Learn how NCOA can help you save time and money
National Change of Address, NCOA, is a required process for all bulk mailing lists to qualify for bulk rates according to the USPS.
NCOA checks the names on your mailing list against a current database of 160 million names and addresses maintained by the USPS.This process is actually of benefit to all especially your campaign.
By using the National Change of Address system the USPS, spends less time on undeliverable mail, and the mailer (YOU) – saves you money on postage and your campaign gets your message to your target.
There are a couple of ways to handle NCOA changes. In one scenario, the person just moved down the street. Say you are sending a mailer on a city initiative and this person is on your target list. if you used NCOA you will get the message to this person on your target list in a timely fashion and not waste postage, material and the opportunity to communicate your message.
Another scenario might be that your target moved out of state. This might be more of an issue. If your target no longer resides in the city the initiative is in, is the message still relevant and/or is this person still a target? Probably not. Some people may have seasonal or multiple addresses, but most often than not, if the person changed their address to another state, your city/state messaging is probably wasted on them. It’s better to use your resources to further your message, so it is best to remove the relocated name from the list.
So, NCOA is sometimes a pain to go through, but is readily available by reputable mailers at little to no additional costs.
In the end, it will make your targeted direct mail more targeted by being efficient, timely and relevant. A Win, Win, Win!