A mailing business run from your home is a “Pay per lick” enterprise

A mailing business can be run in your home using automated “licking” equipment.

A mailing business operated at home offers a great opportunity to generate revenue.  This “pay per lick” mailing business really doesn’t need licks anymore though.  A mailing business has gotten quite sophisticated and uses computer equipment and self sealing envelopes or automated envelope sealing machines among other items to get the job done.  But if you want to start a mailing business, it’s a great business for someone who does not want a business which requires staff.

Starting a Mailing Business Which Offers A Range of Services

You may think of a mailing business as simply one which stuffs envelopes and applies postage.  You can certainly start a mailing business which only provides this service, but you will be limiting your opportunity.  That’s because large companies have large jobs which can have thousands of items needing the services of a mailing business.  That’s too many “licks” for anyone to hand manually in their mailing business.

When you are thinking about starting a mailing business, you should consider all of the service possibilities.  Then you can decide what you can afford to begin with and what you can add later to your mailing business. 

• Envelope stuffing
• Mailing list development and maintenance
• List brokering
• Flyer stapling

A mailing business is easy to start once you have the equipment. 

Who Uses a Mailing Business?

There are plenty of opportunities for finding customers for your mailing business.  Though people like to talk about all the waste of paper that goes into what is called junk mail, the fact is that direct advertising is a boon for a mailing business.  Companies will continue to mail advertisements, flyers and sale notices by the millions which means plenty of opportunity for your mailing business.

To find customers for your mailing business you can approach all size businesses.  Even the local coffee probably sends out flyers or newsletters each month.  As people have gotten more and more disgusted with telemarketing, companies have increased the use of direct mail and that once again means more need for mailing business services.  If you are able to land a few large customers, your revenue results will be even larger.

What You Need To Begin Operating Your Mailing Business

To start a mailing business, you will need a business license, office supplies and computer equipment.

• Computer
• Internet
• Printer
• Software for generating mailing lists
• Software for addressing envelopes
• Bar coding software
• Scanner
• Copier
• Postage meter
• Envelope sealer  (for all size envelopes if don’t require self sealing envelopes)

Once you have purchased the equipment for your mailing business, you will need to learn all about postal rates.  You can use the internet to keep track of postal regulations and to stay in contact with your mailing business customers.  Mailing lists you generate or the ones you get from your mailing business customers can be emailed.

It will be important to make sure you have plenty of space to operate your mailing business.  When you have a large job to do, it will require a lot of space for the sorting of the flyers and envelopes. 

You will also have to establish your per piece rates for your mailing business.  You will need different per entry rates for the mailing list and the envelope stuffings.  If you plan on picking up and delivering the fliers and envelopes, the mailing business rates need to cover the cost of gas and vehicle maintenance.

The Long Term Mailing Business

One of the most important things you need to pay close attention to when running a mailing business is the accuracy of the postage applied and the mailing list addresses.  If your customer provides the mailing addresses to your mailing business, you are not responsible for returned mail.  But if you create and sell the mailing lists then your mailing business will be held responsible for mail returns.

Ongoing expenses for a mailing business are very basic.

• Office supplies
• Bookkeeping software
• Vehicle expenses
• Postage for postage meter

A mailing list business is easy to begin.  It’s also easy to market a mailing business.  You will be providing a valuable service to businesses at a reasonable cost.  You can save them the cost of hiring additional employees to do the work you are doing right out of your home.

See Also: How to Start A Business : Business Idea of The Day

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