How to Save Printing Costs in 2010

1. The costs the printer will charge for co-mail. This includes all charges — e.g., freight, mail tapes, administration and demographic binding — other than printing, paper and basic bindery setup and running charges.
2. The estimated postage cost. It should be as simple as having your printer estimate the two checks you're going to write: one to the printer for co-mail costs, the other to the USPS for postage.

Generally, mailers compare their actual postage costs vs. a competing printer’s estimated postage costs. To get the best estimate possible, either share your mail tapes from a previous mailing with a competing printer so it can see which pool you'd participate in, or send future mail tapes to a competing printer to have it estimate your postage on a future job. Printers will ask for actual mail tapes to estimate your postage; be prepared to share that data. Printers also will sometimes guarantee a floor savings from co-mail. It's appropriate to ask for both an estimate of postage costs and whether the printer will guarantee some or all of the potential postage savings.