Mail guides
Unusual mail formats
Keep the right details when an advertisement does not look like a standard envelope.
Check an address printed on a reply card
A reply card tucked into promotional mail often has an address printed on it. That address may be where you send the card back, not the address the sender used to reach you. Check which it is before choosing a photo.
Keep the label from a catalog's plastic wrapper
When a catalog arrives in a clear plastic sleeve, the mailing label is often printed on or stuck to that outer layer, not the catalog itself. If you discard the wrapper first, you may lose the address details you need.
Read the label on a folded self-mailer
A folded self-mailer is a single printed sheet that folds and seals without an envelope. Your mailing label is usually on an outside panel. Find it before you unfold the piece so you do not lose any printed detail.
Handle an advertising insert with no mailing label
A loose advertising insert has no mailing label because it was not addressed to you. It arrived inside a newspaper, a bundle, or another publication, so the insert alone does not tie you to the sender's mailing records.
Keep a coupon while requesting less mail
Promotional mailers often include a perforated coupon. If you want to use the coupon and also ask for less mail from that sender, take your photo first, while the piece is still whole.
Request less catalog mail without a customer number
Some catalog labels print a customer number that links the piece to an account. If you have never ordered from the company, there may be no number on yours. Your name and address can still identify you.
Preserve a peeling mailing label
Some mailers print your address on a sticker that can curl, peel, or fall off in transit. If the label is lifting at the edges, photograph it before handling the piece further.
Do not mistake a reply envelope for an opt-out route
Many promotional mailings include a business reply envelope so you can respond easily. It is meant for an order, a donation, or another response the sender wants. It is not a dependable way to ask a mailing list manager to take you off.
Prepare a promotional postcard for a request
A promotional postcard can split the details you need across two sides. The sender's name or brand is often on the front, and your name and address are on the back. Before you submit, decide which photo shows enough of both.
Sort advertisements inside a welcome packet
A welcome packet from a utility, city office, or moving service may hold official documents alongside advertising from local sponsors. Each advertiser may be a different company, so one request will not cover them all.