Speed to Market: how fast is FAST and is FASTER fast enough.

Your host is:Cory M. Funk

Japs-Olson Company

What can I do to get my direct mail out and in-home faster?

TEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SCHEDULES1. Order paper and other needed materials well in advance.2. Use the paper mills last date of change (LDC) dates.3. Color correct prior to final artwork release dates.4. Perform data hygiene and NCOA/CASS prior to release dates.5. Schedule a parallel workflow: art and data released at the same time.6. Plan for and expect to same day approve proofs and data signoffs.7. Do not travel for press checks or audits. (Please don’t misunderstand…)8. Have your postage arrive a week prior to the mail date.9. Use your suppliers Quality Control Procedures.10. Select a supplier who has onsite commingle and logistics capabilities.BONUS: Include data and lettershop instructions with your Purchase Order.

What elements do in need to include in my instructions?THE BASICS:

PROJECT NAME-JOB NUMBER-DESCRIPTIONSCHEDULE DATES FOR ALL PRODUCTION STEPS

LISTING OF KEY CONTACT PERSONELQUANTITY SUMMARY – OVERVIEW OF COMPONENTS

MATRIX SHOWING QUANTITY BREAKDOWNS BY VERSION

DATA PROCESSING INFORMATION:DO YOU HAVE A MAILER ID?

FULL SERVICE OR BASIC IMB BARCODED?ONLINE POSTAL MAIL TRACKING NEEDED?

NCOA PROVIDED OR VENDOR PROCESSED (IF AT VENDOR, NEED PAF ON FILE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR ‘DO NOT MAIL’ ENTRIES)ANY FUTHER DATA HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS?

SORTATION TYPE AND APPLICATION METHOD (CLASS OF MAILING AND STAMP-METER-INDICIA)CAPS ACCOUNT INFORMATION OR POSTAGE INVOICE (IF CAPS, NEED PERMIT INFO)

MATRIX SHOWING FILE NAMES AND DATA SUMMARYSEED NAMES IMBEDDED OR ADDED (SUPPLY SEPARATE DOCUMENT)

COUNT REPORTS REQUESTED – DETAIL WHAT REPORTS ARE REQUIREDPOSTAGE NOTIFICATION SENT TO WHOM AND WHEN NEEDED (IF NOT CAPS ACCOUNT)?

LETTER SETUP AND SIGNOFF INFORMATION:ADDRESS BLOCK FORMAT AND SAMPLE ADDRESS BLOCK

VARIABLE MESSAGE PROGRAMMING – FORMATTING REQUIREMENTSPREFERRED LOCATION OF ANY CODES OR SPECAIL QUALITY CONTROL INFO

SIGNOFF REQUIREMENTS, NUMBER OF SIGNOFFS, METHOD USED TO SEND, AND SENT TO WHOM FOR APPROVALSAMPLE REQUIREMENT, QUANTITY AND SENT TO WHOM UPON COMPLETION VIA WHAT METHOD/HOW FAST

LETTERSHOP INFORMATION:INSERTION SEQUENCE

QUALITY CONTROL STANDARDS (IF DIFFERENT THAN YOUR VENDOR’S STANDARDS)100% MAIL RECAPTURE OR STANDARD USPS 1% VARIANCE

POSTAL STATEMENTS SENT TO WHOM? AND BY WHEN?MAIL TRACKING SENT TO WHOM (IF REQUIRED) AND HOW OFTERN?

Thank you very much!Cory M. Funk

National Account ExecutiveJaps-Olson Company

Email: cfunk@japsolson.com Direct: 952-912-1829

Cory M. Funk is a 33-year direct marketing industry professional, an active member of the DMA and six regional DMA’s. Having spent the past 23 years in management and sales with Japs-Olson Company – one of the 10 largest commercial print and direct mail production firms in the United States – Cory has plenty of short stories to share related to production planning, project management and scheduling. A past Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) scholar and graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT); he regularly consults directly across multiple industries in supporting his clients’ creative and premedia, print and finishing, data processing and lettershop, fulfillment and logistical needs.