“JUNK MAIL”

The “junk mail” dilemma has likely been with us since the pony express days. It is any unsolicited communication which appears in your mail box. Your name gets on mailing lists when you subscribe to a magazine, purchase a service, register for a conference or to win something – basically, any time you supply your name and address to anyone, there is the potential that your name will be included in a mailing list which is then sold and resold.

But, did you know that in 1994, direct mail marketing generated more than $333,000,000 (that’s billion) in sales revenue; that it is more influential than television advertising; that most people like direct mail advertising; that more than half the population read it promptly and completely, and say they find it useful. Some even say they would like more and, that over half the people in America order goods and services through catalogs or other advertising that comes by mail.

So, as you can see, junk mail is not going away. If you fall into that segment of the population who doesn’t want junk mail much less more junk mail, there are ways to limit what you receive – at work and at home. Here are some options:

· Twice a year, send your name and address (work and home) to the master direct mailing clearing house. It is possible that your name may be in their system under different configurations of your name. For example, John Smith, John T. Smith, Jack Smith, J. T. Smith, J. Smith, etc. So, you need to look at your name on the junk mail address label and ask to have that specific name removed. Send your information to: Mail Preference Service, IDMA, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008.

· Cut out the address label, with the UPC bar code, from the junk mail, tape the address label to the following note “Please take my name off your mailing list! Do not sell, give, release, etc. my name to anyone. Thank you.” Use their postage paid, pre-addressed envelope or card. If it is a card, tape the address label and your note to the card. This is the most effective way to get off an individual list. Merchants are usually very accommodating and will often send you a note thanking you. It costs the merchant about $6.00 to process any piece of mail returned. So, it is in their best interest to remove you from their list so that you won’t send them another note. It really works.

· Along the lines of the above, you can use a peel-and-stick label effectively to communicate this message. The label may also be used when you order something through the mail. To create a page of the labels from Word, use “Tools” - “Labels” - “Options” - Avery 5160 and be sure “full page of the same label” is selected.

· When ordering from a merchant by phone, tell them that you do not want your name to be sold, given or shared in any way with anyone else. You can simply use the same language which is on the peel-and-stick label.