with it, your marketing campaign is likely to fail. Bulk MailingBulk mailing is a nightmare for businesses that do not employ a mailing house. But, with an automated direct mail process, it is as easy as breathing. All you have to do is click the right buttons, and you can set up a bulk mailing campaign for your business with ease. Direct Mail InventoryWhen printing large quantities of direct mail materials, it can be hard to store them securely. But, if you are using a mailing agency, you need not concern yourself with such details. The mailing agency is equipped with the facilities to store your printed materials securely, even if it includes sensitive materials. What Makes PostGrid The Best Mailhouse Service For Your Business?Several mailing houses are out there, but not many of them offer full direct mail automation. It means that PostGrid will take over your entire direct mail process so that you can focus on the more critical aspects of your business. Apart from printing personalised direct mailers for your business, PostGrid also provides an address verification tool. As a result, you can verify the validity of your customer’s address by comparing it against Australia Post’s official address database. ConclusionYour business can gain a lot by employing a mailing house to manage your direct mail operations. It saves you valuable time, money, and resources. Considering all the advantages of using a mailing agency, it is worth every penny you invest. However, choosing a mailing agency may not be easy as there are several options in the market. Your best bet is to invest in a mailing house like PostGrid, which offers full direct mail automation capability. Furthermore, PostGrid has additional features and tools, such as its address verification API. Direct mail automation combined with address verification is the perfect tool for your direct mail operations. It ensures optimised printing and delivery of your direct mailers at all times. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Mailing House appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/what-is-mailing-house/
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TABLE OF CONTENTSHow Can the Postcodes in Australia Help You Reduce Postage Costs and Boost Customer Satisfaction?There are nearly 3,333 postcodes in Australia, covering all internal and external states and territories. These postcodes assist Australia Post in determining delivery routes and dropping off items at the correct destinations. But, there is much more to this concept that we will discuss in this blog. First, you should know that an Australian postal code is the same as a ZIP code in the US. It goes by different names in every country, but its primary objectives remain the same. ![]() They are helpful in the address verification and standardisation processes. With the help of correct postcodes, companies can process orders accurately and drive more sales. They can manage their entire logistics structure efficiently and save costs. Address verification is gaining massive popularity these days, and businesses can employ it in their systems using postcodes of Australia. They assist in determining the number of orders per state or city—to formulate marketing and other strategies. However, there are many more use cases of postcodes that this blog will walk you through. Also, we will talk about the significance of address validation for companies. Let’s get started! What are the Postcodes In Australia?Australian postcodes are a string of four numbers that represent specific localities or neighbourhoods. It is a unique geographic identifier and offers high-quality demographic information. Businesses use Aussie postal code lists for fraud prevention, shipping, information coordination, etc. Primarily, they help assemble and route mail items within the Australia Post system. Mention them at the end of mailing addresses after writing the state abbreviations. In 1967, the Postmaster-General’s Department introduced postcodes in Australia, and the entire system is under postal management. You can avail of the whole list of postcodes from the Post Office in the form of booklets. Alternatively, you can order online from Australia Post’s website if you want to store them in digital format. Often, postcards and envelopes have four square boxes in orange to mention the postcode. They enable postal workers to sort mail pieces automatically, helping them speed up the delivery process. History of Postcodes In AustraliaThe purpose of the introduction of postcodes was to replace the older postal sorting structure, like Melbourne’s numbering system. (e.g., E5, N8) Also, there was a similar organisation in New South Wales’s regional and rural parts. The introduction of large-volume mechanical mail sorting also took place around the same time as the commencement of the postcode Australia system. 75% of mail items were using postcodes by 1968. The Post Office introduced postal preferred-size envelopes or standard envelopes the same year. The orange-coloured postcode squares came into existence in June 1990 to help the postal services employ Optical Character Recognition (OCR). It assists Australia Post in sorting mail by postcodes more quickly. Prescribed Mailing Address Format in AustraliaThe four-digit postcodes of Australia appear at the end of delivery addresses. But, you must ensure that the address is accurate and properly formatted. Australia Post has a standard address format that all individuals and companies should follow, and it is:
Here’s an example: Phoebe Holt 18 Angelo St NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 Most standard-sized envelopes already have the four boxes pre-printed on the bottom for writing the postcode in Australia Sydney. Please note that you must write the company name on the second line while mailing to a business address. Below are some more tips to help you write your addresses precisely:
How Do Postcodes Work In Australia?Now that you know what is a postal code, let us discuss its functioning in depth. Australian postcodes consist of sorting data, and the Post Office uses them to group mail pieces going to similar locations. PopulationOften, postcodes represent only one geographic area. For instance, 6160 covers the city of Fremantle only. However, it gets complicated because of the postcodes that belong to numerous towns, like 2570. The postal code- 2570 includes 22 suburbs and cities around Camden. Also, postcode 3221 in Victoria which belongs to the Geelong Mail Centre includes twenty places with a low population. It indicates that Australia Post does the mail sorting after it reaches Geelong. Other postcodes include larger populations (e.g., 4350 serving nearly 100,000 addresses in and around Toowoomba). But, there are also many postcodes in Australia, covering urban areas with a small population. Hence, there is no general rule regarding how many places a postcode should cover. Towns Having Two PostcodesThe postcodes start from 0200, serving the Australian National University, and range up to 9944, covering Cannonvale in Queensland. Plus, several suburbs and towns have two postcodes—one for PO boxes and the other for door-to-door deliveries. For instance, PO box 99 in Parramatta comes under postcode 2124. But, the same area also has another postal code- 2150 for street delivery. Large Volume ReceiversMany large government departments, companies, and other crucial institutions that receive bulk mail have their Aussie postal code. These organisations are known as Large Volume Receivers (LVRs). Here are some examples: 0200- Australian National University. 4029- The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, etc. However, the Post Office has been discontinuing the LVR system since 2006. Postcodes of Australia Covering More Than One StatePostcode 2620 includes an area in the Australia Capital Territory (Hume) and a locality in New South Wales (Gundaroo). Also, postcode 0872 serves several localities across Western Australia, Southern Australia, and the Northern Territory. So, it is common for some postcodes to cover places in different states, even if it complicates the routing process. The Allocation of the Postcodes In AustraliaWe hope you now know what is postcode in Australia so far and how they work. Now, we will move on to the allocation of Australian postcodes. The first two postcode numbers indicate the state or territory, while the other two help locate the address. Here are the postcode ranges of the different states and territories:
Popular Use Cases of the Postcodes of AustraliaThere are several applications of postcodes, certainly more than we know. They form a significant component of several crucial operations for companies, like InsuranceOften, insurance agencies use postal code data to determine the premium rates of a house or car. There are considerable variations in the costs, depending on the locality or city. Thus, knowing the postcodes for quoting prices is ordinary. Also, insurance agents use this data at the time of settling claims. Hence, postcodes are an integral aspect of their day-to-day work. TransportThe transport system in New South Wales employs postcodes of Australia to allocate specific numbers to bus stops. Usually, the stop numbers consist of five to seven digits—the first four comprise the postcodes, and the remaining represent the stop number. Metropolitan Street MapsThese maps have all the Australian postcodes grouped according to the suburbs. They help define sales strategies and choose franchise locations. The companies that manufacture these maps use postal code lists regularly. They enable businesses to have a spatial representation of their target localities. Federal and State Government InstitutionsThese organisations publish several statistics now and then by postcodes. Hence, there are several social planning-related activities that postcodes help accomplish. However, there is an issue with the spatial representation of the postcodes in Australia. The postal services add and remove postcodes all the time for operational purposes, which causes deviations in several plans. Presort MailIt is one of the most crucial use cases of postcodes. Most companies use automated direct mail solutions like PostGrid that help validate their mailing lists and presort their items according to the postcodes in Australia. Shipping and LogisticsIt doesn’t matter if you send a transactional mail item to a client in Sydney or conduct a direct mail campaign covering several cities. Postcode data can help you ship your official and marketing mail efficiently and accurately. Identity VerificationThe postcodes of Australia also help in fraud prevention for online transactions. They aid the identity verification programs that help companies avoid data breaches and fraud. Comparison of the Postcodes Around the WorldThe Treaty of Bern in 1874 dictated the Universal Postal Union’s launch to enhance global mail exchange. There are hundreds of member countries, and their postcodes are available publicly. The UPU conducts several seminars, publishes research papers, and creates solutions to promote global eCommerce. You can access their website and search for all the postcodes in Australia. Below are some details of the most popular postcode systems in the world: ZIP Codes (USA)At PostGrid, we get many questions, like what is ZIP code. This term may confuse people, but it is the same as postcode. Undoubtedly, the ZIP codes of the USA constitute a well-curated postal code system under the jurisdiction of the USPS. So, what is the ZIP postal code? ZIP stands for Zoning Improvement Plan and has several functions, including mail routing, data verification, etc. The primary objective of introducing ZIP codes was to simplify transport across the country. Robert A. Moon, a postal service employee, created the ZIP code system decades ago to enhance mail delivery. It works the same way as the postcodes in Australia, with a few minor differences. Typically, a ZIP postal code is five digits long. But, it is advisable to add the extra four digits that speed up mail sorting and delivery. Nowadays, you can use Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMBs) that have encoded ZIP codes to automate most of the process. It helps you bag additional postal discounts from Australia Post. The first digit of the ZIP code stands for a group of US states, while the second and third digits represent a Post Office or sectional centre. Then, the last two numbers stand for the delivery area. Postal Codes (Canada)Canada got its first postal code structure in Toronto in 1925. Later on, the Post Office divided the city into 14 delivery zones. The postal areas in Ottawa, Quebec, Vancouver, and Winnipeg also started using this system in a few years. After knowing what is a postcode and ZIP code, you may think that Canadian postal codes are also numeric. But, they are alphanumeric, consisting of six digits. Some of the examples include M4K 1M8, T0A 0A0, M1E 1PS, etc. Canadian codes use the A1A 1A1 format, wherein the first character is always a letter. The starting three digits state the Forward Sortation Area (FSA), and the remaining three represent Local Delivery Units (LDUs). You can use an address verification API like PostGrid if you have difficulty finding and verifying postcodes in Australia and abroad. It helps you access validated mailing lists that you can employ for many reasons. How Does Address Verification Help You Validate Your Postcode Data?Address validation is the key to getting accurate postcodes and sending mail to deliverable addresses. It helps companies benefit from the use cases of the postcodes of Australia effectively. AutocompletePostGrid’s autocomplete API allows your customers to autofill their delivery address and postal code. Hence, it takes them half the time they need to type the full address. Also, it ensures that the entered information is correct and valid. You can integrate this API into your shopping app or website and boost its user experience (UX). Also, PostGrid offers address autocomplete with its validation services to help you send mail to the correct addresses. It is also helpful in adding the missing postcodes of Australia to your mailing lists. Thus, you can update your old databases and put them to good use. StandardiseAs said earlier, following the standard Australia Post address format is crucial. Therefore, companies must mention properly-standardised addresses on their envelopes, packages, and other mail pieces. PostGrid’s address verification API helps standardise your mailing information and postal code lists. It first parses the addresses to separate the components and employs fuzzy matching. Then, it reformats them to make them mail-ready. Hence, you can guarantee accurate and fast deliveries. ValidateAMAS stands for Address Matching Approval System and is a certification program for address verification vendors. PostGrid is AMAS-certified and cross-checks your postal code lists against the Australia Post database. Hence, you can rest assured that we return high-quality data that enhances your overall mailing experience. Why Should You Always Verify the Postcodes In Australia Before Using Them?There is more than one advantage of double-checking postcodes beforehand, including Save MoneyYou can cut costs considerably by sending mail to the correct postcodes the first time itself. Reshipping, lost mail, returns, etc., can drain your budget and create inefficiencies. But, address verification for the postcodes of Australia can help you prevent such problems and mail accurately. Also, address verification services like PostGrid help you presort your items by postcodes, allowing you to further lower costs. Increase Operational EfficiencyIt may be a routine for you to pack and mail orders. But, one incorrect postal code can lead to several issues and slowdowns. Hence, you should be prepared by validating your postcodes and maintaining a clean database. Make Faster DecisionsHaving access to an up-to-date postcode list enables you to make prompt decisions. For example, you can use the postcodes of Australia to target the right neighbourhood if you want to promote your upcoming season sale. Hence, all marketing and planning activities involve the usage of postcodes. Reduce Mail ReturnsMail returns can increase your workload and lead to wastage. Also, it creates backlogs as you need to reship the old orders again and divert your effort from the new ones. But, you can skip these scenarios by using PostGrid’s address verification solutions to verify the postcodes of Australia. Increase Customer SatisfactionValidating postcodes in Australia and mailing items to the correct delivery addresses can help your mail items arrive at their destinations on time. This practice helps raise customer satisfaction and retention levels. PostGrid’s Address Verification Services for Postcode ValidationAfter knowing about the UK ZIP code and postcode, your next step is finding a reliable address verification service. Luckily, we already have a solution to your needs and guarantee positive results. Our 99.99% deliverability rate is a sign of our efficient address validation capabilities. Here are some of the best features of our services:
Wrapping UpAlmost every country has a postcode system known by different names. In the US, there are ZIP codes, whereas Canada has a postal code system. They help the Post Office identify locations more closely and deliver your packages at the earliest. We hope you got the answers to queries, like how many postcodes are in Australia and what they mean. If you need help, you can use PostGrid’s address verification API that verifies every component of your addresses and makes them deliverable. Also, our industry-best pricing plans make the whole process much more affordable and efficient for your company. You can sign up here to know more about how PostGrid helps you validate the postcodes of Australia within seconds! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post What Is Postcode appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/what-is-postcode/ TABLE OF CONTENTSHow to Write International Address the Right Way to Ensure Accurate DeliveriesAustralia Post delivers 2.7 billion items a year! This figure includes all individual and commercial postcards, letters, and parcels that the Post Office shipped. Thousands of customers send mail to international locations via Australia Post every year. But worldwide mailing needs them to learn how to write international addresses correctly. You cannot use the same Australian mailing address format you use to send mail within the country. ![]() Instead, you should use a format that matches the guidelines of the destination country’s postal organisation. Understanding how to address international mail also helps you ensure that your mail reaches the right destination. It speeds up the mailing process and allows the postal workers to send your items on time. Keep reading this guide to learn how to address an international letter correctly. Also, we will discuss the different ways to send international mail through Australia Post. Let’s get started! Prime Guidelines to Know While Addressing International MailAustralia Post has a set of guidelines for international addressing to help you send mail to global destinations effortlessly, including:
The above guidelines help you learn how to write an international address in a letter. You can also access the Universal Postal Union website to check if your destination country has additional formatting requirements. However, this step only works well if your destination country is a United Nations member. How to Address International MailDifferent standardisation rules, alignments, and address formats exist for every destination country. However, you can use one standard, customisable format for international addressing, as written below: Line 1: Recipient’s full name Line 2: House number and street address/ PO box address Line 3: City name followed by province, state, or county name and postal code Line 4: Country But it is not enough to only refer to this format for addressing international mail and packages. Please remember that these aspects could differ considerably from country to country. Hence, let us learn about the above elements in detail to learn further how to write your address for international mail:
Find below some examples of how to write international addresses on packages and letters: CHANDLER J GILBERT 2089 BAKER ST LONDON W1U 6RN ENGLAND CLAIRE TONKIN PO BOX 752 NEW YORK CITY NY 10011 USA ANDREW ADAMS 1212 PARKDALE AVE OTTAWA ON K1Y 1J2 CANADA It may be complicated to know how to write a postcard address international, but it can help you save loads of effort and time. Some other tips that might help you are:
While addressing international mail, write the addresses and affix the stamps on the front side of your package or envelope. How to Write a Return Address on an International LetterAustralia Post recommends writing a return address on all international mail items for security. Also, it can help you get your mail back if it does not reach your recipients for specific reasons. Some people know how to write an international address but forget to mention their return address. Thus, postal employees have difficulty tracking the sender and returning undelivered mail. As a result, they discard such items, and the sender isn’t even informed. Hence, you should also know how to write an international address for Australia. Below is an example of the Australia address format that you can use for your return address: KATHERINE GRANGER 17 AIRPORT FWY SYDNEY NSW 2108 There is no need to mention the country name in your return address. Some other Australia Post guidelines to keep in mind for knowing how to write an Australian address for international mail are:
Which Type of Stamps Do You Need to Send International Mail?After knowing how to write an address for international mail, it is time to affix your stamps. You require Australia Post’s international postage stamps to send international letters and parcels. The number of stamps you need depends on the postage rate of your item. And the cost of one stamp costs starts at $0.05. So you need to stick an adequate number of stamps to cover your postal fee. Luckily, these stamps never expire, and you also don’t need to pay any surcharges in case of inflation. If you are still struggling to understand international mail- how to write addresses, and calculate postage, try PostGrid’s direct mail services. They can help you create your items, print, address, and mail them in an automated way. Also Read: What Is Transliteration And Why You Need It For Effective Business Communication? Why Do You Need to Know How to Address an International Letter?Now that you know how to write an address internationally, you should also understand why it is a crucial step. Firstly, Australia Post cannot determine whether your international delivery address is valid and correct. Thus, it is hard to tell if your item will be delivered to the correct address or returned to you. Also, it may not help you access the foreign postal codes you need for addressing international mail. So, you may find it impossible to know how to write address for international packages without contacting all your recipients personally. You can use PostGrid’s address verification API or software in such cases. They can effortlessly help you with international address transliteration, standardisation, and validation. Some of the other features of our address verification services include:
PostGrid’s address verification solutions can help you skip the part where you need to know how to write an address on international mail. We understand it can be daunting and complicated to remember the postal address formats of several countries and abide by the guidelines. Thus, all you need to do is integrate our API into your system and start standardising and validating your addresses. Wrapping UpSending international mail requires you to understand how to address an international letter. You must follow the guidelines of the respective postal organisation of the destination country. Most of the time, the format is almost the same, but there are some minor details that you need to take into consideration. If you want to save time, cost, and effort, try Postgrid! Request a demo now to see how we can help you with addressing international mail! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post How to Write an International Address appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/how-to-write-an-international-address/ TABLE OF CONTENTSTop 10 Credit Union Marketing Trends to Increase Customers and Get More BusinessAre you looking for the latest credit union marketing trends to help your business grow? If yes, you have come to the right place! ![]() It can be hard to convince people to change their financial services because they are often associated with these firms for several years. You require a reliable foundation to build upon and show customers that you can offer better benefits and features. This blog discusses the top ten credit union industry trends you may follow to improve your brand reputation and get more leads! Let us get started! Top 10 Credit Union Marketing Trends in AustraliaCredit unions and similar financial institutions cannot rely on their existing customers alone to keep them in business. They must employ top-notch strategies that help them grab the attention of prospects and retain current customers. Below is a comprehensive list of credit union marketing ideas they can use: #1 Collaborate With Local Realtors and Auto-SellersAn extensive network of genuine contacts is one of the most evergreen credit union marketing plans. You can associate with local business owners, like auto-sellers and real estate agents, that regularly get customers in need of financial aid. They can forward these leads to your credit union in exchange for a commission, benefiting all parties. Try contacting them with a compelling offer and develop personal connections to make this collaboration work efficiently. By employing such credit union marketing ideas, you can get automatic leads for your sales pipelines throughout the year without putting in additional effort. #2 Highlight Your ValuesSome credit unions make a giant mistake by mentioning their fees, rates, and other statistical data too much. They forget customers make purchase decisions based on several aspects, like a company’s values, personal connections, community engagement, etc. One of the best credit union marketing campaigns is the one that communicates your brand values with your target audience. Discuss your personalised experiences with customers, use cases, shared ownership, value-added services, etc., to make your marketing correspondence more effective! Moreover, advertise your advantages more than the features to make your credit union marketing more authentic and result-bearing. People like to hear exactly how they can benefit from using your services, not a list of technicalities they might not understand. #3 Encourage Referral and Loyalty ProgramsYour referral bonuses must be exciting enough to make your partners take action. Most businesses already have some financial services agencies they refer to; you need to make them change their preference and choose you instead. Introducing new referral programs is one of the most thoughtful credit union marketing trends to reward your partners. They also motivate them to recommend your institution to more people, boosting your business. Similarly, you can also bring in customer loyalty programs as part of your credit union marketing activities. Ask your existing clients to refer you to their friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, etc., with a code. Offer something in return that keeps them going and allows you to keep your revenue cycle flowing all year round. Here are some ideas for your credit union marketing referrals:
#4 Sponsor Local Events and Enter Your Employees In Volunteering ProgramsThe best way to engage a community is to get in between them. It is why- sponsoring events is among the most effective credit union marketing campaigns for your company’s growth! Make your target customers feel that you think about their betterment and are willing to return to the community. Choose an event that best represents your company’s mission and highlights your message. You can tie up with a charity or partner with different local communities to sponsor their events. Donating directly to these charitable organisations is also among the top credit union industry trends that work. People take note of such CSR efforts and consider these credit unions as public-serving companies offering top-notch quality services. Consider employee volunteering if your budget does not allow sponsoring events or donating. It is also an excellent CSR activity to get your audience’s attention and showcase your brand in a positive light! However, combine these credit union marketing campaigns with other channels for added impact. For example, you can share pictures from your volunteering activities for credit union marketing on social media and write articles on them. It gives you enough content for all your marketing channels and lets you acquire new leads effortlessly. #5 Direct Mail MarketingDirect mail has an open rate of 66%, making it one of the most productive credit union industry trends you may use. It is a versatile advertising tool that helps you achieve several objectives, like:
You can add tidbits of information about your brand in your mailers or redirect them to your website. Remember that your credit union direct mail marketing campaigns must guide customers and not act as a full-blown sales strategy. If you need assistance with organising and executing a credit union direct mail marketing campaign, use PostGrid’s direct mail services! Our automated solutions help credit unions and finance companies create eye-catching and appealing direct mailers. PostGrid also takes care of the printing and shipping processes to help them save time and money! #6 Utilise Big Data to Personalise Customer InteractionsAlmost all credit unions have all the data they need to personalise their credit union marketing campaigns in-depth. But they do not use their database because they do not know how or lack the necessary resources. However, compiling and utilising customer data must be one of your top credit union marketing trends to improve customer communication and produce more leads. It helps you provide more tailored products and services to the correct people, improving customer experience! For instance, you can use automation algorithms to identify your audience’s preferences and online search history. It would help you recommend personalised services that customers want to avail of from your credit union. You may also auto-approve businesses and individuals for mortgages and loans, so they can know their eligibility and interest rates before applying. Organisations can use credit union marketing personalisation to put their databases to work and filter valuable leads. #7 Improve Your Social Media Marketing ProgramsOver 20.5 million Australians are active on social media platforms! Hence, social media marketing is among the most commonly used credit union industry trends to connect with audiences at affordable costs. Credit unions can use location-based marketing or geocoding to target people according to where they live. For example, their best bet is to reach customers living in their neighbourhood and advertise their services. They can also use social media marketing to contact people matching their buyer persona using advanced geo-demographics. Remember to follow the relevant social media platform rules if you want your credit union marketing trends to succeed. For example, if you use Twitter, you can focus more on small pieces of written content. Alternatively, Instagram marketing would demand you to post more images and short videos than texts. #8 Develop Ebooks and BlogsContent marketing is also one of the best credit union industry trends that help you create brand recognition. Create ebooks that can answer your customers’ queries on Google. For instance, you can send a guide to people who search “how to open a savings account.” Or you can ask a customer to call you when they look for an answer to the question- “how to get a second mortgage on my house?” Similarly, your credit union marketing trends can include starting a blog section on your website. Think about the topics that depict the value your credit union offers to its clients and can generate high traffic to your website! Use trending keywords and headlines for your articles to increase click-through rates. Your blog posts must demonstrate your industry expertise and show people you can hear and solve their enquiries effortlessly! #9 Curate Credit Union Marketing Campaigns for Customer RetentionThough marketing strategies concentrate more on customer acquisition, you must draft separate retention plans to get repeat business. Existing customers make up most of the credit union’s business, so they deserve your appreciation and gratitude. PostGrid’s direct mail API can help you send thank-you letters and postcards to your customers to make them feel valued! You can also trigger credit union direct mail marketing campaigns with every action, like
These small actions help garner a positive reputation and customer referrals without much investment. #10 Target New Parents and Young StudentsIdentifying and contacting the relevant target audience is among those credit union industry trends that let you grab the right opportunities at the right time! If you have adequate demographic data, you can use it to your advantage. Targeting new parents or those whose children are off to college soon is an excellent credit union marketing strategy to boost your business. These are two crucial stages when people actively plan their children’s education and want to make the necessary financial arrangements. Offering them a robust solution during these times can help you sign them up as your clients in no time! You can also target students directly because they contribute equally to their studies and career-related plans. Also, students do not get many credit union marketing items in the mail. So you can be the first company to get them a loan offer, helping you differentiate your business and onboarding customers from a young age. Tips to Help Your Credit Union Marketing Campaigns Become SuccessfulHere are some tips and tricks to help your firm make the right choices throughout your marketing programs: Use Simple LanguageYour copywriting style should be natural and easy-flowing, not complicated. Try taking complex ideas and converting them into easy-to-read content for your audience. Your credit union marketing trends must work around the idea that your customers are a layman. Try using short words and sentences to deliver your message and not complicate your content! You can include a glossary on your website or encourage readers to contact you for further explanation. Some credit unions add personalised links to explanatory videos, news articles, step-by-step guides, etc., to help their audience. Create Local ContentAlways keep your credit union marketing campaigns local and talk to people at a 1:1 level. You cannot discuss your branches in Sydney with people living in Melbourne. Discuss what best appeals to the local people, inform them about the credit union industry trends and news, and build genuine relationships. Combine Offline and Online MarketingIntegrated, multi-channel marketing campaigns are always better than one-off, standalone programs that generate temporary results. Try combining your online and offline efforts to expand your outreach and reach more people. Work On Your VisualsLike other industries, financial institutions must work on using better graphics and imagery, irrespective of which credit union marketing trends they use. People are attracted to eye-catching images and marketing ads, making them grasp the content faster. Moreover, use bright colours that represent your brand with a catchy tagline. You can also add campaign-specific QR codes and landing pages to record responses and draft reports. How Does PostGrid Direct Mail Solutions Help Credit Unions With Their Marketing Plans?PostGrid’s direct mail API helps organisations automate their credit union direct mail marketing plans and increase efficiency by five times. Here is how we helped one of the leading players in the industry recently: Our client required 4,000 mailers to promote their new financial products for people over the age of 30 years. They planned to distribute them over three weeks, immediately before their product launch event. These mailers were for advertising and inviting prospects to the event. PostGrid’s automated credit union direct mail marketing services helped them design the items quickly. Our solutions also allowed the client to produce and ship these items in the said time frame at much lower rates than they anticipated! Thus, they could generate enough buzz about their event and get more than 2,000 people to RSVP. Finally, 1,500 people visited, and the launch was a grand success. But it didn’t stop there! The client also got over 1,000 enquiries and nearly 650 conversions, which was enough to give their new service range an excellent head start. Here are some highlights of how PostGrid helped in this credit union marketing program:
Sign up to know more about how PostGrid helps you use the top credit union marketing trends and improve acquisition and retention rates! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Credit Union Marketing Trends appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/credit-union-marketing-trends/ TABLE OF CONTENTSHow To Write An Effective Donor Acknowledgement Letter For Your Nonprofit Organisation?Nonprofits are unlike profit-oriented organisations. They often depend on their donors’ valuable contributions to keep up their work. Every donor and their donations are of great value to nonprofit organisations. ![]() Generally, nonprofit organisations can’t use an attractive product or offer to rope in new donations. The best approach for nonprofits is to focus on their existing donors and ensure that they have the donor’s continued support. An ideal way to accomplish this is through a donor acknowledgement letter. Here we explain how a donor acknowledgement letter helps nonprofits and how you can implement them effectively for your organisation. What Is A Donor Acknowledgement Letter?As the name suggests, the donor acknowledgement letter is a letter you send to donors acknowledging their charitable donation or gift. It is also called a donation acknowledgement letter. Its primary purpose is to document an individual’s or organisation’s philanthropic donations. Sometimes the donor acknowledgement letter can also act as a donation receipt but only occasionally. Even though the letter’s primary purpose is to document the donations and acknowledge them, it does much more than that. Anyone who makes an effort to contribute to society through a donation deserves a whole-hearted thank you. This logic applies regardless of the size or value of the contribution or gift. Sending a donor acknowledgement letter is the easiest and most effective way to thank your valuable donors. Why Should You Send A Donor Acknowledgement Letter?The primary reason for sending a donor acknowledgment letter is to let the donor know you received their donation. You can also use the letter as a thank-you note to the donor. People like getting acknowledgement for the good things they do, even if that’s not their purpose of doing good. By sending the donor acknowledgement letter you can say thank you and explain how their contribution will help the people or animals in need. Besides thanking your donors, sending acknowledgement letters enables you to.
As an expert in direct mail marketing, we advise you always to send a donor acknowledgement letter regardless of the value of donations. However, suppose the donation’s face value is over a specific limit. In that case, you may have a legal obligation to send the appropriate documentation to your donors. Segmenting Your DonorsApart from the reasons we discussed above, there is another reason for you to send the donor acknowledgement letter to your organisation. Sending acknowledgement letters to your donors often requires you to segment your donors into specific categories. The first thing you need to do is to check whether automation is possible for sending the donor acknowledgement letter from your organisation. Check whether your nonprofit CRM solution and marketing tools can handle automation well. You will likely already have tools and the capability to automate your emails. Nonprofits can streamline the whole process by using a donor acknowledgement letter template. The downside is that people often miss online or digital messages like emails. Try to send your donor acknowledgement letter via mail. There is something about printed mail that grabs the attention of the recipient. And for some reason, a customised letter is more personal than an email or text message. But the best part is that you can automate your direct-mail donor acknowledgement letter just as easily as your email. All you need is an advanced print and mail solution like PostGrid. You can easily send a personalised acknowledgement letter to thank your donors with the click of a button. Once you have all the tools and the system for setting up the automated letters, you can quickly segment your donors. After that, you can use the segmented list to build stronger relations with your donors. How To Write a Donor Acknowledgement Letter For Your Organisation?Believe it or not, sending a donor acknowledgement letter can significantly impact your relationship with the donors. It is one of the most effective ways to show how much you value your donors. However, it is essential to correctly draft a letter to have the desired impact on the audience. The donor acknowledgement letter could be very different from your regular business letter. Ensuring an empathetic acknowledgement letter in the correct format is essential for conveying your genuine gratitude to the donors. Below we will discuss how you can write an effective donor acknowledgment letter for your organisation. Additionally, we will also look at the crucial elements to include in your letter to ensure that the recipient gets all the necessary information. Best Practices For Writing Your Donor Acknowledgment LetterWriting a donor acknowledgment letter may seem simple enough at first glance. But, if you don’t include all the necessary details in your letter, it can cause gaps in your communication. Here are the essential elements you should include in your acknowledgement letters. Donor’s NameMake sure to includedonor’s name in your donor acknowledgement letter and not use generic terms like “Dear Donor.” Personalisation is essential in your acknowledgement letters because you want to show appreciation. Addressing someone with anything other than their name could give the impression that you don’t appreciate the donor. Full Legal Name Of Your OrganisationThe donors can use your doot acknowledgement letter as proof of donation. They can submit the letters when they file their taxes and get returns for their charitable contributions. Since your donors may use acknowledgement letters for official purposes, it is best to include your organisation’s full legal name. Declaration Of Tax-Exempt StatusIt is also advisable to include the declaration of the tax-exempt status for your organisation in the acknowledgements you send out. The reason to have this declaration in your donor acknowledgement letter is the same as the one we discussed in the above case. It enables quicker tax processing for your donors and gives them more convenience. Australian Business Number Or ABNAnother way to reassure the donors about your tax-exempt status is to include your organisation’s Australian Business Number or ABN. The ABN is an 11-digit number you get from the Australian Business Register. Registering your charity or nonprofit organisation with the Australian Charities And Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC) is essential. Date Of Receiving The Donation/GiftThe date of receiving a donation or gift is another essential element to include in your donor acknowledgement letter. Adding this information also helps your donors to cross-check it with their expenses and tally it up during their tax filing process. Description Of The Gift/Amount ReceivedIdeally, your donor acknowledgment letter should also include details about the gift or donation your organisation received. We are not saying that you should go on endlessly about the contribution. Instead, you can briefly describe the gift, whether it is a gift or money. What Is The Best Format For A Donor Acknowledgement Letter?There are no formal rules or formats for writing donor acknowledgement letters for your nonprofit organisation. You can send your organisation’s donation acknowledgement via letters, postcards, or email. It is okay to use any of these formats for sending your acknowledgements. However, it is always better to use a feasible channel like mail for sending your acknowledgement letters, as they can create an emotional impact. You can also try an approach where you use multiple channels to send the same donor acknowledgement letter to the same recipient. There is also an option where you can pick channels for your campaigns depending on donation types or amounts. Handwritten LettersImagine you are writing the donor acknowledgement letter to a benefactor who donated a considerable amount of money. In this case, the best way to show appreciation to the donor is to send a handwritten acknowledgement letter. You should print the donor acknowledgement letter and sign it personally. It shows that you are willing to go the extra mile and show how much you appreciate their contribution. Bulk MailingSimilarly, you can also consider instances where the donor makes regular recurring payments to your nonprofit organisation. Most people donate smaller amounts to charities. It means you need bulk mailing capabilities for sending a donor acknowledgement letter to each recipient in your list. You can always use emails to keep your expenses to a minimum or need help to afford an extensive bulk mail campaign. It offers a quick and efficient way to send your donor acknowledgement letter with minimum investment. But suppose you wish to make an impression on the donors and forge a stronger relationship with them. In that case, you are better off with postal letters. TemplatesOne of the most effective ways to optimise how you send your donor acknowledgement letter and other communications is to use templates. By creating quality templates, you don’t have to make identical mail repeatedly when someone donates. You are probably already familiar with templates for your emails. But it may surprise you that you can also use a template for your mailers. By employing an advanced tool like PostGrid, you can use templates for sending mail correspondence, including your donor acknowledgement letter. AutomationAs we discussed above, templates are a great way to speed up your acknowledgement communications. But templates are practically useless if you have automation capability. You can use an automation solution like PostGrid to quickly send a donor acknowledgement letter to each person who’s donated to your organisation. Implementing an automated solution for sending your donor acknowledgement letter ensures that every donor receives an acknowledgement. Before you start print and mail automation you need to prepare acknowledgement letter templates necessary for the same. What Are The Details You Should Include In A Donor Acknowledgement Letter?We already talked about the essential elements to include in a donor acknowledgment letter and their role in the letter. The details you should have in an acknowledgement letter to express your gratitude to donors are discussed below. Four crucial parts come in a donor acknowledgement letter, and you should include them. The four critical components that make up an effective acknowledgement letter are as follows.
Subject/PreheaderEnsure that your donor acknowledgement letter comes with a subject or preheader so that the recipient can quickly tell the subject of the letter. The issue or preheader should be even more prominent if you use email. Different from traditional mail, email messages often go unread. So, you must ensure that does not happen to your email. A simple way to do this is to include phrases like “Thanks for your valuable donation” in your subject/preheader. It establishes that your email is a donor acknowledgement letter and increases its open rate. OpeningAn donor acknowledgment letter’s opening is always crucial, and you should be extra careful with it. Keep the opening simple and use it to welcome the recipient and thank them for all the support you receive. Use a simple opener like the one below to start your acknowledgement letter. “Dear Kendra, thank you for your selfless donation to the neighbourhood tree project!” You can continue the donor acknowledgement letter by explaining how the donor is making a difference and how significant their contribution is to your organisation. Body Of The LetterOnce you finish with the pleasantries, you can start with the body of the donor acknowledgement letter. Use the body of the letter for your content. You can use the body of the letter to include vital information, such as your ABN number and ACNC details. Including these details in your donor acknowledgement letter makes it easier for the donor to use your letter for tax filing purposes. You don’t have to include these details if the contribution consists of non-cash donations that are not tax deductible. In that case, you can prepare a separate template for such letters. Make sure to include a gift description in the donor acknowledgement letter for non-cash donations. Similarly, you should have a different template for assistance received in goods and services. ClosingBy the time the recipient reaches the closing of your donor acknowledgement letter, they already have all the necessary information. You can use the close of the acknowledgement letter to thank them again one last time. Use this section to inform the recipient about your work. Consider giving them a general update on how you are using their donation. Finally, you can use a friendly sign-off but in an empathetic manner. Hence, the recipient knows how much you value everything they do. Donor Acknowledgement Letter SampleRegardless of how much we try to explain all the nifty details of an acknowledgment letter, you may still need a sample to fully understand it. Below, you can find a donor acknowledgment letter sample that can help you understand what your acknowledgments should look and feel like to the recipient. Subject: Thank you, Kendra, for your valuable donation to the Neighbourhood Tree Project! Dear Kendra, We at Neighbourhood Tree Project would like to thank you for your generous donation! Thanks to donors like you, we can continue with our work and preserve trees, and protect the natural habitat of various birds and animals. You donated $369 to the Neighbourhood Tree Project on November 5, 2023. The payment was processed through your credit card and made in support of the Neighbourhood Tree Project. Our is a tax-exempt organisation registered under the Australian Charities And Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). Each contribution you make significantly impacts the work we do here at Neighbourhood Tree Project. We are happy to inform you that your donation is fully tax-deductible. There were no goods or services exchanged for your charitable contribution. Please save this letter as part of your tax records. We would like to thank you for your dedication to saving our neighbourhood trees and the habitat of the creatures they support. We are pleased to continue working closely with you to save trees for future generations. Sincerely, Do You Need To Send A Donor Acknowledgement Letter For Every Donation?Nonprofit organisations often have regular donors who make multiple contributions throughout the year and sometimes multiple times a month. Does that mean you must send a donor acknowledgement letter for each donation? Consider sending the donor acknowledgement letter for every single transaction or donation. It is an excellent way to boost your engagements with donors and show that you appreciate every effort the donor makes. You can also send the donor acknowledgement letter periodically. For the best results, you should use an automated print and mail solution like PosGrid. The tools allow you to access two critical features that can streamline your organisation’s communication, and they are
Triggered MailThis feature is very similar to triggered email, which you are likely already using for your online campaigns. It uses a triggering action to determine whether or not to send a message to the target audience. What if we told you that you could do the same for your printed donor acknowledgement letter? With an advanced print and mail API like PostGrid, sending your donor acknowledgement letter is as easy as sending a text or email. You can set up your communication system to automatically send an acknowledgement letter when someone donates. Talk to our experts to learn how to set up a triggered mail feature for your organisation. Using a triggered mail feature, you can ensure that every donation you receive is appreciated. The system automatically sends your donor acknowledgement letter after receiving each gift. You don’t have to constantly monitor your mailing or donations to check whether you sent a donor acknowledgement letter to the donor. As a result, you get streamlined communication with your donors, making it easier to manage your engagement efforts. Consider including a QR Code in your donor acknowledgement letter and let the recipients scan it. The QR code can lead to a page from which donors can download their donation details in PDF file format and safe-keep them. Scheduled MailScheduled mail is a feature or capability that lets you send your donor acknowledgement letter on a predetermined schedule. You can use this feature to send acknowledgements, invoices, thank you notes, Etc., automatically to your customers. You can use templates and quickly send your bulk mail using scheduled mail. PostGrid even provides a free template gallery and a template editor to design your business letters. It also lets you use custom or in-house designs for the donor acknowledgement letter and other correspondence. A periodical donor acknowledgement letter is ideal for donors that regularly contribute to your organisation. It allows you to optimise your print and mail operations and minimise expenses or repeat mailing. Since nonprofits don’t have the deep pockets of corporates, it is best to use scheduled mail to optimise your expenses. Suppose you send a donor acknowledgement letter for each donation or monthly. Even in this case, sending a summary at the end of the year is still advisable. It is because your donors could use the letters in their tax filing. Of course, they could also use the individual letters you send. However, a year-end donor acknowledgement letter is much easier. It is also possible that the donor needs help finding the previous notes and reaching out to you requesting the yearly summary. How To Automate Your Donor Acknowledgement Letter Using Nonprofit CRM?Above, we briefly discussed how an automated solution could help you get the most out of your donor acknowledgement letter templates. It might surprise you to know that implementing automation for your acknowledgements is easy, even via printed mail. You can connect an automated print and mail solution like PostGrid with your CRM solution. PostGrid can access your CRM data and use the templates to create a personalised donor acknowledgement letter for each donor. And the best part is that you can use PostGrid to print everything from a donor acknowledgement letter to marketing direct mail. Some of the other personalised printed materials you can print and mail using PostGrid include the following.
Do you want to learn how PostGrid can help you create a personalised donor acknowledgement letter and other printed materials with the click of a button? Get a FREE demo to streamline your organisation’s mail communication! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Donor Acknowledgement Letter appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/donor-acknowledgement-letter/ TABLE OF CONTENTSHow to Use C/O in Mailing AddressWhat if we said you could send direct mail to someone without knowing their home address? It sounds like a sweet deal, right? Well, that’s what C/O in mailing addresses lets you do. ![]() However, that doesn’t mean that C/O in mailing addresses is some magic trick that lets you reach out to anyone anywhere. The effectiveness of C/O in mailing addresses depends on how well you can execute it and the specific situations in which you use it. Hence, it is best to learn how C/O in mailing addresses work. The details below will help you understand C/O better and streamline your business communications. Not only will we explain how to use C/O in mailing addresses, but we will also discuss the various instances where you can use them. What is C/O in Mailing Address?The C/O or “℅” you see in the mailing address is the abbreviated form for “care of.” It means that postal mail with a ℅ line is for sending mail to someone who is not the legal occupant of the address. Hence, using C/O in the mailing address lets the recipient know it is not for them. The recipient of a C/O letter is entrusted with the mailpiece, assuming they give it to the addressee. You can use C/O in an address in different contexts or situations. For example, you can use C/O to send an official letter to an employee or the company’s CEO. The postal delivery person can then drop off the mailer at the company’s front office. Using C/O is common in business communication, especially when someone’s address is unknown. It is an effective way to ensure that your mailer reaches the recipient instead of getting returned. Similarly, you can use the C/O in the mailing address to send a letter or package to children. Here, the C/O or “in care of” would be addressed to the parent. How to Use C/O In Mailing Address Efficiently and AccuratelyThe best way to understand how a CO mailing address looks is to look at an example, which is why we have provided one for you below. Jane Smith c/o Blueberry Inc. 619 Albert St. Sydney NSW 2055 The example above should give a broad idea of how a C/O address should look. However, the proper use of CO in the address does not confine to how or what you write on the envelope. You can take a few steps to ensure the deliverability of your mailers with a CO mailing address, including the following. Step 1: Ensure You Have the Right InformationSpeaking of business correspondence, we often use the CO mailing address when the recipient’s primary address is unavailable. Hence, you must ensure the secondary address is accurate unless you want Australia Post to return your mail. Everything from the business’s name to its postcode must be accurate to deliver your mail without delays. To make it easier, you can use an address verification tool like PostGrid to verify the address. Step 2: Ensure You Are Using the Correct FormatAfter you get the address for the mailer, you need to ensure that it is in the standardised Australia Post-prescribed format. You must write C/O or “care of” before the name of whoever is responsible for delivering the mail to the addressee. For example, you want to ship direct mail to someone at their workplace using a CO mailing address. Here, the company is responsible for delivering the mailer to its recipient. Therefore, you should follow the C/O with the company’s name. Similarly, when sending the mailer to a home address, the C/O should follow the resident’s name. The person that receives your mailer with the C/O address can then pass it on to the actual recipient of the mail. Step 3: Ensure You Provide The Return AddressThe chance of your mail getting returned is relatively low when using a CO mailing address. However, you still need to provide a return address on the envelope. Use the left-hand corner of the envelope to write your return address. Australia Post will return your mailer if they cannot deliver to the address you provide. You can use the return mail to identify postal addresses you can’t mail to and avoid unnecessary expenses. Step 4: Attach the Necessary PostageEveryone knows you must attach the necessary postage to send any postal mail. However, most people have no idea what postage they need to stick to their mailpiece. Australia Post will return the mail if the postage is not enough, and if it is more, you will waste money. It is hard to keep track of your postage attachments, especially regarding business communication. However, you can save yourself the trouble by employing a direct mail automation tool like PostGrid. Advanced tools like PostGrid automate your entire direct mail management process, including postage. We combine geocoding, bulk validation, and international address verification to let you access updated databases at your fingertips. Step 5: Review and Send Your MailThe final step in the proper use of CO in the address is taking one last look at the mailer. Review all the information on the mail envelope and ensure everything is in order. Check if you have the right name for the recipient and their address. In addition to this, you should also check the return address you have provided on the mailer. Once you ensure everything is alright, you can send the mailer. However, an easier way to send the mailer is to use an automated direct mail system like PostGrid. When to Use C/O in Your Postal Mail?Generally, C/O or “care of” is used in postal mail when the sender does not know the recipient’s primary address. It also means you can use such mail for addresses that don’t usually receive correspondence. In other words, you can use C/O to send postal mail to someone’s business address if you don’t know their home address. Also, using C/O in a mailing address often grabs the recipient’s attention. There are certain instances or situations where using C/O in the mailing address is ideal, including the following. Send Mailer to WorkplaceAs mentioned, C/O is ideal for sending mail to business addresses. If you don’t know someone’s personal or home address, this strategy can come in handy for you. However, you need to know where the recipient works to send the mailer using a C/O address. Send Mailer to The HotelSuppose you know your intended recipient stays at a specific hotel in town but don’t know their room number. In that case, you can use C/O before the hotel’s name when addressing your mail. The hotel will receive your letter or package on behalf of the recipient and pass it on to them in good time. However, this strategy has a lot of variables. For example, the recipient may extend or cut short their stay in the hotel. Send Mailer to A FriendYou can send a mailer to someone even if you don’t know their home or business address. However, you would need to know the address of someone they are friends with or even an acquaintance. Such mailers are better suited for personal communication, especially to invite someone to an event. However, using the same strategy for business communication is not entirely out of scope. Send Mailer to Areas With Security RisksPostal mail can be subject to unwanted eyes or attention. It is not rare to hear about cases where people did not receive crucial letters and packages. The risk of someone stealing your mailer in some neighbourhoods may be higher than in others. In that case, you can use “care of” in your direct mail to send it to another person. It enables you to ensure that no one steals or destroys the letter or package you send. However, you would first need to get the alternate address from the recipient before sending the mailer using C/O. Send Crucial DocumentsSending crucial documents, especially time-sensitive ones using postal mail is often considered risky. There are chances that postal delivery can get delayed unless you use Australia Post’s services like Priority Mail. Also, the mailer could get lost if you don’t have the correct address or use the wrong postcode. C/O is the best way to avoid such mistakes and ensure the postal mail reaches the addressee on time. It is unlikely to get a business address wrong, as you can easily verify it online. ConclusionUsing C/O in mailing addresses is not complicated as long as you know the basics. The tricky part of implementing the proper use of CO is that you need to ensure its deliverability. If you don’t have the correct address, adding C/O in your mail is useless. In addition to this, it can become confusing to manage your direct mail process manually. There are a lot of variables in direct mail you need to consider, such as the fluctuating postage charges. Effectively managing your postal direct mail process, including the proper use of CO in address, requires a tool like PostGrid. PostGrid lets you personalise your mail through direct mail API and print CO mailing addresses according to Australia Post’s standards with advanced automation abilities. It even offers an address verification API that enables you to verify addresses and ensure their deliverability. Sign up now! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post How To Use C/O In Mailing Address appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/how-to-use-c-o-in-mailing-address/ TABLE OF CONTENTSAustralia Post Priority Mail: Costs, Delivery, and How to Send Priority Letters EffectivelyAustralia Post delivers billions of items every year across the country, and this number continues to grow! With tons of mailing services, Australia Post has an ideal mailing option for everyone. Generally, it offers three mailing choices: Regular, Priority, and Express. They have different rates and delivery times to suit your requirements. ![]() The Australia Post Priority Mail option is specifically popular among people. Most businesses and individuals use this option to send crucial documents, including:
Also, you may use this service to send out your marketing items like postcards and flyers. It offers a reasonable delivery time frame at affordable rates. In this article, let’s discuss Priority Mail Australia Post and its features. Also, we will talk about how to send Priority letters and their costs. What is Australia Post Priority Mail?Priority Mail is a domestic postal service that allows customers to send cards and letters speedily. However, Priority letters are always processed and delivered after Express letters. Ensure that your items fall within the specified size and weight limits to avail of the standard rates. Otherwise, you may need to pay surcharges and also face delivery delays. Priority Mail Australia Post Delivery TimesThere are different timeframes for the same state and interstate deliveries under this option. The estimated delivery window ranges from one to four business days Same State:
Interstate:
Please note that these are only Priority Mail Australia Post mailing estimates, and the Post Office might take more time to complete your delivery. Some circumstances like backlogs, weather conditions, lack of staff, etc., may cause delays. Also, remember that there is no Australia Post Priority Mail tracking by default. If you want to track your Priority letters, you need to buy ‘Domestic letter with tracking’ prepaid envelopes. Then, you affix Priority labels on them to upgrade to Priority shipping. You can also use the Registered Mail option to get tracking notifications and other advanced features. If you are keen to complete your mailing tasks speedily, use PostGrid’s direct mail services. With our 2-business day SLA and automated solutions, you can streamline your mailings in no time. Priority Post Australia CostsCompared to Australia Post’s Regular mailing service, Priority letters only cost you 50c more. The rates majorly depend on the size and weight of your mail pieces. Please note that all letters are treated as Regular unless you affix a Priority label worth 50c. You can buy these labels from the Post Office or via their website. So, the postage you pay is for Regular Mail. But, you may upgrade to Australia Post Priority Mail by affixing a label. See the table below to understand this concept better:
How to Send Priority Mail Australia Post?There are three simple steps to send Priority Mail, and they are: Affixing StampsFirstly, you need to apply your postage stamps on the top-right corner of your envelopes. Again, you can buy the stamps from the Australia Post Office or website. You may also get some discounts on buying these stamps in bulk. Apply Priority LabelsApply these labels to the left of your stamps. You can leave about half an inch between both of them. If you forget to apply the Priority label Australia Post and lodge your letter, you cannot upgrade it later. Post Your LetterYou can visit your nearest Post Office and lodge your envelope over the counter. Or you can drop it in any red street posting box in your area. Don’t forget to seal your envelopes properly to safeguard your letter before posting. TrackIf you opted for ‘Domestic letter with tracking,’ you can track your envelope online. Otherwise, you may need to wait for the final delivery to know its status. PostGrid’s direct mail API helps you track your campaign progress in real-time. You can log in to your PostGrid account and navigate through the dashboard to access the reports. Other Australia Post Mailing OptionsApart from Auspost Priority shipping, there are two more common mailing choices for you. Here, we have mentioned how these options are different from Priority Mail. Regular Mail is the most cost-effective service provided by Australia Post. As mentioned above, the rates start at $1.10, which is the standard postage. All letters, holiday cards, and postcards are sent as Regular Mail by default unless you use a Priority label. However, concession cardholders can purchase concession stamps at 60c per piece. Also, if you send Christmas cards during November and December, you may get a special rate of 65c. But, you should enclose them in envelopes and mark ‘card only.’ It may seem that Regular Mail is better than Priority Post Australia. But, the delivery of Regular letters and cards can take up to six working days, depending on the place of lodging and destination. Your next option is Express Mail which guarantees next-business-day delivery. It also offers free tracking to help you stay updated. Express Mail rates start at $7.15, making it the most expensive mailing option by Australia Post. How Can PostGrid’s Automated Direct Mail Services Help You?PostGrid can help you send Australia Post Priority Mail items affordably and effectively. Using our solutions, you can print and mail letters online and prevent doing anything yourselves. You can select from our letter design templates and customise them according to your needs. It helps you spend extra on design and editing! Furthermore, PostGrid also helps you verify your postal addresses and compile mailing lists to send Priority Mail Australia Post letters. Just choose the geo-demographics you want to target, and we will help you put together a custom list. If you want to mail to your existing customers and prospects, you can upload their details and let our dashboard send letters to them. Or, you can integrate our API into your system and let it fetch all the details and draft letters automatically. Our services also help you personalise your Australia Post Priority Mail items with variable details, like name, occupation, etc. Below are some more uses cases of our automated direct mailing solutions:
PostGrid also helps companies of all sectors and sizes send Australia Mail Priority Mail and other items. Here are some examples of the industries we assist in sending their transactional and marketing items: Wrapping UpAustralia Post helps individuals and companies of all sizes ship their letters according to their needs. If they want to send their items at reasonable costs, they can select Priority Mail Australia Post. The Priority letter rates are just a bit higher than Regular, making it an ideal choice for shipping your correspondence. Fortunately, PostGrid further helps you design, print, and send letters at all-inclusive rates. Hence, you can save a lot and ensure that your mail pieces are sent efficiently. Do you want to know more about PostGrid’s automated solutions to assist in sending Australia Post Priority Mail letters? Get in touch with our sales team by clicking here, and let’s get started! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Australia Post Priority Mail appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/australia-post-priority-mail/ TABLE OF CONTENTSHow To Send Legal Documents Through Mail And Optimise Your Direct Mail Communication?Sending legal documents via postal mail is always a little scary. Postal mail has little security, and there is no instant or easy way to tell whether your documents reached their destination or not. Or is it? ![]() Unlike what many of you may believe, there are ways you can ensure superior security for your direct mail. Today we will explain how to send legal documents through mail with a step-by-step guide. Additionally, we will also try to teach you how you can optimise your direct mail communications. How to Send Legal Documents Through Mail?Australia Post offers what is likely the most secure and the best way to send legal documents through mail. As far as postal mail services go, Australia Post does exceptionally well in delivering essential documents accurately and securely. And we are not just saying this. Because Australia Post has some practical measures that ensure crucial documents always reach the right person. For example, Australia Post performs an identity check before handing over the sensitive or valuable documents your business sends. Australia Post even has a list of steps that explain how to send legal documents through mail. And below, we have listed these steps so you can send vital business documents, such as collection letters, patient statements, etc., securely. Step 1: Choose a Post OfficeEvery organisation or customer first needs to choose a Post Office from where they want to send all their critical documents. In other words, the first step is to pick an easy and convenient collection point for your documents. Step 2: Get The Notification Letter From Australia PostWhenever a business organisation wants to send critical documents via Australia Post, they provide it with a notification letter. As you can imagine, this letter notifies your customer that their record is awaiting collection. It means you don’t have to go through the trouble of making the notification letter by yourself. Hence, sending legal documents by mail becomes easier when you use Australia Post to send sensitive documents. Step 3: Send The Documents To A Post OfficeIt is the step where you send your business’s sensitive documents to the nominated Post Office. Remember to send the documents directly to the designated Post Office you picked in the first step. As soon as Australia Post receives the documents, they scan them. At this point, Australia Post classifies the postal document you are sending as “Received at the Post Office.” They then store the documents safe and secure until the customer comes in and collects them. Step 4: Send The Notification Letter To CustomersRemember how we talked about you receiving the notification letter from Australia Post in the second step? When sending legal documents by mail, sending the notification letter is essential. And since you already have the material for the notification letter it is relatively simple to print and send them. Furthermore, you can use a direct mail tool like PostGrid for sending the notification letter. Even sending a massive number of notification letters is easy using PostGrid because of its bulk mailingfeature. Step 5: Identity VerificationThe customer will come to the Post Office to collect their documents once they receive the notification letter from you. Even the notification letter acts as a security measure against people accidentally or knowingly receiving your sensitive documents. But the main security factor in sending legal documents by mail is the identity verification at the Post Office. Australia Post conducts an identity check on your organisation’s behalf. And the best thing about it is that you can specify the identity verification requirements before Australia Post can release the document. Step 6: Payment ProcessingAlthough it may not always apply to your business, sometimes Australia Post may require you to pay extra charges. The charges may be applicable for the goods and services from Australia Post. So, be ready to shell out money for the services you opt for when sending legal documents by mail. Step 7: Contract/Declaration SigningIf you think it is necessary, you can opt to add an extra layer of protection for sending sensitive documents to your customers. You can do this by implementing a step that requires your customers to sign a contract or declaration before document collection. For example, suppose you are a financial service provider sending critical documents like collection letters. Let’s also assume that you need it in writing that your customer received the letter. In such a case, such a service can come quite handy for sending legal documents by mail. Step 8: Hand Over The Item to The CustomerAt this point, Australia Post has already collected all the information, signs, and any additional documents from the customer. As we have already mentioned, you get to decide the identity verification requirements for your organisation. After Australia Post ensures that all your identity verification requirements are met, there is only one thing left to do. Australia Post hands over your sensitive documents to the customer after it confirms the recipient’s identity. Step 9: Receive Documentation From Australia PostAt last, the customer has received the sensitive document that you were so concerned about. But, sending legal documents by mail does not end there. After handing over your documents to the customers, Australia Post provides you with all the documentation you require. Once they hand over the documents to the customer, Australia Post scans your document as “collected”. In addition to that, you even get a digital image of the Signed Collection Declaration. You can keep these documents for future reference and maintain clean records for your business. How Can PostGrid Help You Optimise Your Direct Mail Communications?PostGrid is a complete direct mail solution with advanced automation and Address Verification capabilities. It lets you print and deliver personalised documents, including notification letters you send to your customers. As PostGrid uses a fully automated direct mail system, even printing personalised letters in bulk is not a problem. Using PostGrid’s address verification tool alone is enough to ensure that your mail is always delivered to the correct address. Furthermore, PostGrid uses Australia Post for all their direct mail processes, including sending legal documents by mail. Hence, PostGrid is the perfect way to ensure accurate and convenient direct mail communication for your business. ConclusionIf you are looking for the best way to send legal documents through mail, you don’t have to look past Australia Post. With advanced security measures like identity verification, you have little to no reason to consider an alternative. However, you can make your direct mail communication more effective by using a direct mail tool like PostGrid. The complete automation and address verification capability offered by PostGrid makes it the ideal solution for sending sensitive documents to your customers. Every industry vertical, including insurance, healthcare, finance, and more, can optimise their direct mail communication with PostGrid. More importantly, you can use PostGrid for sending regular communication, including the notification letter for legal documents. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Mail Legal Documents Securely appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/mail-legal-documents-securely/ TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat Is Australia Post Address Lookup, And Why Is It Important For Your Business?Accurate data always plays a crucial role in the success of a business organisation. Any organisation that does not ensure quality data in its operations can never truly succeed. Even figuring out whether a direct mail advertising campaign is successful or not requires accurate data. While business organisations know their way around statistical data, they are not so sure about postal address data. ![]() An Australia Post address lookup offers an easy and efficient solution to the postal address data accuracy problem. In practical use, the address lookup does much more than secure good-quality address data for your business. Every business organisation can benefit from the AusPost address lookup, but unfortunately, not everyone realises this. This article takes a closer look at address lookup and discusses how it can help business organisations. We also list the various benefits of using an address lookup tool and how it can help businesses. What Is Australia Post Address Lookup?An Australia Post address lookup is the same as an address validation or verification. It ensures that an address is accurate and deliverable by checking it against the Australia Post’s official address database. Suppose you want to clean up your business’s customer address database to streamline its operations and enhance its communication efforts. In that case, you can use an Australia Post address lookup tool like PostGrid to clean up your address database. The system compares each address in your database with the address data on Australia Post’s address database. An advanced address lookup Australia involves checking everything from the state to the postal code to ensure address accuracy. Business organisations have several uses for such an advanced Australia address lookup capability. It can optimise several business processes and even boost the productivity of organisations. In short, any organisation that uses its customer’s address data can benefit significantly from the address lookup. How Can Australia Post Address Lookup Help Businesses?The Australia Post address lookup service is ideal for optimising business operations and enhancing communication. It helps businesses in more ways than you might think. Here are some significant ways the address lookup can help your business organisation. Access Bulk Mail DiscountsYou may already know that Australia Post provides bulk mail discounts. You may not know that using an Australia Post address lookup can help you maximise your bulk mail discounts. If you think about it, Australia Post can benefit from your business using address lookup tools like PostGrid. Like any other organisation, Australia Post wants to minimise friction in its operations and streamline them. When you use accurate address data on your business mailers, it becomes easier for AusPost to sort and deliver your mail. Utilising AusPost address lookup helps the delivery service and your business equally. Accurate Address Data Capturing In Real-TimeWith the help of an AusPost address lookup tool like PostGrid, you can capture accurate address data of your customers in real-time. You are probably wondering, “how can an address lookup tool do that?” The premise of real-time address capturing is simple. When the user enters address data into your system, the AusPost address lookup tool, such as PostGrid, suggests verified addresses. Advanced solutions like PostGrid accomplish it by analysing the user’s server location and the data entered into the system. Maintain Contact With CustomersThe last thing you want to do is lose touch with your customers so much that they no longer recognise your brand. It is every business owner’s nightmare, and the only way to avoid this situation is to keep in touch with your customers. Fortunately, Australia address lookup can help you with this. Accurate AusPost address lookup enables your business to keep in touch with your customers via occasional postcards and other marketing materials. For instance, you could try sending postcards on the customer’s birthday. It will help you keep in touch with your customers and create a bond by showing how you care about them. Improve Customer RetentionAnother reason to use Australia Post address lookup for your business is that it lets you improve your organisation’s customer retention rate. The premise of this advantage is the same as the one we discussed above. Direct mail, especially postcards, is an excellent way of forming an emotional bond with customers. Suppose you can time it right, like sending a postcard during a special occasion – like a birthday. In that case, you can significantly boost its impact on the recipients. The last thing you want when sending a time-sensitive mailer like a birthday letter is to delay it due to a wrong address. By ensuring the validity of the mailing address with address lookup Australia, you can ensure accurate and timely delivery of your mail. What Are The Benefits Of Australia Post Address Lookup?Above, we discussed how Australia Post address verification tools like PostGrid could help your business. You might think that’s all there is to it, but what if we told you there’s more? There is a lot more to address lookup than what meets the eye. You already know the most significant benefits of using AusPost address lookup tools like PostGrid. It helps you ensure that your marketing and communication materials, such as brochures and invoices, reach their destination. Below, we discuss the other benefits of using address verification software like PostGrid. Improve Your ROI (Return On Investment)Every business organisation wants to boost their ROI or Return On Investment. Most businesses base their managerial and other decisions on the ROI factor. Any organisation employing direct mail can boost their ROI using an AusPost address lookup tool like PostGrid. It allows you to minimise return rates and maximise the deliverability of your mail. As a result, you save money on resources and postage. More importantly, Australia Post address lookup saves you valuable time. Improve ProductivityValidating your address database using an Australia address lookup tool like PostGrid can also help you boost your organisation’s productivity. It ensures accurate delivery of your mailer and minimises the return rate. As a result, your staff no longer have to go through the mundane task of remailing the target audience. Improve Customer RelationshipAs we discussed above, direct mail is a powerful tool for forming a solid bond with your customers. By using an advanced address lookup Australia Post tool like PostGrid, you can raise the quality of customer interaction. It ultimately leads to improving your customer relationships and boosting positive engagements. Improve Analytic CapabilitiesAdvanced Australia Post address lookup tools like PostGrid have some nifty analytic capabilities. You can use address lookup to gain valuable insights and analytic data to improve your direct mail operations. Minimise Duplicate DataAnother significant benefit of using the Australia Post address lookup tool for your business is that it can help you eliminate duplicate data. It helps you streamline your direct mail communication and avoid sending the same mailer to the same address more than once. Real-Time And Batch Address LookupsAs we discussed earlier, advanced address lookup Australia tools like PostGrid enable you to implement real-time address lookups. It is an excellent way to collect accurate data from your audience. With advanced tools like PostGrid, you can also validate addresses in bulk using a CSV file. You must download your customer database from your CRM and push it through an AusPost address lookup tool like PostGrid. Before you know it, you can get a fully verified, duplicate-free address database for your business. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Australia Post Address Lookup appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/australia-post-address-lookup/ TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat is Address Line 2 and How Do I Fill It Out?Who among us doesn’t like shopping online? It would be a safe bet to say that many people enjoy shopping online. Perhaps the only thing we don’t like about shopping online is filling out lengthy forms (apart from spending our money, of course). Sometimes, we would see address line 1 and address line 2 in little boxes and immediately start to reconsider filling up the form. One reason why people don’t want to fill out address lines 1 and 2 is that most of them don’t even know the difference between them. They shouldn’t have to either, because they are the customers. ![]() However, you can’t say the same for businesses that implement address lines in their forms. Not just eCommerce, but businesses of all kinds use address lines in their online forms. At first glance, the address lines may not seem relevant enough for companies to discuss them. The consequences of an address line issue are much more significant than you might think. First, any errors or confusion concerning the address line may result in validation failures. If that happens, the user may abandon the form out of frustration. No business wants to lose sales or potential leads because of an address line issue. So, if your company uses an online form, you must educate yourself on the address line 2 field. You need to understand the proper use of address line 2 fields in a form and how to use them effectively. So, if you wonder what address lines 1 and 2 are and how you can better utilise address lines, you have come to the right place. What Is Address Line 2?Address Line 2 is something all of us are familiar with, and this goes for both the users and the website managers. Perhaps the reason why address line 2 has gone unnoticed for ages is because of this familiarity. Most shoppers think including a second address line in online forms is a good idea. We may end up implementing it without much thought. So, why would anyone want to optimise something already popular online? As address line 2 is popular, no one bothered to check whether it poses an issue for the user experience. As a result, most businesses don’t consider changing address lines even when optimising their online forms.
What Are Address Lines 1 And 2?Some may already know that Australia Post has a standardised format for postal addresses inside Australia. According to postal standards, an address usually consists of three lines, and four if it includes a company name. The Australia Post-standardised address lines include the following details:
The above details should be present in an Australia Post standardised address. But we may not know the standardised format for writing the address, according to Australia Post. The first line of the address contains the recipient’s name. Up next, you have the delivery address line, which includes the actual address of the recipient. And finally, we have the city, state, and postcode lines. Look at Address Lines From the Customer’s Point of ViewTo understand the problem with address lines, you need to start looking at it from the customer’s point of view. Once you look at the address lines in a form from the user’s perspective, you will see that the multiple lines are confusing. When the user sees multiple address lines, their head starts filling up with questions. “Do I have to fill out the second address line?” “Should I just enter the house number and local area in the first address line?” “Can I just skip the second address line and fill in my address on the first line?” “Why is there a second line for the address?” It is not hard to imagine your customers asking themselves such questions. The chances are that you have asked yourself these questions at some point. So, in this case, the user’s confusion is very understandable. Sadly, this minor confusion may have devastating effects on your business. The worst-case scenario is that the confusion causes the customer to freeze and potentially abandon the cart. So, if it goes unchecked, there are chances your abandoned cart rate will go up significantly. The chances of customers abandoning their cart solely because of address line 2 are minimal. However, it can be a powerful catalyst for the user’s decision to leave your website. What Is the Purpose of Address Line 2?It might shock you that the people who designed the forms included the second address line for no purpose. “Why would they implement address line 2?” you might wonder. Well, because “everyone else is doing it.” Although most of us are unaware, the address line 2 field exists for a reason. So, what is that reason? What information should you feed into the address line 2 field? You can include several pieces of information in the address line 2 field, such as
The examples above should give you a fair idea of the information the address line 2 field must hold. In real-life situations, most people don’t need the second address line. For instance, if your delivery address is 1408 Hogwarts Street, you don’t have to fill in the second address line. What is Address Line 2 Used For in Practice?We have already established that no one knows the purpose of the address line 2 field. So, what is address line 2 used for in actual practice? There is uncertainty surrounding what to put in the second address line. Due to this uncertainty, users provide too much information in the address line 2 field. Most people usually enter details like their secondary address, C/O or in-care-of address, and even special instructions. There is also a chance that the user splits their address into two to use both address lines in the form. Apart from this, the address line 2 field can be helpful when your address is too long for address line 1. For example, it usually happens when a delivery address is a work address. Here, you will need to include details such as
Although rare, some forms have a field for providing company information. You do not have to push the mailing address to the second address line if there is a field for company information. How to Use the Address Line 2 Fields on Forms CorrectlyThere is a rule in UX design that every designer follows, and that is “always remove friction. “Never create it.” The same rule applies when you develop an address entry field for an online form. You must remove any friction elements if they are removable to ensure a fluid user experience. Usually, you must consider your target audience to create a form with minimal friction elements. Analysing your audience can help you determine the details you need from them during checkout. You may then optimise the form for a specific audience. However, this may not be the best approach to configuring the address form. Why? Let us assume that 8 out of 10 prospects do not need the address line 2. So, does that mean we take a majoritarian approach and ignore the needs of the remaining two people? No, businesses must always aim for the best result and never settle for anything less. Ideally, all your prospects should be able to fill out the form in a way that’s easy and convenient. Best Ways to Present the Address Line 2 Field in a FormAfter examining several practices for presenting the address line 2 field to the user, we found three excellent approaches. Use a descriptive copyAs mentioned above, the biggest problem with address lines is that they cause unnecessary confusion. Instead, you can use a descriptive copy to guide the users through the form. A descriptive copy can efficiently explain the online form and its fields. Initially, hide Address Line 2We know that the majority of users do not require address line 2. Therefore, it makes sense to hide address line 2 initially. This way, you can ensure there is no confusion in the form. And in case the user needs the second address line, they can easily find it on the form and unhide it. Combination of descriptive copy and a hidden address lineYou can use hidden address line 2 with a descriptive copy that guides the user. This way, you can inform the user about the invisible address line and ensure they do not miss it. The combination is best for minimising confusion and enabling easy and fast form filling. Popular Practices Used for Address Line 2Address line issues are not easily noticeable, but many users notice them. Eventually, companies formulated several practices to rectify the address line issue, but not all got desirable results. However, some of the best practices successfully solved the problem of address lines on online forms. As a result, these practices have become the standard best practices for implementing the address line 2 field. Some of the best practices for creating address line 2 are as follows: Analyse Your Current Mailing List for Audience NeedsAnalysing the current mailing list is one of the most essential and popular practices for implementing the address line 2 field. In this approach, you must analyse your audience’s needs from the form. Then, develop an optimised structure that can intuitively serve the users. Expandable Address Line 2Another popular option for the second address line is using an expandable format. Include an option/button in the online form that says, “Add more space for the address.” Clicking on this option/button should expand the form to reveal the second address line. You can also set up an auto-expansion feature that automatically opens address line 2 after detecting the address that needs more space. Ensure Your Users Understand Address Line 2 is OptionalAnother widespread practice for the “address line 2” field is ensuring users know it is optional. There are several ways to do this. For example, you could go with a quote that says “Optional Field” beside the address line 2 field. Using a “*” sign beside the mandatory fields also informs the user the address line 2 field is optional. Include Instructions on The FormSometimes the most straightforward solutions are the most effective, and including instructions on the form is as simple as it is. However, providing short and accurate instructions with helpful examples can get the point across to the users. Proper Labeling of the Address FieldsLabelling the address field wrong is one of the worst mistakes to make. Suppose you label the address field “Address 1” and “Address 2.” It can confuse the user. The labels you use should be upfront and cause minimal confusion. The bare minimum you can do is include “line” in the labels. For example, change the labels to “address line 1” or “address line 2.” Even then, the terms are very similar and confusing. Therefore, you must label the address fields better and eradicate confusion. Additional Tactics You Can Use to Minimise ConfusionThere are several other methods by which you can help minimise the confusion in online forms due to address line 2. But please remember these are only subtle elements that can aid you in reducing confusion on the forms.
Three UX Design Aspects You Should Consider for Address Line 2As mentioned before, hiding the address line 2 can minimise confusion on online forms. But don’t make the mistake of ignoring the design aspects of implementing such a feature. If the design implementation is flawed, then address line two fields may turn useless on the form. Consider the following three UX implementation details for address line 2 in your online forms. 1. Make Every Other Field DistinguishableWhether the address line 2 field is expanded or collapsed, ensure it is easily distinguishable. You should explicitly denote any field other than the optional address line 2 field through an attractive design element. The user will be dazed and confused by an online form that does not clearly distinguish optional fields from mandatory ones. It also increases the risk of the user running into a “Field is required” validation error. Users accessing the online form through a mobile device have an even greater risk of usability issues. Hence, you should use design elements to mark or emphasise the mandatory fields on online forms. 2. Make Links a Part of The Keyboard Tabbing FlowHave you ever noticed that you can press the tab button to shift the focus to the following field once you are on an online form? If yes, you would have noticed that pressing the tab button doesn’t always change the focus to the right field. So, if you use links to hide the address line 2 field, you should make it a part of the keyboard tabbing flow. However, you don’t have to include links for help and tooltips in the keyboard tabbing sequence. It means that upon pressing the tab button, the user should navigate to the address line 2 field. However, if the tab button navigates to secondary links like help or tooltips, the user experience can become very disruptive. Even the Seconds MatterSuppose the customer uses different tabs to navigate themselves and enter a secondary link. Let’s also assume that the secondary link they navigated to is the “Help” link. The user could get stuck on the “Help” link for several seconds or even minutes. Here, the user gets stuck while filling out the form after using the tab button for easy and fast navigation. Such a situation can discourage the user from completing the transaction. Most users will never need the help, and forcing them to go to the help link unnecessarily can cause friction in the user experience. So using the justification that some users might need help is not valid, as the potential friction it can create is much greater. Your best bet is to create a well-thought custom tab order for secondary links like help. You must also let the customer skip specific items through tabbing and ensure a faster way to fill out forms. Even saving the user seconds in navigation can help you boost the user experience. 3. Style the Expandable Link “Address Line 2”If you include an expandable link for address line 2, users must understand it is expandable. Unless the user knows that the link expands into an additional form field, it will be useless to users who need it. So, a safe practice would be to insert the link below the “Address Line 1” field. You can also set the link beside the “Address Line 2” field. Also, you should add an indicator for the field, like “+” or “*,” and terms such as “add.” Why You Should Not Include the Address Line 2 Field on Online FormsIncluding an “address line 2” field has become standard practice when developing an online form. However, the address line 2 field is rarely necessary on address forms. Therefore, including it is more of a safety measure than a necessity. We also know that the address lines 1 and 2 in an online form cause numerous confusion. Therefore, companies rethink using the “address line 2” field in their online forms for many reasons. Below are some of the significant drawbacks of the second address line and why you should consider removing them. Splitting of Address DataAdding the second address line ends up causing the user to split up their address information. Also, the users may split the address however they deem fit, and there is no way of telling how the user will break the data. Sometimes the user may only include the start of the address in the first address line. Other times, the user may split the address right in the middle. Additionally, the same user could split up their address differently for different online forms. Parsing Becomes Hard And InconsistentDetermining how a user would split up the address data is impossible. Hence, there is a chance that managing the address data obtained through online forms will become increasingly difficult. Furthermore, even an automated system may not help you with the data processing as there is no recognisable pattern. It is also possible that the user provides too much information using the address line 2 field. For example, they could provide you with the nearest landmarks and even special instructions to fill out the space. As a result, parsing becomes complex and inconsistent. Suppose a user mixes up their name on the second address line or misplaces the apartment number on the address line. An address validation system can not process addresses that vary too much from the original address. You can parse and standardise your addresses using an advanced address validation tool like PostGrid. Unfortunately, there are many ways the user can fill out the address line 2. Therefore, it also has a higher chance of error. Although PostGrid can help you in many cases, its accuracy may be affected if the variation from the original address is too significant. Mistakenly Enter Alternative AddressCommon misconception users have upon seeing the “address line 2” field is that it is for providing an alternative address. So it is unsurprising for businesses to see that their prospects have provided two addresses instead of one. What usually happens is that the user enters their home or primary address in the address line 1 field. Then the customer sees the “address line 2” field and thinks they must provide a secondary address. And hence, the customer ends up providing a secondary (office) address in the second line. In this case, two complete addresses are accurate and deliverable by Australia Post. Hence, an advanced address verification system can not determine the intended destination. Hinder Your Business ProcessesBy now, it is clear that the billing address line 2 field can confuse users. We also know this confusion can cause customers to provide complex address data. Therefore, there is a good chance that the input data you collect through online forms will need to be processed repeatedly. Processing the data multiple times takes effort and time, even if you use automation. You may try to separate the good and bad data throughout various business processes. The best way to avoid this is to ensure high data quality at the collection point. Also Read: What Is Transliteration And Why You Need It For Effective Business Communication? Should You Get Rid of the Address Line 2 Field Altogether?Whether or not to get rid of the address line 2 field on online forms is not an easy question to answer. On the one hand, you can’t just ignore the users who might need the second address line. But on the other hand, it can confuse and disrupt a fluid user experience for most people. Additionally, there is a much higher chance of getting incorrect data from the input point when using an address line 2 field. So, by the end of it, address line 2 does more harm than good to your business. This situation requires an advanced solution to ensure you get quality data from the input point. So as long as you can ensure address data quality, you may use the address line 2 field on online forms. How to Solve Address Line 2 Issues Using PostGridThe best way to bypass the issues caused by the address line 2 field is to ensure data quality. Hence, you must only ask one question- How to ensure high data quality? And more importantly, how can you provide it at the collection point? You could try many strategies to ensure data quality, such as using a descriptive copy, highlighting the mandatory fields, etc. However, despite these measures, there is still a chance for errors or incorrect data. Address AutocompletePostGrid’s address verification API comes equipped with a ton of features. But the one that requires your attention the most is the address autocomplete feature. Why? Because it is the key to ensuring data quality right from the point of collection. The Address Autocomplete feature lets users type in their addresses and suggest verified addresses in real-time. Addresses indicated by PostGrid are accurate and verified ones that come straight from Australia Post’s official address database. The system analyses the user’s text and uses location detection to suggest the most accurate address. Therefore, you can collect quality data from the users and significantly improve the convenience of filling out an online form. ConclusionThe address line 2 field is still a grey area for almost all users and most people who create online forms. Although the second address line is supposed to help users provide their complete address data, it often does the opposite. The street address line 2 field is confusing and can collect complex or flawed address data. Instead, consider using advanced tools like PostGrid to ensure quality data at the point of input. PostGrid’s address checker solutions come equipped with an address autocomplete feature. It enables you to ensure address data quality at the data collection point by suggesting validated addresses in real-time. Additionally, you may use the PostGrid address validation API to validate and standardise your existing address database. PostGrid’s system even allows bulk address verification so you can ensure data accuracy within a matter of seconds. Click here to learn more about the address line 2 and how we can help! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post What Is Address Line 2 appeared first on PostGrid. Via https://www.postgrid.com.au/what-is-address-line-2/ |
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